Converting YouTube videos to MP4 format can be useful for several reasons. MP4 files take up less storage space than the original YouTube formats and can be played on more devices. They are also easier to edit or share since they don’t require an internet connection like streaming videos. This guide will walk you through the complete step-by-step process of ing YouTube videos and converting them to MP4 using free software tools. We’ll cover how to videos from YouTube using a web browser extension, the best video converter software to use, tips for editing metadata, and how to save the final MP4 files. Whether you need to convert a single video or batch convert multiple videos, these instructions will show you how to easily extract MP4s from YouTube.
YouTube Videos
The first step before using a YouTube to MP4 converter tool is ing the YouTube video(s) you want to convert. While you can manually copy and paste the URLs into a converter, a browser extension makes things much simpler.
One of the best and easiest YouTube extensions is Video Helper. This is available as extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Opera, and Edge. Once installed, navigate to the YouTube video you want to . Click the extension icon in your browser toolbar and select which video quality you want to . The video will be ed directly on your computer hard drive.
Repeat this process for any other YouTube videos you want to convert to MP4. Having the videos already ed makes the conversion process quicker versus inserting URLs.
Choose an MP4 Video Converter
There are dozens of free and paid YouTube to MP4 converters available online. However, many have limitations, ads, malware, or try to bundle extra software. So, do your research beforehand. Pick one that you like and find easy to use.
Convert ed YouTube Videos
Click the Add Videos button and select all the YouTube videos you want to convert. You can drag and drop videos too. They will appear in the file list.
In the toolbar, click the +Video icon and choose MP4 as the output format.
Under Preset, select YouTube or another MP4 preset optimized for your device screen size. The Result box will estimate the final file size and length.
Finally, click the Convert button to start encoding the YouTube videos to MP4 format. The time required depends on your computer hardware and video length. Plan for about 5-10 minutes per 1 minute video.
The MP4 files will save to the designated output folder as each video finishes converting. By default, this is Videos\Freemake.
Edit Metadata
A good converter provides additional options to edit the MP4 metadata before converting. Click the small arrow beside each video name to expand these options.
You can rename the MP4 to something memorable, trim the video length, change aspect ratio, reduce file size, and more. Use these tools to optimize the MP4 for playback or editing.
The metadata options also let you change info like title, author, copyright, description, and add custom thumbnails. Tweaking metadata makes the MP4 files more organized.
Save the Converted MP4s
Once the conversion completes, you can find the YouTube MP4 files in the target destination folder. We recommend copying the MP4s to a dedicated folder or external hard drive for safe keeping.
You can delete the original YouTube video files you ed to recover disk space. Back up any videos you may want to convert again in the future before deleting.
The MP4 conversion process is now complete! You’ll have high-quality YouTube videos saved offline and playable from any device. Batch converting multiple videos saves a tremendous amount of time versus ing and converting one by one.
Converting YouTube videos to MP4 only takes a few simple steps but provides many benefits. The MP4 files take up less storage space, work on more media players, and are easier to edit compared to YouTube’s original formatting.
We walked through how to efficiently YouTube videos, convert them to MP4s using Freemake Video Converter, tweak metadata settings, and save the converted files. The entire process can be completed in just a few minutes for most videos.
Now you have the complete guide to easily converting YouTube to MP4 anytime you want to save videos for offline viewing and backup. You’ll also be able to watch YouTube videos on devices that don’t streaming formats. Follow these instructions next time you need to extract MP4 files from YouTube videos.
