YouTube Video Downloader

A YouTube to MP4 and YouTube to MP3 tool in one place

The Document Fetch YouTube Video Downloader is a free browser tool. It saves public YouTube videos as MP4 files, up to 720p. It can also convert them to MP3 audio. You need no account, and you install no software. Most people need one of two jobs done. As a YouTube to MP4 converter, it saves a public video as an MP4 file. You can then watch offline on a flight, in class, or anywhere with a weak signal. As a YouTube to MP3 converter, it pulls out just the audio. Use this mode to convert YouTube video to MP3 when only the sound matters. Audio files stay small. They suit songs, podcast episodes, interviews, and lectures you mainly listen to.

You pick the format before processing, right inside the tool. Choose MP4 Video when you want the picture. Choose MP3 Audio when you only need the sound. There is no separate converter page to hunt for. There is no desktop program to install. Everything runs in your browser on Document Fetch.

Need only the video's cover image, not the video itself? Use the companion YouTube Thumbnail Download tool to save the thumbnail in HD. Document Fetch is not affiliated with YouTube or Google. The name appears so you can pick the right tool for the link you already have.

How this free YouTube downloader works

Copy a full video URL from YouTube and paste it into the field above. Watch links, Shorts links, live replay links, and short youtu.be links all work. Document Fetch first checks that the URL belongs to YouTube and holds a video ID. It then asks the media service to prepare the file in your chosen format. Short-hand searches like yt to mp3 or ytmp4 describe the same two jobs. This page handles both.

When a file is ready, you see the video title, a preview image, and a real download button. Some videos cannot be fetched. They may be private, age-restricted, removed, or region-locked. In that case you get a clear explanation. You never get a fake progress bar or a dead button. Clear outcomes are the point. Many converter sites promise every video, then stall halfway.

MP4 files usually take a short while. MP3 files take less time, because audio is much smaller. Very long videos can take longer. The media service sleeps when idle. So the first request of the day can take up to a minute while it wakes up. A second try usually works.

Supported YouTube links and formats

• MP4 Video The full video with sound, up to 720p. It plays on almost any device.
• MP3 Audio Audio only. Ideal for music, podcasts, and lectures, with much smaller files.
• Shorts Public Shorts count as normal videos. Save them as MP4 or MP3.
• Live replays Finished live streams that stay public process like regular videos.

The tool accepts the link shapes YouTube actually gives you. Standard watch URLs (youtube.com/watch?v=...), Shorts URLs (youtube.com/shorts/...), finished live streams (youtube.com/live/...), and short youtu.be links all work. Links from the mobile app and from YouTube Music work too. Playlist, channel, and search page URLs are not video links. The tool rejects them and explains why.

Who uses a YouTube video downloader

• Students Save public lectures and tutorials for revision, without burning mobile data.
• Music listeners Use it as a YouTube music downloader. Keep an MP3 of live sessions, mixes, and tracks artists share in public.
• Creators Archive your own uploads and reference material for editing projects.
• Travelers Line up videos before a trip, so your entertainment works fully offline.

People download YouTube videos for normal, honest reasons. Think of a long flight with no Wi-Fi. Think of a commute through areas with poor coverage. Think of a classroom with a weak connection. Permission always comes first. Save content you own, content under an open license, or content you may keep.

Practical tips for better results

Always paste the exact address-bar URL of the video page. A link copied from a playlist view still works if it holds the video ID. But home, channel, and search links do not point to a video, so the tool cannot process them. Did a video fail once with a short-term message? Wait a moment and try again. Limits on the source side clear fast.

Choose MP3 when you only want to download YouTube audio without the picture. It processes faster and uses a fraction of the storage. Choose MP4 at 720p for the best balance of quality and file size on phones. Never type your YouTube password or cookies into any site. Document Fetch never asks for them. A site that does is not safe.

Limits, safety, and responsible use

This tool processes public videos only, through a public method. It does not bypass logins, age gates, DRM, or region locks. It cannot fetch private or unlisted content that needs an account. YouTube blocks some public videos from automated fetching. When that happens, the tool tells you so.

Download only material you have the right to save and use. Copyright law and creator licenses still apply to files you keep, even when a video is public. Document Fetch gives you a technical workflow for public links. It does not grant copyright permission. Prefer the creator's official download or purchase options when they exist. Need the audio of a track instead? You can save public SoundCloud tracks with the SoundCloud Downloader.