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Supports dozens of video sites
Downloads multiple videos at once
Choice of conversion options
Can’t extract audio in MP3 format
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Despite the name, WinX YouTube Downloader (opens in new tab)doesn’t just grab videos from Google’s video-hosting site – it also works with Vimeo, Facebook, Dailymotion and a wealth of others, and it’s extremely impressive.
Developer: Digiarty Software (opens in new tab)
Version: 4
Operating system: Windows
To download a video, just paste in a link and click ‘Analyze’ and you’ll be presented with a list of possible resolutions and formats – including 4K, if that was the video’s original resolution. MP4 is usually the best formal to choose, offering a good balance of quality and file size, but you can also pick WEBM or 3GP (the latter of which will only rip the sound).
One of WinX YouTube Downloader’s best features is that it can download multiple videos at once. Click ‘OK’ to add the video to the list, then repeat the process for any additional videos. You can preview them using the little player at the top left. Once they’re all lined up, hit the blue ‘Download’ button at the bottom right to begin. The videos will be saved to the target folder specified above the button, and the process is surprisingly quick.
Dive into the settings and you’ll find the option to download via a proxy, and adjust the default resolution and format. Checking for updates is as simple as clicking the ‘Refresh’ button, and new versions are released frequently.
WinX YouTube Downloader looks great and is incredibly easy to use. Unlike many free video downloaders, it isn’t full of ads (you might see the occasional prompt to upgrade to the premium version, but these are few and far between) and it won’t add watermarks to downloaded videos.
The ability to download videos in 4K is a real boon. The only disappointment is that it’s not possible to rip the audio from videos in MP3 format, though you can always use a free video converter to do this once you’ve downloaded the MP4.
Before you use the software, note that using third-party apps to download videos is against YouTube’s terms of service (opens in new tab), which say you can only stream videos directly from its servers. Downloading videos is also a potential copyright infringement unless you own the video yourself, have permission from the copyright holder, or it’s in the public domain.
Cat is the editor of TechRadar’s sister site Advnture. She’s a UK Athletics qualified run leader, and in her spare time enjoys nothing more than lacing up her shoes and hitting the roads and trails (the muddier, the better)
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