Have you ever wanted to save an online video on your PC? Maybe you would rather not have to repeatedly stream a video that you watch frequently, or maybe you want to save a video so that you can refer to it more easily, transfer it to other devices, or perhaps even burn it onto a DVD?
Although most websites and online video platforms don’t provide a way to ‘download’ or ‘save’ videos – there are other ways to get around that. In particular there are three main methods that you can use to save online videos on a PC:
- Web-based online video downloaders
Arguably the most convenient way to save online videos is to use a web-based online video downloader. Nowadays there are many, and they are essentially websites where you can enter the URL of the webpage with the video, and it will process it and provide you with a download link.
While straightforward enough, these services aren’t perfect and often may be limited in terms of the platforms and websites they can download videos from. On top of that many are filled with ads, and may have other limitations in terms of the maximum video duration, file size, or quality.
- Browser extensions
Generally there are two types of browser extensions that you can use to download videos. The first is merely an extension-based version of the web-based online video downloaders described above.
The second however will attempt to ‘detect’ videos that are present on a webpage that you’re viewing so that you can download them from the source. Because you’ll be downloading from the source there won’t be any restriction on the duration, file size or quality – but it may not work for all videos.
- Screen recorders
Technically this option won’t let you ‘download’ videos, but instead record them while they’re playing on your screen so that you can subsequently save them. Because they work that way, there are no limitations whatsoever and you can use them to save any online videos that you want.
Suffice to say this an option that is guaranteed to work, and will even let you save videos from within apps – which no other option will. However the caveat is that it is slower, because you will need to wait and record the video as it is playing.
While in most cases you can pick and choose which options you want, to record Netflix or videos from within other apps you will need a screen recorder. Ideally you should try to find one that will let you automate the recording so that you don’t need to manually control it, such as Movavi Screen Recorder for example.
Between the methods described above, you should definitely be able to save online videos – no matter what or where they are. If you already have certain videos that you’d like to save, why not give it a try and test out the various options to see which one is the best fit.
FOUNDER & CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER | Founder and COO of Seat42F, a leading source of entertainment news, information, television and movie resources.
