This guide will show you detailed solutions on how to download YouTube video to FLV file so that you could play YouTube videos on any Flash player or upload to other websites for sharing or watching. You will learn how to download YouTube video in FLV format, and how to convert downloaded YouTube video to FLV format if the downloaded YouTube videos are not FLV files.

Part 1: Introduction to FLV and Why Convert YouTube to FLV

download YouTube to FLV

FLV is a file format used by Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR to store and deliver synchronized audio and video streams over the Internet. There are two different FLV formats, F4V for H.264-based content and open FLV for other supported codecs. Flash Video has long been the standard video format used by nearly all embedded video on the internet including the videos found on YouTube, Hulu, and many more websites. Therefore, when we think of FLV, we usually get into YouTube and other online video sharing sites, even though not all online video sharing sites are using FLV format as the main format. Now, many streaming services have dropped Flash in favor of HTML5.

To play back FLV files, there are a lot YouTube FLV players like VLC, Flash Player, MPC-HC, etc. Leawo Blu-ray Player is also a wonderful and free FLV player that could play back all FLV files and downloaded YouTube files, on both Windows and Mac. You could even use this free Blu-ray player to play back Blu-ray and DVD discs, regardless of disc protection and region restrictions.

Part 2: How to Download YouTube Video with CleverGet Video Downloader

To download YouTube video to FLV file, CleverGet Video Downloader could be a great help. It’s a professional online video downloader program that could download online videos from 1000+ sites. You could use this video downloader program to download YouTube video to FLV file onto your computer, and then make use of the downloaded YouTube videos in any way you like. Beyond that, you can also use it to download YouTube to MP4, YouTube to MKV, and more. Download and install this video downloader program on your computer and then launch it. After that, follow the below steps to learn how to download YouTube videos to FLV.

  • cleverget
  • CleverGet YouTube Downloader

    - Download videos up to 8K resolution
    - Support 1000+ sites
    - Support live video M3U8 link downloading
    - Multi-task and playlist download
    - Built-in browser and player
    - Advanced hardware acceleration
    - Easy-to-use interface

Step 1: Set downloading path

Click the three-dot icon on the top-right corner and then navigate to the “Settings” option to set output directory in the “Save Videos To” box. The downloaded YouTube videos would be saved in this folder. Make sure the target drive has enough storage space.

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Step 2: Find target YouTube video

Open the “Download” interface, then directly copy and paste the video URL from YouTube to this browser. Play back the target video to see if it’s the video you want.

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Step 3: Choose YouTube video to download

In the pop-up Download pane, CleverGet Video Downloader would list all available videos in different resolutions, formats, content and quality for you to choose. Select the one you want to download and click the Download button to start downloading YouTube video.

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Step 4: Check downloading and downloaded YouTube video

The Library sidebar will intelligently display downloading and downloaded tasks. Also, you can click the arrow-down icon or video icon to switch between two tabs, where you can take full control of them.

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Part 3: How to Convert YouTube Video to FLV with Leawo Video Converter

If the downloaded YouTube videos are not FLV files, don’t worry. You could convert downloaded YouTube video to FLV format by using the internal “Convert” module of this Video Downloader, which is actually the Video Converter module. With this internal video converter, you could convert downloaded YouTube videos to FLV and 180+ other formats and devices like YouTube to MOV, making iPhone ringtones from YouTube video, converting YouTube video to MP3, etc.

Click the following button to download and install this software on your computer first. Then the below step-by-step guide would show you how to convert YouTube video to FLV with Leawo Video Converter in detail

  • Leawo Video Converter
  • Leawo Video Converter

    1. Convert video and audio files between 180+ formats without quality loss
    2. Support 720P, 1080P and even real 4K video output
    3. Create photo slideshows from photos stored on camera, computer, camcorder, etc
    4. Built-in video editor to trim, crop, add watermark, apply special effect, etc
    5. 2D to 3D converter with 6 different 3D movie effects available

Step 1: Add downloaded YouTube videos to “Convert” module

If you want to convert downloaded YouTube videos to FLV from the Video Downloader module directly, right click the downloaded videos under the "Downloaded" tab and then choose "Add to Convert" option. If you want to add previously downloaded videos from local folder, click the "Convert" module and then hit the "Add Video" button to browse and import downloaded YouTube videos into this video converter.

Add videos

Step 2: Choose FLV as output format

Click the button right before the big green “Convert” button and then choose “Change” option to enter the Profile panel. Choose FLV Video from “Format > Common Video” group as output format.

Choose FLV as output format

You could adjust the FLV profile parameters like video codec, bit rate, aspect ratio, frame rate, audio codec, sample rate, channel, etc. Just click the “Edit” option on the dropdown menu of the button before the big green “Convert” button.

Step 3: Convert YouTube to FLV

After setting output format, click the big green "Convert" button. Set output directory in the "Save to" box. Then, click the bottom "Convert" button to start converting YouTube video to FLV files. Make sure the selected folder has enough space.

Set output directory

Leawo Video Converter is not only a FLV YouTube converter that could help you convert YouTube to FLV, but also contains other functions to better your entertainment like  like trimming YouTube video length, cropping video size, adding image or text watermark, applying 3D effect, etc.