Are you tired of buffering YouTube videos? Enter VLC Media Player and utilize its feature to download desired videos and enjoy them offline. VLC Media Player is widely known as a versatile media player that can handle video file conversions and repair damaged videos, however, very few people know that it also has the ability to stream and download videos from YouTube. With VLC, you can even download YouTube videos with subtitles.

In this step-by-step guide, we’ll walk you through how to download YouTube videos with VLC Media Player. We will also offer you the way to resolve a common issue like the “VLC YouTube download not working.” And as a bonus tip, we will be sharing with you how to fix corrupted YouTube videos. So, without further ado, let’s get started!

download youtube videos with vlc
  1. Part 1: How to Download YouTube Videos with VLC
  2. Part 2. How to Download YouTube Videos with Subtitles VLC
  3. Part 3. How to Fix VLC YouTube Download Not Working
  4. Pro Tip: How to Fix Corrupted YouTube Videos?HOT

Part 1: How to Download YouTube Videos with VLC

Now that we've introduced VLC Media Player as a YouTube video downloader, here’s how to download YouTube videos using VLC in two ways:

Method 1. Download YouTube Videos with VLC by Getting Video Location Information

The first option to download youtube videos with VLC is by getting the location information of youe desired videos. But you must ensure you are using the latest version of VLC. If not, install the newest version from the VLC official download page. Next, follow the steps below to learn how to download YouTube videos with VLC to Windows or Mac.

On Windows:

  1. Open the YouTube video you wish to download and copy its URL from the address bar.
  2. Launch VLC, click “Media” from the top menu and choose “Open Network Stream.”

    download youtube videos with vlc by getting video location information - 1
  3. Paste the copied URL to the network URL bar. Hit Play and VLC will start analyzing it.

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  4. After some time, depending on your internet connection and video length, the YouTube video will open and play in VLC. Now, click the “Tools” tab and then select “Codec Information.”

    download youtube videos with vlc by getting video location information - 3
  5. In the “Location” bar, you’ll find a URL. Copy it.

    download youtube videos with vlc by getting video location information - 4
  6. Open your browser and paste the copied URL in the address bar. Press “Enter.” It may take some time for the YouTube video to load. Once it loads, right-click on the video and choose “Save video as” to download it to your Windows PC.

    download youtube videos with vlc by getting video location information - 5

On Mac:

  1. Visit the YouTube video you wish to download and copy its URL.
  2. Open VLC on your Mac. On the menu panel, click "File > Open Network…".

    download youtube videos with vlc to mac - 1
  3. Paste the copied URL to the URL bar. Hit “Open.”

    download youtube videos with vlc to mac - 2
  4. Once the VLC finds the video’s location and starts playing it, choose “Window” and then “Media Information.”

    download youtube videos with vlc to mac - 3
  5. Next, copy the URL from the “Location” bar.

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  6. Open your browser and paste the URL in the address bar. Press “Enter” to open the video. Once the YouTube video loads, right-click and choose “Download Video As” to download the YouTube video to your Mac.

    download youtube videos with vlc to mac - 5

Method 2. Download YouTube Video with VLC via Streaming the Video to a File

Alternatively, you can use VLC’s streaming feature to download videos from YouTube. By steaming the YouTube video you want to a file, you can save the video to your Windows or Mac atch them offline whenever you want, without worrying about buffering.

To download YouTube videos using VLC via streaming the video to a file, follow the steps below:

  1. Visit the YouTube video you wish to download and copy its URL.
  2. Next, click on “Media” from the top menu in VLC and then choose “Open Network Stream.” Paste the copied URL to the network URL bar.

    download youtube videos with vlc via streaming the video to a file - 1
  3. Click the down-arrow associated with the Play button. Then choose the Stream option from the drop-down menu.

    download youtube videos with vlc via streaming the video to a file - 2
  4. Keep clicking on “Next” on the windows popping up until the Option Setup window appaers. Click “Stream”, followed by “Add.”

    download youtube videos with vlc via streaming the video to a file - 3
  5. On the Window shown below, click the Browse button to to rename the file and set an output destination. Then, click the Next button.

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  6. Enable “Activate Transcoding” and choose your preferred format to download the video. Then click “Next.”

    download youtube videos with vlc via streaming the video to a file - 5
  7. Finally, click “Stream” and wait for the VLC player to download the YouTube video which you will see in the folder you specified before.

    download youtube videos with vlc via streaming the video to a file - 6

Part 2. How to Download YouTube Videos with Subtitles VLC

If you prefer to watch YouTube videos with subtitles, downloading them with VLC is also a breeze. Let’s find out how to download a YouTube video with subtitles VLC:

Step 1 – Copy YouTube Transcript

  1. Open the YouTube video you wish to download.
  2. You’ll find three vertical dots under the video title. Click on them and choose “Show transcript.”

    download youtube videos with subtitle vlc - show transcript
  3. Once you’ll see the transcript, copy and paste it into your Notepad. Then save the file as txt.

    download youtube videos with subtitle vlc - save transcript to notepad

Step 2 – Convert the TXT file to SRT

Next, visit an online TXT to SRT converter site and upload the TXT file. Choose the output format as SRT and convert. Once the TXT file is converted into an SRT subtitle file, download it.

download youtube videos with subtitle vlc - convert txt file to srt

Step 3 – Open the Downloaded YouTube Video on VLC

Open the video file you’ve downloaded from YouTube on VLC using the methods mentioned earlier in Part 1.

Step 4 – Add Subtitles to Video on VLC

  1. From the menu, choose “Subtitle” and then “Add Subtitle File.”

    download youtube videos with subtitle vlc - add subtitle file
  2. Next, select and load the downloaded SRT subtitles. Once you play the video, you’ll see the subtitles.

Step 5 – Save Video with Subtitles Using VLC

You can also save a video with subtitles using VLC. But make sure the video and subtitles file name is the same.

  1. Open VLC. From the menu, choose "Subtitle" and then "Subtitle Track" > "Track 1" to enable subtitles. Next, select "Media" and then “Convert/Save.” This will open the “Open Media" window.
  2. Press "Add" and select the video file you want to save. Then, click "Convert/Save" and choose the destination file and format. In the "Edit Selected Profile" window, select the "Subtitle" tab and then "Add Subtitle File."
  3. Choose and load the SRT file you want to save with the video. Press "Start.” Your video will be saved with subtitles permanently.

Part 3. How to Fix VLC YouTube Download Not Working

When you try to download youtube video with vlc media players, if you have issues with VLC YouTube download not working, don't worry. There are a few things you can do to fix this downloading problem.

Method 1: Update VLC to the Latest Version

If you are using an outdated version of the VLC player, the YouTube video download may not work. So, to update VLC follow the steps below:

  1. Launch the VLC player. From the top menu, choose “Help” and select “Check for Updates.”

    fix vlc youtube download not working - update vlc
  2. The system will look for updates. Follow the on-screen instructions for update installation.
  3. Close and then re-open the VLC player. Play the video again to check if it works.

Method 2: Use VLC Alternative to Download YouTube Videos

If the VLC YouTube download is still not working, you can also try a VLC YouTube downloader alternative, such as X2Download, a free tool that helps you download Youtube video online. Here’s how to use this X2Download to download YouTube videos with ease:

  1. Copy the URL of the YouTube video you want to download
  2. Head into the X2Download.app website and paste the video link in the search box.

    use vlc alternative to download youtube videos-1
  3. Click link video. Then choose your preferred video format to download, either MP4 or MP3, after which you will need to press the "Get Link" button.

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  4. Wait until the conversion finishes, then hit the "Download" button and you’re good to go.

Pro Tip: How to Fix Corrupted YouTube Videos?HOT

If you are unable to play the downloaded YouTube videos on VLC, they may have been damaged or corrupted. Or if you already have some corrupted videos, you might consider repairing them with a third-party tool like Tenorshare 4DDiG File Repair. It can repair downloaded YouTube videos from all kinds of internal and external storage media. Check out what more 4DDiG file Repair offers:

  1. It can repair all popular video formats, including YouTube and VLC videos.
  2. It can repair corrupted, damaged, broken or choppy videos.
  3. It can fix videos on hard disks, SD cards, USBs, and digital cameras.
  4. It supports batch repair of videos of different formats in one go.
  5. It offers a high success rate..

Let's see how to fix corrupted YouTube videos using 4DDiG File Repair.

  1. Select Video Repair

    Launch the 4DDiG File Repair tool after downloading and installation. Choose “Fix Video Errors” and click "Start."

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    select video repair
  2. Add Corrupted YouTube Videos

    Click on the "Add Video(s)" button to add the corrupted YouTube videos you are unable to play in VLC. Once they are uploaded, hit "Start Repair."

    start repairing corrupted youtube videos
  3. Export Repaired YouTube Videos

    Once the YouTube video files are repaired, select all of them and click "Export Selected" to save them on a secure storage media.

    preview and export videos

Wrapping Up

Knowing how to download YouTube videos with VLC is a great way of eliminating buffering problems and keeping your favorite videos offline and readily accessible. In case the VLC YouTube download doesn’t work, you can update the VLC or try its alternative. Additionally, if you want to repair any corrupted YouTube videos, consider using 4DDiG File Repair. It is a user-friendly tool for fixing broken, corrupted, and damaged videos. You can use it to batch-repair different video formats in one go. Give it a try today and enjoy uninterrupted viewing of your favorite YouTube videos!

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