How do you download music off of YouTube onto your phone?
Downloading music from YouTube to listen offline on your phone has become a popular way to get free music. With YouTube being a massive platform for music discovery and streaming, many users want the ability to save songs and playlists directly on their mobile devices. This allows you to listen to your favorite music without an internet connection or ads.
However, there are important factors to consider before downloading, such as legality, quality, and storage space. This guide will provide an overview of the methods for downloading YouTube music to your phone, tips for transferring files and listening offline, as well as discussion around the debate of whether this constitutes piracy.
Why Download Music from YouTube
YouTube has one of the largest libraries of music in the world, with official music videos, live performances, covers, remixes and more. This makes YouTube an excellent resource for finding both popular hits and obscure, hard-to-find tracks. According to a report, over 500 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute, and a significant portion of that is music content.
Many songs and versions of songs are exclusively hosted on YouTube, and may not be available on popular music streaming platforms like Spotify or Apple Music. Downloading music from YouTube allows you to access this huge catalog of content. It also allows you to get songs for free, which may not be possible if you need to pay to stream or purchase the track from another provider.
Things to Know Before Downloading
There are a few legal and ethical considerations to keep in mind before downloading music from YouTube.
According to YouTube’s Terms of Service, you are not allowed to download videos from the platform. However, YouTube does allow users to stream music and videos using the site and app. Downloading content could be considered a violation of YouTube’s TOS.
There are also potential copyright issues to consider. Much of the music uploaded to YouTube is copyrighted material. While you may be able to access and stream this content on YouTube legally, downloading copyrighted material without permission is generally prohibited under copyright law. There are exceptions for personal use, but the legality remains questionable.
It’s also important to understand the difference between streaming and downloading. Streaming music on YouTube is considered a private performance and is generally allowed under copyright law. Downloading creates a permanent digital copy, which may require licensing from rights holders.
Ethically, downloading music without permission takes revenue away from artists and creators. While you may only be using the content for personal use, it bypasses compensating those who created the music and video. It’s an issue to weigh carefully.
Choosing a Downloader App
Some of the most popular options for downloading music from YouTube include apps like VidMate and Snaptube. These mobile apps allow you to enter a YouTube URL and quickly download the audio or video file. They work on both Android and iOS devices.
You also have the choice between using a desktop or mobile app. Desktop apps like YouTube-DLG give you more advanced options for file formats and quality, and allow you to easily download multiple videos at once. However, mobile apps are more convenient when you just want to grab a song quickly on your phone.
The capabilities vary between downloader apps. Some specialize in quickly downloading just the audio in MP3 format from YouTube videos. Others give you more flexibility to download video files too, and select different resolutions and file types. Premium downloader apps may allow downloads at faster speeds as well.
Using a Desktop Downloader
One of the easiest ways to download music from YouTube is by using a desktop app on your computer. Here are the steps to download and install a YouTube music downloader on your PC:
1. Go to the YouTube Music website https://music.youtube.com/ and click on the three vertical dots in the top right corner.
2. Select “Install YouTube Music” from the drop down menu. This will install the YouTube Music desktop app on your computer.
3. Once installed, open the YouTube Music app. You can now search for songs, albums, artists etc. and download them directly within the app.
4. When you find a track you want, simply click the “Download” button below the video. The track will now be downloaded onto your computer.
5. To transfer the downloaded music to your phone, connect your phone to the computer using a USB cable. You can then locate the downloaded track files on your computer and copy them over to your phone’s storage or SD card.
6. Once transferred, you will be able to access the downloaded YouTube music directly from your phone’s music player app.
Using a Mobile Downloader App
One of the easiest ways to download music from YouTube to your phone is by using a mobile app specifically designed for this purpose. There are several good options available both for Android and iPhone.
To get started, go to the app store on your device and search for “YouTube downloader.” Some popular options include Documents, TubeMate, Snaptube, KeepVid, and 4K Video Downloader. Install the app you select and open it.
Once inside the app, you can search for songs, albums, artists, or other music just like you would on YouTube itself. When you find a track you want to download, simply click the download button. The app will save the music file directly to your device.
Most downloader apps include options to select video or audio quality. You’ll generally want to choose an audio format like MP3 for downloading just the music. The app will take care of extracting the audio and saving it as a portable file on your phone.
From there, you will be able to access the downloaded music through your regular music apps and playlists on your phone. It’s an easy way to get music from YouTube videos you enjoy onto your mobile device.
Downloading from YouTube Directly
The simplest way to download music from YouTube
is to use an online video converter. This allows you to download the audio file directly without installing any additional software. Here’s how it works:
1. Go to YouTube and find the video for the song you want to download.
2. Copy the video’s URL from the address bar.
3. Go to an online converter like
Online Video Converter or
Online Converter.
4. Paste the YouTube URL into the converter.
5. Select “MP3” as the output format.
6. Click the “Convert Video” or “Download” button to start the download.
7. Once finished, you will have the audio file saved on your computer.
The advantage of using an online converter is that you don’t need to install any software. The downside is that it may take longer than a desktop app to convert and download the files. Still, it’s a quick and easy way to grab music from YouTube when needed.
Transferring to Your Phone
Once you have downloaded the music from YouTube, you need to transfer the audio files to your phone to listen to them. Here are some of the main ways to transfer downloaded YouTube music to your phone:
Using a USB Cable
Connect your phone to your computer using a USB cable. On your computer, locate the downloaded YouTube music files, usually in the “Music” or “Downloads” folder. Drag and drop the files into your phone’s music folder or a folder of your choice. The music files will copy over to your phone. Make sure to safely eject your phone before disconnecting the USB cable.
Emailing Yourself
Email the downloaded YouTube music files to yourself as attachments. Open the email on your phone and save each file attachment. Then go to your music player app and add the saved files to your library.
Using Cloud Storage
Upload the YouTube downloads to a cloud storage service like Google Drive, Dropbox or OneDrive. Install the app for the cloud service on your phone, then download the files to your phone’s local storage. Add them to your music app library.
Bluetooth File Transfer
You can also transfer downloaded YouTube music to your phone wirelessly via Bluetooth. On your computer, turn on Bluetooth and pair with your phone. Select the downloaded files, right click and choose Send via Bluetooth. On your phone, accept the file transfer request and save the music files when they finish sending over.
Listening to Downloaded Music
Once you’ve downloaded music from YouTube onto your phone, you’ll want to be able to easily access and listen to those files. Here are some tips for listening to your downloaded YouTube music:
The downloaded MP3 files will be saved in your phone’s internal storage or SD card, usually in a folder like Music or Downloads. You can navigate there through your phone’s native file manager app to find the songs. Alternatively, YouTube Music has a setting to show device files, making it easy to see your downloads.
To listen, you can use your phone’s built-in music player app. Open the app, find the downloads folder, and add songs to a playlist or queue to listen. Many third-party music player apps like Spotify or Apple Music can also play MP3 files stored locally on your device.
It’s often most convenient to add the downloaded tracks to a playlist in your favorite music app. That way you can easily queue up the songs whenever you want to listen without hunting for the files each time.
Conclusion
To recap, the main steps to download music from YouTube to your phone are choosing a downloader app, either on desktop or mobile, and using it to download the audio from YouTube videos. The audio can then be transferred to your device. Some additional tips are to use mp3 format for compatibility, check audio quality settings in the app, and organize your music files once transferred to your phone.
It’s important to note that downloading copyrighted content from YouTube may be illegal depending on the copyright holder and your location and intended use. It’s best to educate yourself on relevant laws and only use downloaded content for personal, noncommercial use.
With the right tools, downloading music from YouTube can be a convenient way to access audio content. Just be mindful of copyright restrictions and make sure to use trusted apps to avoid security issues.
