Robert Irvine recommends new programs that won’t cost you a thing

VIDEO DOWNLOADER

4K Video Downloader Plus 25

www.snipca.com/53999 What you need: Windows 10 or 11, macOS or Linux

Downloading videos from streaming services typically means either paying for a subscription or using a third-party tool, many of which are stuffed with ads and trackers. 4K Video Downloader Plus isn’t perfect – it’s freemium, so some features are restricted to its paid-for plans – but it’s the easiest way to save videos to your desktop to watch offline.

It’s a significant upgrade over its predecessor, 4K Video Downloader (without the ‘plus’), which was discontinued on 1 February. A built-in browser lets you search for videos and music on popular services including YouTube, Dailymotion, SoundCloud, Facebook and TikTok, and download them with one click. Alternatively, paste a video or audio link from your standard browser to download it instantly. You can also save YouTube playlists and channels.

The program’s handy Smart Mode saves you having to configure download settings every time you download a video. Specify your preferred quality (resolution and frame rate), format and download folder, and it will apply your preferences to every video you download. 4K Video Downloader Plus 25 (the ‘25’ indicates the year not the version number) makes it easier to download every video from a YouTube channel. Click the three-dot icon next to a download and choose Download then Download Channel. It also displays larger thumbnail images of videos when browsing channels and playlists – click the Enlarge button in the top-right corner of the download window. Note that this only works when Smart Mode is switched off.