Want to watch YouTube videos offline on your smartphone? There are plenty of ways to do it, but finding the right one can be a bit confusing. Even YouTube’s official download methods vary from region to region, and third-party video download methods keep changing. Here’s how to download YouTube videos on your smartphone.

A word of caution before you proceed: YouTube’s official apps are the only reliable methods for downloading the videos you need. All other methods may stop working at any time or be taken over by people who don’t care much about your experience (or safety).

While it's safe to say that you won't have any issues downloading videos using YouTube's apps, that same guarantee doesn't apply to the third-party sites or apps featured in this article. That said, a good rule of thumb is to expect pop-ups, NSFW ads, and unrelated tabs full of ads when downloading YouTube videos from third-party sites.

The most reliable methods for downloading videos are using desktop apps like the excellent 4K Video Downloader, which we’ve recommended before. However, we’re going to focus on ways to download YouTube videos using your smartphone.