YouTube Premium is a subscription service that removes ads, enables background playback, and most importantly allows you to download videos and music for offline viewing. As of 2025, the service costs $13.99 per month (USD) or $139.99 annually for individual plans in the United States. For families (up to 5 members), the price is $22.99 per month. This article walks you through setting up downloads on both mobile (iOS and Android) and desktop (Windows, macOS, Linux) using the official YouTube app and web browser. We also cover storage management, download quality settings, and legal alternatives for saving audio legally.

Prerequisites for YouTube Premium Downloads

Before you can download anything, you need an active YouTube Premium subscription. You can sign up at youtube.com/premium. The service is available in over 100 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Japan, Germany, and Brazil. Payment methods include credit/debit cards, PayPal, and in some regions Google Play balance or Apple ID billing.

You also need a compatible device:

  • Mobile: iOS 15.0+ (iPhone 6s or later) or Android 5.0+ (with Google Play Services). The YouTube app must be version 18.00 or newer.
  • Desktop: No official download button exists in web browsers, but you can use the YouTube Music app for Windows/macOS, or use the mobile emulation method described below.

Your device must have enough free storage. A single 1080p video can take 200–500 MB; a 30-minute music playlist in 256 kbps AAC might take 50–100 MB.

Downloading Videos on Mobile (iOS/Android)

Downloading videos on mobile is straightforward through the YouTube app. Follow these steps:

  1. Open the YouTube app and sign in with the Google account linked to your Premium subscription.
  2. Find the video or music track you want to download. You can search, browse, or open from your library.
  3. Tap the download button (downward arrow icon) below the video player. On iOS, it appears near the like/dislike buttons; on Android, it’s often next to the share icon.
  4. Choose your download quality: Audio only (for music), Low (144p), Medium (360p), High (720p), or Best available (up to 1080p). Higher quality consumes more storage.
  5. Tap Download. The video will be saved to your Downloads tab in the app.

You can also create playlists and download entire playlists at once. To do so, open a playlist, tap the three-dot menu, and select Download. All videos in the playlist will be queued for download (subject to your storage limit).

Managing Downloads on Mobile

To view your downloaded content, tap your profile picture and select Downloads. Here you can:

  • See a list of all downloaded videos and music.
  • Delete individual items by tapping the three-dot menu next to a video and selecting Remove from downloads.
  • Change download quality settings by going to Settings > Downloads.
  • Set downloads to use Wi-Fi only (to avoid mobile data charges) under Settings > Downloads > Download over Wi-Fi only.

Downloading Music with YouTube Music Premium

YouTube Music Premium is bundled with YouTube Premium. The dedicated YouTube Music app (available on iOS and Android) offers superior music download management. You can download songs, albums, and playlists for offline listening. Steps are similar:

  1. Open YouTube Music app, sign in.
  2. Search for a song, album, or playlist.
  3. Tap the download icon (down arrow) next to the item. For albums/playlists, you can download all tracks at once.
  4. Choose audio quality: Low (48 kbps AAC), Normal (128 kbps), High (256 kbps), or Always High (256 kbps). Note that YouTube Music does not offer lossless audio.

Downloaded music appears in your Library > Downloads tab. You can also create smart playlists like “Offline Mixtape” that automatically downloads music you frequently listen to.

Downloading on Desktop (Windows, macOS, Chrome OS)

YouTube Premium does not provide a native download button in the desktop browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari). However, you can download videos for offline viewing using the YouTube Music desktop app (a Progressive Web App) or by emulating a mobile device in Chrome’s Developer Tools.

Method 1: YouTube Music Desktop App (Windows/macOS)

Google offers a standalone YouTube Music app for Windows and macOS. It supports downloads. Here’s how:

  1. Visit music.youtube.com and install the app using the browser prompt (Chrome: three-dot menu > Install YouTube Music).
  2. Open the app, sign in with your Premium account.
  3. Browse music content (songs, albums, playlists). Note: Video downloads are not available in the music app—only audio.
  4. Click the download icon next to any song, album, or playlist. Choose audio quality (Low, Normal, High).
  5. Downloads are stored locally; you can find them in the app’s Library > Downloads.

Method 2: Mobile Emulation in Chrome (Desktop Video Downloads)

This workaround allows you to download videos on desktop by tricking YouTube into thinking you are on a mobile device. Steps:

  1. Open Google Chrome and navigate to youtube.com.
  2. Press F12 to open Developer Tools.
  3. Click the Toggle Device Toolbar icon (phone/tablet icon) or press Ctrl+Shift+M (Windows) / Cmd+Shift+M (Mac).
  4. From the device dropdown, select a mobile device like “iPhone 14” or “Pixel 7”. The page will reload in mobile view.
  5. Find a video and you should see the download button (down arrow) below the player. Click it and choose quality.
  6. The download will start, but the file is stored in the browser’s internal storage, not as a direct file. To access it, go to chrome://inspect/#devices and use the “inspect” feature to navigate to the downloads folder. This is cumbersome; most users prefer using the YouTube Music app for desktop.

Note: This method is unofficial and may break with YouTube updates. For reliable desktop downloads, consider using the YouTube Music app or mobile device.

Managing Storage and Download Limits

YouTube Premium imposes a storage limit on downloads. As of 2025, you can download up to 100 videos across all devices. However, you can delete and re-download as needed. Music downloads through YouTube Music are not counted toward this limit (they have separate storage within the music app).

To free up space:

  • Go to Settings > Downloads in the YouTube app. You can see total storage used and clear all downloads.
  • In YouTube Music, go to Settings > Storage to manage downloaded music.
  • Consider downloading at lower quality (e.g., 360p video or 128 kbps audio) to save space.

Legal Alternatives for Saving Audio Offline

While YouTube Premium is the only official way to download videos from YouTube, there are legal alternatives for saving audio from other sources. For example, you can purchase music from iTunes (prices start at $0.69 per song) or Amazon Music ($0.99 per song), then download the files to your device. Many streaming services like Spotify Premium ($10.99/month) and Apple Music ($10.99/month) also offer offline downloads for their catalogs.

If you are interested in saving audio from YouTube videos that you have permission to download (e.g., your own content or public domain material), you can use third-party tools that comply with copyright law. For a detailed overview, read our guide: The Complete Guide to Saving Audio Legally. That article covers fair use, Creative Commons licenses, and tools like Audacity for recording streaming audio (with proper permissions).

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If downloads fail or disappear, try these fixes:

  • Downloads not starting: Ensure you have a stable internet connection and enough storage. Restart the app.
  • Downloads expiring: YouTube Premium downloads expire after 30 days if you don’t go online. Simply reconnect to the internet and the app will refresh them automatically.
  • Download button missing: Make sure you are signed in with the correct account that has Premium. Also check that the video is not age-restricted or blocked in your region.
  • Desktop download not working: Use the YouTube Music app instead of the browser. The mobile emulation method is unreliable.

Final Thoughts

YouTube Premium downloads are a convenient way to enjoy content offline without ads. The process is simple on mobile, while desktop users can rely on the YouTube Music app for audio. Always respect copyright and use official channels. For more on legal audio saving, see our comprehensive guide.

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