Manage updates with the Download AppCNET Editors' note: The Download Now link will download a small installer file to your desktop. Remain online and double-click the installer to proceed with the actual download.
CNET Editors' review
We love YouTube downloaders because they make it so easy to grab and save video from YouTube's inexhaustible, ever-expanding supply. Whatever you like, if it's on video, it's probably on YouTube in one form or another. HOW's Free YouTube Downloader is one of the easiest tools for that job we've found. It not only downloads videos from YouTube but also converts them and files from your hard drive into formats you can play on your iPad, iPhone, and similar devices. It offers several quality levels, including HD quality, and plays your converted file when the job is done, if you want it to.
Convert YouTube videos to multiple formats
Ads pay the bills for freeware, and though Free YouTube Downloader contains no adware, we had to click through several screens to get to the actual program's download. It's worth the effort, though, since Free YouTube Downloader's easy settings and minimal user interface (think media player) let you quickly configure downloads and keep an eye on them in a corner of the screen while you do other things. We browsed to a YouTube page and copied and pasted its URL into Free YouTube Downloader's entry field (you can also browse to and add your own files). We selected Windows Media Video from an extensive drop-down list of Output Format options. We also selected the highest output quality, Full High Definition (1080p). We clicked Settings, too; these let us set always-on-top, a default output folder, simultaneous download and conversion, and language options. The browser-based Help file uses screenshots to make each step clear.
Once we'd made our selections, we pressed Download. Free YouTube Downloader began downloading and converting our video almost instantaneously (your connection will affect the speed) and finished by asking if we wanted to view our video. The video opened and played normally in our default media player. After that, we started downloading and saving videos we wanted to watch later. We like the way Free YouTube Downloader lets you choose a device-specific format for conversions, too. Don't forget to watch some of those videos you'll be saving with Free YouTube Downloader!
Publisher's Description
From HOW:
Would you like to watch your favorite videos from YouTube whenever and wherever you please? All this and more is possible with Free YouTube Downloader. With this download manager you can save YouTube videos in various video and audio formats. We support standard quality, high quality and even Full High Definition video.
What's new in this version: Version 3.5.128 may include unspecified updates, enhancements, or bug fixes.
More Products to Consider
-
Download and convert videos from video streaming sites. -
Download YouTube videos and convert to multiple formats. -
Increase your connection speed and recover broken downloads. -
Convert over 20M YouTube to MP3 music clips and ringtones. -
Download and convert videos, including YouTube to MP3, M4A, FLV... -
Convert multiple Youtube videos to various formats. -
Download and manage torrent files.Visit Site Or, Learn More About uTorrentThis download is served from an external site
closeLEGAL NOTICE: This link will take you to a third-party website. Downloading copyrighted materials without authorization or providing others with copyrighted materials for them to download without authorization may put you at risk for legal action under copyright law in the United States and other countries. CNET discourages the use of software for any unlawful purpose
Sponsored Products
-
Download free videos from YouTube, Google, Yahoo, Facebook. -
Download and convert any YouTube video into your favorite forma... -
Manage your file downloads on your Windows PC. -
Download YouTube videos and accelerate downloads. -
Download video and music from YouTube. -
Extract music from YouTube movies as MP3 files. -
Download social music or video for your Windows PC. -
Search the Internet for torrent files, and download and upload ...Visit Site Or, Learn More About BitTorrentThis download is served from an external site
closeLEGAL NOTICE: This link will take you to a third-party website. Downloading copyrighted materials without authorization or providing others with copyrighted materials for them to download without authorization may put you at risk for legal action under copyright law in the United States and other countries. CNET discourages the use of software for any unlawful purpose
Sponsored Products
-
Play audio and video files in real-time and streaming modes. -
Play video files of multiple video formats. -
Download YouTube videos and convert them into various formats. -
Play digital media of various formats with 3D and WiDi support. -
Play virtually any media file in open-source cross-platform mul... -
Play all the most popular video and audio formats. -
Protect your privacy online while surfing. -
Play various types of video, audio, movie, music files in Media... -
Discover and play online videos, download, save, organize, and ...
-
All versions:
3.7 starsout of 895 votes
-
Current version:
1.9 starsout of 54 votes
-
My rating:
Write review
-
"NO STARS!!!DO NOT USE THIS PROGRAM VERY DANGEROUS!"
Version: Free YouTube Downloader 3.5.128
Pros
There is nothing good about this virus ridden malware DUMPTRUCK of malware, trojan installer "software". By DEFAULT it installs an enormous amount of PUPS, toolbars, and a host of malware, etc. and just for kicks, a major trojan that attempted to hijack my machine. Luckily I had my computer in "secure mode", and with the help of Spybot, Spyware Doctor, AVG, AND Malwarebytes, I was able to recover my machine before it was a complete loss.
Cons
NO STARS!!!
CNET SHOULD NOT ALLOW THIS TYPE OF DOWNLOAD! I HAVE LOST ALL CONFIDENCE IN CNET. WITH ALL IT'S ADWARE, POP UPS, AND EMAIL SPAMMING, CNET IS GOING THE WAY OF WAREZ, BECOMING USELESS IN IT'S "GUARANTEE SAFE" LINE OF LIES! PLEASE UNSUBSCRIBE ME IMMEDIATELY!!!Summary
This type of download should be banned, but obviously CNET does not care, since they are making BANK on the same advertisers and spammers and data collection programs they include in their "download" app and "installers". CNET may as well include the "free porn" pop up quagmire that WAREZ has become. SHAME ON YOU CNET!!!
NOT A GOOD PRODUCT. Is the loading of adware, spyware, and trojan viruses now the standard for a "good product"?
Updated on Dec 23, 2012
Updated on Dec 23, 2012NOT A GOOD PRODUCT. Is the loading of adware, spyware, and trojan viruses now the standard for a "good product"? -
"Excellent downloader"
Version: Free YouTube Downloader 3.5.128
Pros
Very easy to use
Cons
Occasionally uses old link
Summary
Excellent downloader and recommended
-
"HAS A TROJAN... do NOT download!"
Version: Free YouTube Downloader 3.5.128
Pros
NONE WHATSOEVER
Cons
Besides being filled with toolbars, which I was very careful not to add ANYTHING extra to this... it STILL installed a Trojan, which thankfully my Zone Alarm program caught. It was a Trojan downloader-JS file. Stay away from this one. I only gave it a half a star because the review required at least that much.
-
"Caution Filled with BLOATWARE"
Version: Free YouTube Downloader 3.5.128
Pros
Uncheck everything or use compeditor products. Shame on the mfgs. CNET should ban this software
Cons
Full of bloatware and other companies paying to piggyback on this software. The product is good but the morals of the owners suck.
-
"Gave it 2 because I felt sorry for it"
Version: Free YouTube Downloader 3.5.128
Pros
Good interface
Supports convertingCons
Does not work.
Empty video file.Summary
This video downloader does not work as of today. Try something like http://download.cnet.com/XetoWare-YouTube-Downloader-Free/3000-2071_4-75827483.html instead.
-
"Gave it one star only because they don't have a zero."
Version: Free YouTube Downloader 3.5.128
Pros
None worth the download
Cons
Contains serious malware that destroyed my WinXP Pro boot up files! Do Not Install because it floods your computer with unwanted programs and it is so buggy that when you try to uninstall it, it wrecks your Windows boot files. You will not be able to re-install WinXP or to boot in SafeMode to use sys-restore.
Summary
It is Garbage! Do Not Use Free YouTube Downloader ! The original was good...this is clearly a rip-off malware installer that will wreck your PC !
-
"Good but slow compared to Real Downloader"
Version: Free YouTube Downloader 3.5.128
Pros
very well laid out and easy to use.
Cons
Too slow in comparison to Real Downloader.
-
"OK But . . ."
Version: Free YouTube Downloader 3.5.128
Pros
It worked OK but . .
Cons
Like others have said it tries to install a lot a junk and you have to keep saying NO, and some of the NOs are tricky to do.
Didn't get a very good quality file in the end. Going back and watching the video in my browser it was a lot better quality than what this software gave me.Summary
Planning to uninstall it if I can find a better one. Searching now.
-
"VERY EASY TO USE AND WORKDS GREAT."
Version: Free YouTube Downloader 3.5.128
Pros
VERY EASY TO USE AND WORKS GREAT.
Cons
BE CAREFUL INSTALLING (UNCHECK BOXES ARE A LOT OF SOFTWARE WILL INSTALL).
Summary
A GREAT FREE PROGRAM THAT'S EASY TO USE AND DOES WHAT IT PROMISES.
-
"This product acts like "Malware" or "Computer Virus"!"
Version: Free YouTube Downloader 3.5.128
Pros
None at this time!
Cons
Chose NOT to install the TOOLBAR but the installer installed it ANYWAY!
I told the software NOT to install its' search engine and not to install ANY plugins to my internet browsers BUT the installer overwrote my list of HOME Pages in Firefox with its' own idiotic address and screwed up my default search engine with its' own.
So I have to consider this installer to contain MALWARE since it did this crap WITHOUT my permission!Summary
I am very disappointed that this behaviour by a program that supposedly was pretested to be FREE of Malware and FREE of Viruses!
My recommendation is to AVOID this product as if it is truly MALWARE or a "Computer Virus"!
Took a while to find and BREAK its' damnable settings in the current version of Firefox! (17.0.1)
Add Your Review
Submit your reply
E-mail this review
Report offensive content
Previous Versions:
