Convert YouTube Videos to MP4 on Mac for Free (App and Online)

After a long process of downloading YouTube videos, it will be quite annoying to see a warning that the downloaded file format is not compatible with your Mac computer. In this situation, you always need to download YouTube videos directly in a supported format.

When you download videos from YouTube, you will notice that the video file suffix is ​​not the usual MOV, MKV or MP4, which is quite annoying when you want to open it on a new Mac computer. This is because YouTube re-encodes the video file to prevent users from downloading the original MP4 file for copyright reasons. However, it is legal to try a converter and convert YouTube videos to MP4 on Mac computers.

MP4 format is always the best choice as it is compatible with all devices and platforms. The following content will show you how to save YouTube videos in MP4 format and watch them offline on Mac computers, including the latest version with M2.

Download YouTube videos directly in MP4 format with EaseUS Video Downloader for Mac

The most recommended option is to use a free YouTube video downloader for Mac and save the YouTube video in the target format directly. One such product is EaseUS Video Downloader for Mac. You may have heard of the EaseUS brand as it has earned a strong reputation in data recovery and backup since 2004. To meet the different needs of users, EaseUS Video Downloader was released to help you download videos from more than 1,000 streaming sites.

• Compatibility: Mac OS 10.0.4 to macOS 14.4.1 (latest)
• Customer service: 24/7 customer service
• Price: Free trial/$49.99 for lifetime use with a 30-day refund policy
• Other reasons to choose: Download videos with subtitles and thumbnails, equipped with a built-in converter to convert YouTube videos to MP3 format as well, save the live stream to your Mac as long as you get the URL, and download videos with a Quality down to 4K/HD/. 8 THOUSAND.

Here are the specific steps on how to use it to transfer YouTube videos to MP4:

Step 1. Download and install EaseUS Video Downloader on your Mac computer.

Step 2. Use the built-in browser to find the target YouTube video you want to convert. You can also try copying and pasting the link of the video into the software.

Step 3. Both methods above will lead you to the download interface. Now click on the blue “Download” button, and you can select the target format and quality. You can download the video file in MP3/MP4/MOV/WMV etc. format. Don't forget to also select the file location.

Step 4. After all settings are disabled, click “Download” again to start the download.

This download tool is also equipped with the function of a converter. You can also use it to convert audio to MP3 on Mac.

But there are also other options.

Another YouTube video downloader for Mac you can try is VLC Media Player, an open-source media player that downloads and converts videos. This tool can also download YouTube videos in MP4 format. One of its useful features is that there are no pop-up ads, so you don't have to worry about security.

Follow the steps below to learn how to convert YouTube videos to MP4:

Step 1. Open the YouTube video and copy the URL of the video. Then open VLC media player on your Macbook Air/Macbook Pro.

Step 2. You can press Command + N To “Open Network Stream“. Then click on “Open” button.

Step 3. Double-click the video to play it. Go to “Windows” > “Media information” from the top bar.

Step 4. A window will open showing you the location of the video. Copy that and open it in a new browser tab.

Step 5. Right-click the video and select “Download video as…“. Now you can change the video name and file location to save a YouTube video in MP4 format.

Convert YouTube videos to MP4 on Mac with a Safari extension

FYI: If you don't want to take up too much space on your Mac computer, you can consider using a browser extension to convert or download YouTube videos. This is also a good choice. You can download YouTube videos on Mac using a Safari video download extension.

To save you time and effort, the following steps are detailed with a well-known extension, Airy Video Downloader.

Now follow these steps to transfer online videos from YouTube to MP4 using a Safari extension:

Step 1. Open the YouTube video page you want to download on Safari and copy the link of the video.

Step 2. Install Airy Video Downloader Extension on your Mac Safari and open it. Paste the video link into the bar.

Step 3. Then select the video format, e.g. B. MP4, and the quality from 144p to Ultra HD.

Step 4. After all settings are done, click the red button to start downloading YouTube videos in MP4 format. You can find the downloaded files in Finder on your Mac.

Convert YouTube videos to MP4 online for free on Mac

If you don't want to download additional software, an online YouTube video converter is more suitable for you. The steps to use an online video converter are similar to each other. Before learning how to achieve this goal, you should know that there is no guarantee of security when using websites. Unless you are in an emergency situation, it is better to try the desktop version.

This part uses YTconverter as an example to show you the detailed steps to manage this target. You can also search for other URL to MP4 converter websites on Google Chrome.

The specific steps to convert videos from YouTube to MP4 using an online converter are listed below:

Step 1. Open the official website of the online converter. Then open the target video page you want to convert with.

Step 2. Copy and paste the URL of the video into the blank sheet of the online converter as the image shows below.

Step 3. Click “Convert“, and a window will appear with the format for you to choose from. You can convert the video to MP4 up to 1080p. The quality may vary depending on the original video.

Step 4. Then click “Convert“, and the website downloads the video in the format and quality. The downloaded files can be found in the browser download file.

Wrap up