How to Download YouTube Videos on iPhone (No App)
Save a public YouTube video or Short to your iPhone as MP4 or MP3 using only Safari, then move it to Photos. Step by step, with fixes if it fails.
Quick answer: copy the YouTube link, paste it into the YouTube Downloader in Safari, choose a quality or MP3, tap Save, then use Share → Save Video to put the file in Photos. No app and no account are needed.
Step by step
- Copy the link. In the YouTube app tap Share → Copy link.
- Open SaveAnyReel in Safari (not inside another app's browser) and paste the link.
- Choose a quality. 1080p for the best picture, 720p for a smaller file, or MP3 Audio for just the sound.
- Tap Save and wait 15-30 seconds while the video is prepared. The download then starts by itself.
- Find it. Tap the download arrow (⬇) in Safari's address bar, open the file, then tap Share → Save Video. It now plays from your Photos app. MP3 files stay in Files → Downloads.
Which quality should I pick?
| Choice | Good for | Rough size of a 5-minute video |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | Watching on a big screen | About 100-200 MB |
| 720p | Everyday viewing on iPhone | About 50-100 MB |
| 360p | Saving storage or sharing on WhatsApp | About 15-25 MB |
| MP3 | Music, podcasts, lectures | About 7 MB |
Sizes vary with the video. Work out an estimate with the Video File Size Calculator.
It didn't work. What now?
- "Private or restricted" message: only public videos can be downloaded. Age-restricted, private and members-only videos won't work.
- Download bar never appears: use Safari rather than Chrome or an in-app browser, and check that Settings → Safari → Downloads isn't set to ask for a location you can't reach.
- Video plays sound only: see Downloaded video has sound but no picture on iPhone. SaveAnyReel creates H.264 files that play everywhere.
- Very long videos (over an hour) can take several minutes to prepare; try a lower quality.
YouTube Shorts too
Shorts links work exactly the same. See How to download YouTube Shorts.
Is it allowed?
Saving a video to watch offline is personal use, but YouTube's own terms only allow downloading through its own features, and re-uploading other people's videos is copyright infringement. Read Is it legal to download social media videos? before you share anything.
Download a video now: YouTube Downloader →