Link in, file out

SSYouTube video downloader

Paste the link of any public YouTube video or Short, then save it as MP4 or MP3. No ss typing, no app.

Download a YouTube video through its link

  1. Grab the link. YouTube app: Share > Copy link. Laptop or PC: select the whole address at the top of the browser and copy it.
  2. Drop it in the box above. A card with the video’s picture shows up at once.
  3. Pick MP4 or MP3. MP4 keeps the video with sound; MP3 keeps only the audio. A striped bar shows the progress.
  4. Open the file. It lands in Downloads on Android and PC, and in Files > Downloads on iPhone.

The ss shortcut, and the quicker way

The old SS YouTube trick is to add ss in front of youtube.com in the address bar:

https://www.ssyoutube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID

On a phone that means editing a long address inside an app that has no address bar. Copying the link and pasting it here does the same job in two taps, and you can paste ssyoutube.com links too. How the ss trick works, step by step.

What SSYouTube gives you

VideoMP4 with sound, up to 720p (lower if the upload is smaller)
AudioMP3 at normal quality, roughly 128–160 kbps
Links that workShorts, youtu.be, ssyoutube.com/watch, m.youtube.com and normal youtube.com/watch pages
LengthVideos of roughly 30 minutes or less for MP4; MP3 handles around 2 hours
Won’t workLive broadcasts, private or age-locked videos, full playlists
CostFree. No app, no extension, no account

Choose MP4 when you want to watch offline or share the clip, and MP3 for songs, talks and podcasts you only want to hear.

No link? Search by song or video name

The same box also takes words. Type a song title, a singer or the name of a video, for example Punjabi songs or cricket highlights, and press Download. A list of matching YouTube videos appears, each with its picture, length and channel name.

File size and mobile data

MP3 audio here works out to roughly 1 MB per minute. A 720p MP4 depends on the video, but plan for about 5 to 10 MB per minute.

4-minute songMP3 about 4 to 5 MB; MP4 720p about 20 to 40 MB
20-minute lectureMP3 about 20 MB; MP4 720p about 100 to 200 MB
1-hour podcastMP3 about 60 MB; MP4 not possible (longer than 30 minutes)

On a daily data pack, MP3 is the cheaper choice for anything you only listen to. Save long MP4 files on Wi-Fi and keep an eye on free space: 1 GB holds roughly 200 songs as MP3, but only a few dozen music videos.

Link copy tips for Android, iPhone and PC

Android

YouTube app: open the video, tap Share then Copy link. Long-press the box above and choose Paste. Files go to the Downloads folder, which Gallery and most players read.

iPhone

Same Share > Copy link in the YouTube app, then paste here in Safari. Downloads appear in the Files app under Downloads; from there Save Video puts an MP4 into Photos.

Computer

Select the address at the top of the browser (Ctrl+C, or Cmd+C on a Mac) and paste it into the box. Shorts links (youtube.com/shorts/...) work the same way.

Questions

Is SSYouTube free?

Yes. There is no account, no app and no download limit per day. Your data plan is the only cost.

Is this ssyoutube.com?

No. babybloom.pl is an independent downloader that uses the SSYouTube name for the same idea: turn a YouTube link into a file. Typing ss before youtube.com does not bring you here; pasting the link does.

Can I get HD or 1080p?

MP4 files go up to 720p, which looks sharp on phones and laptops. We do not label anything 1080p, because the files we can make do not reach it.

Does it work with YouTube Shorts?

Yes. Drop a Shorts link in the box; MP4 saves the clip and MP3 saves just its sound.

Do YouTube Music links work?

Yes. Links from music.youtube.com are read like normal YouTube links. Press MP3 to keep the song as audio.

The button finished but no file appeared on my phone

If you opened this page from WhatsApp, Instagram or Facebook, it may be running inside that app's built-in browser, which sometimes ignores downloads. Tap the menu (⋮ or …), choose to open the page in Chrome, or Safari on iPhone, and press the button again. Also check that the phone has free storage left.

My download did not work. What now?

Read the line under the card; it names the reason. Live broadcasts, age-locked videos and private videos never convert, and length is capped (roughly 30 minutes for MP4, 2 hours for MP3). Any other error: tap the button once more.

Can I save a whole playlist?

No, one video at a time. Open each video in the playlist, copy its link and paste it here.

Which videos am I allowed to save?

Your own uploads, and videos whose creator lets people reuse them freely. Anything else needs the owner’s permission. Owners who want a video blocked on this site will find the steps on the copyright page.

Updated: