How to safely download YouTube videos on a Mac in 2025

TL;DR: You can download YouTube videos on a Mac safely in 2025, but avoid shady sites. They’re more trouble than they’re worth. I use YouTube Premium for quick offline viewing and trusted macOS apps like Pulltube and Downie when I need files I can actually work with.

The risky start

I’ll be honest: my first attempt to download YouTube videos on a Mac wasn’t pretty 🥲

I landed on one of those “free converter” sites, clicked through a jungle of ads, and immediately regretted it. Pop-ups everywhere, and I wasn’t even sure if the file was safe.

That was the wake-up call. I needed a way I could trust, without risking malware or wasting half a day cleaning my system.

The rules you can’t skip

Before we get into tools, let’s clear something up. According to YouTube’s Terms of Service, you’re not allowed to download videos unless YouTube provides the feature or you have permission from the copyright holder.

So the safe cases are:

• Using YouTube Premium (yes, desktop browsers now allow Premium downloads).
• Downloading your own videos directly from YouTube Studio.
• Downloading Creative Commons or licensed content where you have permission.

Everything else? Risky 😬

Why not “free converter” sites

Shady download sites promise to let you download YouTube videos, but they often come with baggage:

• Aggressive ads that trick you into clicking fake buttons.
• Risk of malware (there’ve been documented campaigns using these sites).
• Poor quality output or broken downloads.

That’s why I turned to proper macOS apps, most of which I found on Setapp. It’s a safer way to try tools without gambling on random downloads. You can get a 7-day free trial.

👀 And if you ever get tempted to click through one of those shady sites anyway, it’s worth having a backup. Because nothing kills your workflow faster than losing files to a bad download.

👉🏻 Pulltube

Pulltube quickly became my go-to when I needed to download YouTube videos that Mac users can edit or archive. Just drag and drop a link or paste it in, and it grabs the highest available quality (even up to 8K or 60fps).

For me, the trimming feature is gold. Instead of downloading a whole 2-hour webinar, I clip the 30 seconds I need. It also lets me save audio-only tracks or subtitles, and if I’m working with a batch of links, I can paste them all at once.

👉🏻 Downie

Downie is the heavyweight option. It doesn’t just handle YouTube but supports over 1,200 sites. Playlists, full channels, subtitles, 4K downloads — it works reliably where other tools might choke.

The magic happens when you pair it with Permute (by the same developer): download a video with Downie, then convert it into the format your editor prefers. That’s how I keep clips ready for Final Cut without fussing over codecs.

If you regularly download videos from YouTube on a Mac, especially in bulk, this is the safe workhorse.

👉🏻 yt-dlp

If you’re comfortable in Terminal, yt-dlp is a free open-source tool that gives you incredible control. You can script bulk downloads, pull subtitles, and stay ahead of site changes thanks to its active community.

But: it’s a learning curve. You’ll need Homebrew and FFmpeg installed, so it’s not for everyone.

Definitely, not for me 🙂‍↔️

Lessons learned: Safety checklist

After testing, here’s what stuck with me:

• Use YouTube Premium for casual offline viewing — it’s the safest, ToS-approved way.
• Stick to trusted apps like Pulltube, Downie, or yt-dlp.
• Avoid shady “free download” sites, as there are too many risks.
• Keep macOS updated, and only download from official sources like Setapp.
• Only download content you’re allowed to. Filter YouTube by Creative Commons if you need free-to-use material.

Keeping my downloads safe

Trying to download YouTube videos on a Mac taught me one thing: safety comes first.

YouTube Premium is perfect for quick offline viewing, but when I need editable files, Pulltube and Downie give me reliable and professional-grade results.

And do you know what the real benefit for me is? Nah, not just having videos offline. It’s saving time, avoiding stress, and keeping my workflow smooth.