If you often find yourself in places with spotty internet connections (for example, on your way to work or at home) and you like to watch videos, then YouTube’s offline feature is for you. This feature allows YouTube users to continue enjoying their favorite videos on Android and iOS devices even when there is no internet connection available. Here’s what YouTube’s offline feature is all about and how to use it.
(See also: How to download videos from YouTube)
Launched in 2014, YouTube’s offline feature allows Android and iOS users to save YouTube videos to their devices for later use. The videos can be downloaded over mobile data or Wi-Fi networks. However, the feature is ad-supported, so you’ll have to watch the ad before you can watch the video.
(See also: YouTube offline playback launched in India for Android and iOS users)
Not all videos are available
It’s worth noting that not all videos can be viewed offline. Much of India’s popular YouTube content is available for download, but you may encounter some videos that cannot be downloaded.
Offline availability
Any downloaded video can only be played offline for up to 48 hours. After this, you have to find an available internet connection and resync the video with the YouTube app to know any changes and availability status.
(See also: YouTube will offer background downloads, improved pause buffering, and more)
How to download YouTube videos for offline viewing
To make YouTube videos available for offline viewing, first you need to open Youtube App on your Android or iOS smartphone or tablet.
Access the video file you want to download. looking for Add to offline icon below the video (or you can click the context menu button and select Add to offline options). Note that if a video is not available for offline viewing, it will have a crossed “Add to offline” button. You cannot download such videos to your device.
After clicking the “Add to Offline” button, the YouTube app will ask you to select the resolution of the file – Low, Medium, or HD. Low quality downloads quickly and takes up less space on your device, but is of lower quality. After selecting the quality, the video will start saving on your device.
How to watch YouTube videos offline
Please note that saved videos are only available within the YouTube app. To find this file, go to the YouTube homepage. You can do this by dragging the video down using gestures or simply tapping the back button on Android.
After entering the home page, click Account tab (The rightmost corner looks like a human body).
you will find saved videos on this page. Clicking this button will display all videos you have saved for offline viewing. If you want to delete a video, click the context menu next to the video and select Remove from saved videos.
What do you think of YouTube’s offline functionality? Are you having trouble saving your file? Let us know in the comments below.
