YouTube shows a video in up to 4K or even 8K, but its own download button, where it exists, stops far below that. With AIOVideoDL you can download YouTube videos in 1080p, 4K and 8K as one MP4 file with sound, straight from your browser. No program to install, no account needed.
Download a YouTube video in HD or 4K, step by step
- Open the video on YouTube and copy its address. In the app, tap Share and then Copy link.
- Go to the YouTube video downloader and paste the link into the box.
- Press Download. In a few seconds you see every size the video is offered in.
- Choose a size under Video, for example 1080p or 2160p (4K). The file starts to download with picture and sound together.
In a hurry? The "Quick download" button at the top always picks the best version that plays on every device.
Why HD videos need to be joined
YouTube stores everything above 360p as two separate files: one with only the picture and one with only the sound. Many downloaders hand you a silent video for that reason. AIOVideoDL joins the two while the file travels to you, so a 4K download arrives as a normal MP4 with sound. Nothing is re-encoded, which means the quality is exactly what YouTube has.
Which version should you choose?
The same size often appears two or three times. The difference is the codec, the way the picture is compressed:
| Codec | Plays on | File size |
|---|---|---|
| H.264 (no label) | Every phone, TV and computer | Largest |
| VP9 | Modern browsers, Android, newer TVs | Smaller |
| AV1 | Recent devices and players such as VLC | Smallest |
For a television or an older phone take the version without a label. For 4K and 8K only VP9 and AV1 exist, so use a current player. If you are not sure which size you need, read video resolution explained.
How large are the files?
As a rule of thumb, ten minutes of video take about 100 MB in 720p, 200 MB in 1080p and 700 MB to 1.5 GB in 4K. Videos with 60 frames a second are larger. The exact size is written next to every download button before you click.
Frequently asked questions
Is it free to download YouTube videos in 4K?
Yes. Every size, from 144p to 8K, is free. Some sites keep the largest sizes for people who are signed in; signing up is free as well.
Why does the 4K version not play on my device?
4K files use the VP9 or AV1 codec. Older phones and televisions cannot decode them. Open the file with VLC, or download the 1080p version without a codec label.
Can I download only a part of a video?
No, the file is always the whole video. A download that breaks off can be continued, so nothing is lost on a weak connection.
