What Is and How to Use a Video Downloader - for Beginners

Lumi 13/03/2025

CleverGet All-in-One

1,742 views

Back in the old days, when the internet and devices weren't as advanced, everyone had to stay in front of the TV on time to watch TV shows, and if they missed it, they had to wait for another rerun. Luckily, now we have entered the age of streaming. Platforms like YouTube, Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, Crunchyroll, Hulu, Apple TV+, etc., bring together all the TV shows and movies that are currently trending. But the nagging question remains: how do we watch content on these streaming media smoothly when we are in an environment where there is no WiFi or the internet speed is very slow?

If there's a problem, there's a solution. These streamers basically offer offline downloads. But each platform gives a lot of restrictions in terms of number of downloads, subscription plans, etc. If you want to download Instagram videos, download YouTube videos, download TikTok videos, and download Facebook videos, a perfect way is to use a professional third-party video downloader. In this article, we will recommend the five best desktop and online products to you and provide a step-by-step guide on how to download YouTube videos as an example. Hope you can pick the right downloader here.

Part 1: What Are Video Downloader Tools Designed for?

As we mentioned earlier, many platforms have actually noticed that users can't watch videos online when they're on a train, subway, airplane or in an environment without stable WiFi. These platforms have also introduced download and offline viewing sections. But their most basic subscription plans often don't support this feature, and you'll need to spend more money to upgrade your account to do so. This is unfriendly to users on a budget.

Unlocking the offline download feature isn't everything, either. You can only download a fixed number of videos per month, and those offline files are really only stored within the streaming platform, not actually saved to your device's memory. You can only watch them on licensed devices.

A professional desktop or online video downloader can help you bypass these official restrictions. Generally speaking, as long as you can provide the video URL or can play the target video within the current webpage, they can download it for you. Many of these products also offer ad filters. There are many desktop video downloaders and online downloaders on the market, and sifting through them to find the truly universal one will take a lot of your time. Don't worry, this article has everything you want. We will pick the five best video downloaders for you.

Part 2: Some Best Popular Video Downloaders in 2025

1. Best Free Online Video Downloaders/Extensions

We'll start with the quick-starting, relatively basic functionality of online video downloaders.

NO.1 Video Downloader Professional

If you're using Chrome, then Video Downloader Professional is the go-to free video downloader extension. As long as you can find the target video through your browser, Video Downloader Professional will be able to download it to your hard disk or add it to your video list. From there, you can quickly play the added video without having to go back to the original web page. Video Downloader Professional is also very compatible with Chromecast, and you can use it to play downloaded or found MP4 videos on your TV. The resolution of the video output is also freely switchable as long as the current website supports it.

NO.2 Video Downloader Pro

This online video downloader, as another free video downloader, is designed in a bright style, fast to download and easy to use. You just need to paste and copy video links from YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Vimeo, etc., and it will help you download videos and music for free. You may also need to add it first if you use a plugin. But with Video Downloader Pro, you don't need to do any download and installation steps. Its user interface supports nine languages and outputs up to 4K resolution. The platform is currently compatible with Chrome, Firefox, Opera and other Chromium-based browsers.

NO.3 SaveFrom.net

SaveFrom.net is also a free video downloader that runs directly in your browser. All you have to do is copy and paste the URL of the video into the toolbar on its page, and it will download it for you in quality up to 4K. This browser plugin can be used in Chrome, Firefox, Opera and Safari, and it is compatible with video sites, including YouTube, Vimeo, Reddit, Facebook, Dailymotion and more.

Now, we’ve introduced 3 useful online video downloader/extensions. They are simple to use if you only need the basic download features. Still, they are relatively limited in their functionality and are very much affected by internet speed. So, if you're looking for a more reliable tool, take a look at desktop software.

2. Best Video Downloader Application in 2025

NO.1 CleverGet All-In-One

Let's start by recognizing one of the most comprehensive video downloaders for desktops, CleverGet All-In-One. This all-in-one tool supports more than 1,000 websites, including YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Onlyfans, HBO Max, Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Apple TV, and many other major streaming platforms. So it can be served as a YouTube video downloader, Onlyfans video downloader, etc. It can be said that almost all the websites you will use in your daily life are included in it. For those platforms where downloading is not supported, you can use CleverGet All-In-One's video recording tool to capture footage.

Specifically, CleverGet All-In-One supports downloading up to 8K definition video or 320kbps audio, ensuring that the quality of the original video will not be lost. It provides several output formats, including MP4, MKV, WEBM, etc. The online parsing function of CleverGet All-In-One also searches out the full seasons of current episodes and supports you to add them to the download list in bulk. You are free to choose the desired subtitle or audio track or save the subtitles as SRT or SUP format files.

NO.2 4K Download

The main function of the 4K Download is already reflected in its name. It can be used to download high-quality videos from platforms like YouTube, including 3D videos and 360-degree videos. You can use it to save content from Watch Later, favorite videos, playlists, or favorite channels. 4K Download can also automatically download new videos to your computer when the channel of your choice is updated. This desktop video downloader supports Windows, macOS, Android, and Ubuntu, but some features may have to be paid for to be unlocked.

Tips: What Are Differences Between Online Video Downloader and Video Download App

Looks like both the online video downloader and the desktop software work pretty well. So how do you choose between them?

To help you visualize the difference between these two types of products, we will use a table to compare the parameters. You can see which category is the one that can perfectly meet your requirements in terms of price and features.

Combining the above information, if you don't have any special requirements on download quality and output format, prefer to get started in a hurry, and only have occasional video download requirements, then the online video downloader for iPhone, Android, or desktop browsers is the most suitable for you; if you want to download a large number of high-quality, long videos, and want to give yourself more freedom in terms of options such as video subtitles, audio tracks, format, and sharpness, please choose the video downloader app.

Part 3: How to Use a Video Downloader to Download Shows- Use CleverGet All-in-One As an Example

If you've decided that a full-featured, stable-running video downloader for your desktop is what you want, read this section to see how to get videos with them. We will use CleverGet All-In-One as an example.

Read this step-by-step guide for how to download videos on YouTube with CleverGet All-In-One.

Step 1: Download and install CleverGet All-In-One on your laptop. Then launch it.

• 

• CleverGet All-in-One

  - Download online videos from 1000+ sites at up to 8K resolution.
  - Download live-stream videos from various platforms without extractors.
  - Batch download several videos from your target playlists or channels.
  - Allow users to choose output resolution and formats for unlimited watching.
  - Download selected audio tracks and subtitles, or save subtitles as SRT.
  - Remove ads and pop-ups from downloaded videos for smooth watching.

  DownloadDownload

Step 2: After launching the software, you will see several icons of different platforms.

If you want to download online videos from platforms like YouTube, Twitter, TikTok, directly go to the corresponding platform and play your target video. CleverGet All-In-One will automatically parse it and pop up the Download window. Choose your ideal output format and quality, then click Download.

When heading to a paid streaming platform like Amazon Prime, HBO Max, Netflix to download a video, you need to go to the details screen of the target movie and from there click on the play button. CleverGet All-In-One will start parsing and display a download icon. Click on it and then complete the download settings in the pop-up window and finally choose Download.

Step 3: If it still doesn't download, try recording the video while it's playing.

Click the three-dots icon in the top-right corner, and choose Settings > Record. Complete the recording settings, and click Save.

Then play your target video within CleverGet All-In-One, and click the REC icon on the dress bar. After finishing more settings, click REC on the toolbar to start recording.

If you want to change the download settings in CleverGet All-In-One, click the three-dots icon on the right corner of its main interface. Here, you will be allowed to change the interface language, video and audio save path, and the number of max download tasks.

Part 4: Conclusion

This is a guide that teaches you how to choose and use a video downloader. After reading this guide, you now understand why you need a third-party video downloader and what online and desktop products are available. Taking all the features together, online downloaders don't require you to download and install them in order to use them, but they offer few output options and are prone to lagging. In contrast, video download apps like CleverGet All-In-One are much more reliable. They'll offer up to 8K output clarity, as well as multiple output format options.