# Download Video — Download videos on Mac

Paste a video link and keep the video, or just the audio. Part of OneMacTools, 151 private tools in one native Mac app (macOS 26 or later); category: Download. Runs on your Mac; nothing is uploaded.

Download Video uses the open-source yt-dlp engine to save videos from most video sites and social networks. Choose the quality and format, keep subtitles or a whole playlist, or save only the audio as an MP3.

Page: https://www.onemactools.com/tools/download-video · Download: https://www.onemactools.com/download · Pricing: https://www.onemactools.com/pricing

## How to use it
1. **Install the helpers once.** The first time, OneMacTools offers to install yt-dlp and FFmpeg, both free and open-source, through Homebrew with one click.
2. **Paste the link.** Copy the address of the video page from your browser and paste it into the box.
3. **Choose what to keep.** Pick Video or Audio only. For video, choose the quality and format. Turn on Save subtitles or Whole playlist if you need them.
4. **Click Download.** The progress bar shows how far along it is. MP4 videos that arrive in a format some Macs can't play are converted at the end.
5. **Watch it.** The file is saved in a new dated folder in Downloads › OneMacTools, named after the video's title. Open it with the Preview (eye) button or Show in Finder.

## Options
- **Keep:** Video or Audio only. Audio only saves the sound as a high-quality MP3, handy for talks and lectures.
- **Quality:** Only shown when Keep is Video. Best, 4K, 1080p, 720p or 480p, 1080p by default. It's an upper limit: you get the best version the site offers up to that height. Best has no limit.
- **Video format:** Only shown when Keep is Video. MP4, MKV or WebM. MP4 is the one to choose for QuickTime, Photos and iPhone: it's saved as H.264 or HEVC, which every Mac plays. MKV and WebM keep the site's own format.
- **Save subtitles:** Off by default. Saves English subtitles, including automatic ones, as .srt files next to the video when the site has them.
- **Whole playlist:** Off by default. When the link is part of a playlist, downloads every video in it. Off, only the video in the link is saved.

## Tips
- Only download videos you have the right to keep, such as your own uploads, freely licensed videos or ones the creator lets you download.
- Choose 1080p unless you'll watch on a big 4K screen. 4K files are often four times larger.
- Pick MP4 if you want the video in Photos, on an iPhone or in QuickTime Player. MKV and WebM may need another player.
- Sites change often. If downloads from a site stop working, update yt-dlp by running “brew upgrade yt-dlp” in Terminal.
- Turn on Whole playlist only when you mean it. A long playlist can take a lot of time and disk space.

## Questions
**How do I download a video on a Mac?**
Copy the link from your browser, paste it into Download Video, choose the quality and format and click Download. The video is saved in your OneMacTools folder.

**Which sites does it work with?**
Most video sites and social networks, using the open-source yt-dlp engine. Sites change often, so a site can stop working until yt-dlp is updated.

**Will the MP4 play on every Mac?**
Yes. MP4 downloads are saved as H.264 or HEVC, which every Mac, iPhone and iPad plays. When a site only offers a format older Macs can't show, OneMacTools converts it to HEVC after downloading.

**Can I download only the audio?**
Yes. Set Keep to Audio only and the sound is saved as a high-quality MP3.

**Can I download the subtitles too?**
Yes. Turn on Save subtitles to get English subtitles as .srt files, when the site provides them.

**Why does the download fail with a 403 error?**
The site refused the request. OneMacTools retries automatically in other ways; if it still fails, wait a few minutes or update yt-dlp by running “brew upgrade yt-dlp” in Terminal.

**Is it legal to download videos?**
It depends on the video and where you live. Download only what you have the right to keep, such as your own videos or ones the owner allows you to save.