YouTube to MP4 by Quality
From 144p for slow data to 4K for big screens. Paste the link, set the quality and save the video.
WE DO NOT ALLOW/SUPPORT THE DOWNLOAD OF COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL!
Choose quality by screen, not by habit
The MP4 menu on Ytgrabber has eight steps. Bigger is not always better: a 4K file on a phone wastes storage and data, while 360p on a TV looks soft. Match the setting to where you will watch.
| Where you watch | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Phone, on mobile data | MP4 (480p) or MP4 (720p) | Sharp on a small screen, light on data |
| Tablet or laptop | MP4 (1080p) | Full HD for screens up to about 15 inches |
| TV or large monitor | MP4 (1440p) or MP4 (4K) | Only for sharp uploads; see the note on AV1 below |
| Saving storage | MP4 (144p) to MP4 (360p) | Good enough for talks and slides |
How to grab an MP4
- Copy the link of a public YouTube video.
- Paste it into the URL box at the top.
- The menu shows MP4 (720p). Keep it, or choose another resolution from the Video group.
- Press Download. When the card reads "Download ready", press Download on the card to save the file.
In our tests, the "Download ready" card appeared after about 20 to 25 seconds, both for a short clip at 720p and for a five-minute video in 4K. Saving a large file then takes as long as your connection needs.
File size grows fast
Each step up adds a lot of data. In one test with a 93-second vertical clip, the 720p file was about 4 MB and the 1080p file about 39 MB. Before you grab a long video in 4K, check your free space, and use Wi-Fi on a phone.
A rough rule: if a file will live on your phone, stay at 720p. If it goes to a computer or a TV, take 1080p.
MP4, H.264 and AV1
MP4 plays on nearly everything: iPhones, Android phones, Windows, Mac, smart TVs and game consoles. Inside the file, our 1080p test used H.264 video, the most widely supported kind. The 4K file used the newer AV1 codec. AV1 is very efficient, but it needs a recent device: older phones, many TVs and some editors cannot open it. If a 4K file does not play, grab the same video again at 1080p.
The WEBM entry in the menu belongs to the Audio group and gives you sound only.
Saving to a computer for editing
If you cut videos, grab your own uploads in 1080p or higher. Editing software such as DaVinci Resolve, Premiere Pro and iMovie opens MP4 directly, so you can drop the file onto a timeline right after the download. A higher starting quality gives you room to crop or zoom without the picture breaking up.
After the download on a phone
After saving, open the file from your browser's download list. On an iPhone, find it in Files, tap the share button and choose Save Video to put it in Photos. On Android, the video is in the Download folder, and most gallery apps show it there.
Other Ytgrabber tools
Only want the sound? Use YouTube to MP3. For vertical clips, try the Shorts downloader. The Ytgrabber start page has every format in one place.
MP4 questions
Which quality is best for WhatsApp or Telegram?
720p or lower. Messaging apps compress large videos anyway, so a smaller file sends faster.
Does the MP4 have sound?
Yes. The MP4 files we tested had the AAC audio track built in.
Why does a high setting look the same as a low one?
The upload sets the limit. If a video was filmed in low quality, a higher setting only makes the file bigger.
What is the difference between 1440p and 4K?
1440p is 2560 × 1440 pixels, and 4K is 3840 × 2160. On screens under 30 inches, most people barely see the step up.
Will the file play on an old phone?
At 1080p and below, usually yes: those files used H.264 video in our tests. For very old phones, choose 480p or lower, and skip 4K.
Can I watch the file without internet?
Yes. Once saved, the MP4 plays offline in any video player.
Ytgrabber is independent from YouTube and Google. Download only videos you own or may save.