YT Downloader icon
Free • No ads • No sign-up

Save any YouTube video
in 4K, 1080p or MP3

Open the extension on any YouTube video, pick a quality, and the file lands in your Downloads folder. Setup takes about a minute.

Download Extension See the 3 steps
~30 KB ZIP Chrome, Edge, Brave & Opera Mac, Windows, Linux
4KUltra HD video
320kMP3 audio
0Ads or trackers
~60sOne-time setup
Instant setup

Up and running in 3 easy steps

No technical skills needed. Follow along — we'll tick each step off as you go.

⚠️ This extension works in Chrome, Edge, Brave or Opera. You seem to be using a different browser — open this page in one of those to install it.
STEP 1 OF 3

Download & unzip ⏱ 15 sec

Grab the extension file and open it up.

  • a

    Click the button below to download the ZIP. ⬇ Download the ZIP

  • b

    Open your Downloads folder and unzip the file.

✅Download started! Once it finishes, unzip it and hit “Next”.
💡Tip: Move the unzipped folder somewhere it won't get deleted, like Documents. Chrome loads the extension from that folder.
STEP 2 OF 3

Turn on Developer mode ⏱ 20 sec

This unlocks the option to add extensions from a folder.

  • a

    Copy this address: chrome://extensions

  • b

    Open a new tab with Ctrl + T, paste it into the address bar, and press Enter. Browsers don't let websites open this page for you, so a quick copy-paste is needed.

  • c

    Flip the Developer mode switch in the top-right corner so it turns blue.

STEP 3 OF 3

Load it & pin it ⏱ 20 sec

Point the browser at the folder you unzipped.

  • a

    Click Load unpacked in the top-left.

  • b

    Choose the YT_downloader_chromeExt folder and click Select. Pick the folder itself — not the .zip file.

  • c

    Click the puzzle piece 🧩 in the toolbar, then the pin 📌 next to YouTube Video Downloader.

🛟See “Manifest file is missing”? You picked the wrong folder. Open the unzipped folder and select the one inside that contains manifest.json.
✓

You're all set! 🎉

Open any YouTube video and click the YT Downloader icon in your toolbar. The video loads in the popup, ready to download.

▶ Try it on YouTube ☕ Buy me a coffee
How to use

Your first download in 3 easy steps

Everything happens in the extension popup, one click away in your toolbar.

STEP 1 OF 3

Open the popup ⏱ 5 sec

Start on the YouTube video you want.

  • a

    Open any YouTube video or Short.

  • b

    Click the YT Downloader icon in your toolbar. Don't see it? Click the puzzle piece 🧩 and pin it 📌.

  • c

    The video loads by itself, and the badge says ⚡ Cloud Engine Online. Not on the video page? Paste any YouTube link and click Load.

STEP 2 OF 3

Pick a format ⏱ 2 sec

One click starts the download.

  • a

    Under Select Format, click a card: 4K Ultra HD, 1080p Full HD, 720p HD, 360p Fast or 320kbps MP3 Audio.

  • b

    The card you clicked shows a spinner while your download gets ready. 4K is greyed out when the video doesn't have it. 4K files play in VLC or a browser; QuickTime may not open them.

  • c

    The bottom row saves the Thumbnail, opens your Downloads folder, or copies a yt-dlp command.

STEP 3 OF 3

Follow progress ⏱ 10–30 sec to start

A card under the video shows exactly where your download is.

  • a

    Preparing… while our server checks the video, usually 10–30 seconds.

  • b

    Downloading as the file streams in. If your browser asks what to do with it, choose Save. No question showing once it reaches Saving…? Click Open downloads on the card.

  • c

    ✓ Saved to Downloads. Click Show in folder to find it. Past downloads stay in the Tasks tab.

▶ Try it on YouTube
ONLY IF NEEDED

If YouTube asks you to sign in

Sometimes the download stops with “YouTube is asking for a sign-in check”. Here's the fix.

  • a

    In the popup, switch on Use my YouTube session.

  • b

    If your browser asks for permission, click Allow.

  • c

    Make sure you're signed in to YouTube in this browser, then pick your format again.

🔒What's shared: only your YouTube login cookies, only over an encrypted (HTTPS) connection. The server uses them once to check the video, then deletes them right away; they're never saved or logged. It's off by default, and switching it off removes the permission.
Why people love it

Everything you need, nothing you don't

Fast, clean, and built right into YouTube.

🎬

Crisp 4K & 1080p

Full-resolution video up to 4K, with audio and video merged automatically into one MP4. 1080p plays anywhere; 4K files use VP9/AV1, so open them in VLC or a browser rather than QuickTime.

🎵

High-quality MP3

Pull the audio from podcasts, music and talks at 320 kbps with a single click.

⚡

One click from your toolbar

Open the popup on any YouTube video and it's already loaded. No copy-pasting links.

📊

Download tracker

See progress and history in the popup, even after closing and reopening it.

🛡️

No ads, no trackers

No sketchy redirects, pop-ups, or third-party converter sites. Ever.

💻

Works everywhere

macOS, Windows, Linux and ChromeOS, on Chrome, Edge, Brave and Opera.

Help

Questions & quick fixes

Stuck on a step? The answer is probably here.

FIX“Manifest file is missing or unreadable”
You selected the ZIP file or the wrong folder. Unzip first, then in Load unpacked pick the folder that directly contains manifest.json. Sometimes unzipping creates a folder inside a folder — choose the inner one.
FIXI can't find the “Load unpacked” button
It only appears after Developer mode is switched on (top-right of the extensions page). Once it's on, the button shows up in the top-left.
FIXThe popup doesn't show my video
Refresh the YouTube tab after installing (tabs opened before setup don't know about the extension yet), then open the popup again. You can always paste the video's link into the popup and click Load. Also check the extension's switch is on at the extensions page.
FIXIt stopped working after I moved or deleted the folder
The browser loads the extension from that folder every time. Put the folder back (or download again), then click Load unpacked once more.
FIX“YouTube is asking for a sign-in check”
YouTube wants proof you're a real viewer. Open the extension popup, turn on Use my YouTube session, click Allow, and make sure you're signed in to YouTube in this browser. Then try again. See “If YouTube asks” in the how-to for exactly what this shares.
FIXMy browser asks “What do you want to do with this file?”
Click Save and the file goes to your Downloads folder. To stop the question for good: in Microsoft Edge, open Settings → Downloads and turn off Ask me what to do with each download. In Chrome, open Settings → Downloads and turn off Ask where to save each file before downloading.
FIXIt's stuck on “Preparing…”
Preparing usually takes 10–30 seconds, and long videos can take a bit more. If it's been over a minute, close the popup, reopen it, and try again. A lower quality such as 720p is often quicker.
Why isn't this on the Chrome Web Store?
Google doesn't allow YouTube download tools on its store. Loading an extension through Developer mode is a built-in browser feature that lets you install it directly instead.
Will this get my Google account banned?
No. Developer mode is an official browser feature, and using it for personal extensions doesn't affect your Google account.
The browser shows a “Disable developer mode extensions” pop-up
Some browsers show this reminder on startup. Just close it (don't click Disable) and the extension keeps working.
Do I need to install any other software?
No. All the heavy lifting happens on our server, and finished files go straight to your browser's Downloads folder.

Ready in about a minute

Download the extension and follow the 3 steps above.

⬇ Download Extension ☕ Buy me a coffee