Google’s video platform Web light For understandable reasons, users are not interested in downloading private videos and can watch them without an internet connection. But now they are working properly in such a process and giving premium subscribers a few more days to try this feature: Download the videos directly in the browser and play them on the same device without internet connection.
YouTube lives from the fact that all users watch videos on the browser or app and pay to use it as part of a premium subscription or receive ads on and before the video. For this reason, there is no download functionality because if you want to archive or watch a video again you have to stream it again and again through the video operating system. From YouTube’s point of view, this is an understandable view that will certainly not be shaken in the future.
However, YouTube Premium offers the option of downloading videos on smartphones for long-term use offline. The videos are available in the app for a limited time and can be viewed without an internet connection. It saves a lot of traffic with mobile data and is definitely practical if you have to cross one or the other dead zone. But the easiest to do on Android was not previously available on the desktop.
Now there is a new test that will bring similar offline functionality to the desktop browser. YouTube Premium users can use this feature Test page Activate and you will see a download button at the bottom of each video.
Download in Den Browser
However, the downloaded video is not stored as a video file on the local computer, which is what YouTube wants to prevent, instead it is stored in the browser’s local cache. Theoretically, there are no storage limits for this cache, but you should not store too many videos there. Thanks to PWA and cache, you can fully play videos without internet connection. Logging in to YouTube at least once every 30 days is a prerequisite.
All videos downloaded this way are on the overlay page youtube.com/feed/downloads Visible and can be called from there or deleted again. For this reason, it seems like a very simple feature for users who have subscribed to YouTube Premium for other reasons. Whether to really call this “download” – Google does it – and then again a matter of definition. In practice, the video is stored on the local computer. The fact that it cannot be opened without YouTube does not play a role in this definition.
It is currently a test run, ending on December 10th.
⁇ YouTube: Premium subscribers can watch and comment on the video feed; So you can test it
⁇ YouTube Annual Review: These are the most successful videos, creators, music videos and newcomers in 2021
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Beatrice Ashford is a contributor at Nintendo-power.com, covering a wide range of topics including news, politics, business, technology, sport, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on delivering clear, balanced reporting and useful information that helps readers stay informed about current events and emerging developments. Her work highlights stories that matter to everyday audiences, with an emphasis on accuracy, relevance, and accessible journalism that keeps readers connected to the issues shaping the world around them.