How to Download Private YouTube Videos [4 Ways]

Do you have a YouTube video that you want to download, but it is set to private? There are many different solutions available to help you download YouTube videos, but most of them may not be a good solution to download private videos. 

In this article, we will look at how you can easily download private videos from YouTube. Before we show you how to do that, let’s begin by looking at what private videos are and whether it is even possible to download them. 

What is YouTube Private Video?

A YouTube private video is one of the most secure content on the video sharing platform. A maximum of 50 people can only view it, and they have to be invited by the video’s owner. A private YouTube video will also not appear in search results, recommendations, or video tab sections. 

Therefore, you can create a private video library that is only accessible to a few individuals, an ideal way to share private content or very audience-specific content. In addition, the features of a private video allow you to hide and download essential content at will, and when you watch the videos, you will not be subjected to pop-up ads. 

Can I Download Private YouTube Videos?

If the private video you want to download is your own, you can download it without using any tools. Just go to your account to locate the private video and download it. 

You might also be able to download someone else’s private YouTube video, but you will need to use a third-party tool to facilitate the download.

How to Download Your Own Private YouTube Videos

Follow these simple steps to download your own private YouTube video; 

1. Go to YouTube on any browser and log in to your YouTube account .
2. Tap on your profile in the upper-right corner of the screen and then click on the drop-down menu “YouTube Studio.”
3. Click on “Videos” in the left pane, and you will see a list of all the videos you have uploaded to YouTube. 
4. Hover over the video you would like to download, click on the three-dot icon and select “Download” from the options that appear. 

How to Download Private YouTube Videos of Others

If the private videos that you would like to download are not your own, the following are some of the options you have; 

1. Use Fucosoft Video Downloader

Fucosoft Video Downloader is a third-party desktop tool for both Windows and Mac that you can use to download videos from various websites, including YouTube, Vimeo, Tumblr, and more. It is very easy to use, allowing you to just easily download a single video or an entire playlist from YouTube as you like.

Key Features of Fucosoft Video Downloader

• Videos are downloaded in very high quality, even up to 4K or 8K resolution.
• You’re able to download multiple videos at the same time without compromising on download speed.
• There is no ads when downloading private YouTube videos and the downloaded video has no watermark.
• User-friendly interface makes the download process very easy to follow. You can download private YouTube videos in a few clicks.

Follow these simple steps to download YouTube private videos of others using Fucosoft Video Downloader;

 

Step 1: Download and install Fucosoft Video Downloader on to your computer. Follow the installation wizard to complete the installation process and then open the program. 

Step 2: Now, open any browser on your computer and then go to YouTube. Find the video you want to download (you must be logged in and have the owner’s permission to access private YouTube Videos) and copy the URL link of the video.

Step 3: Go back to the YouTube downloader and click on “Paste URL” to begin the download process. Wait a few seconds for the program to analyze the link.

Step 4: Once the analyzing is done, choose the format and resolution you want and click on “Download”. When the download is complete, you can click on the folder icon to access the downloaded video.

2. Use Developer Tool

Network developer tools can also be useful when you want to download private YouTube video. But you might not be able to do this on Chrome since it will not allow users to download videos from YouTube. So to be on the safe side, it is a good idea to use Firefox. You should also make sure that the owner of the private video you want to download has given you access to the private YouTube video; otherwise, you will not be able to download it. 

Once you have the access to the private YouTube video, follow these simple steps to download it; 

Step 1: Open the private video on YouTube. Right-click on it and choose “Inspect Element.”

Step 2: In the Developer Tools, click on “Network” and then choose “Media” under “Network Tool.” You should see the HTTP requests made to the media files only. If you don’t, reload the page. 

Step 3: Click on each link to see the type of media file it represents. Since you want to download a video, you might look for the “video/mp4” type of content. 

Step 4: Copy and paste the URL into the address bar. Then, remove the range parameter and press “Enter.” 

Step 5: When the video loads, right-click on it and choose “Save As” to download the private video from YouTube. 

3. Use Firefox Add-on

Another better way to download the video complete with its accompanying audio is to use a Firefox add-on designed for this purpose. A good option is Video Downloader Professional Firefox Add-on (Google has removed any extension that can download YouTube videos, so we recommend Firefox). With this extension, you can download private YouTube videos easily and quickly.

• Once this ad-on is installed on your browser, just go to the YouTube video page and then click on the Video Downloader Professional icon.
• You should see several options of the different quality of video that you can download; click on one of them to start downloading the video. 

Bonus: Differences Between Public, Unlisted, Private and Scheduled

• Public: The video is accessible to everyone who wants to watch it; even people who don’t have a YouTube account can also view it. 
• Unlisted: The video can be shared with anyone who has a URL. The URL can be generated automatically, but the number of people who can share the video is fairly limited. 
• Private: The video is a closely guarded secret. Only people who have been invited can view the video, and the number of people who can be invited is also limited. 
• Scheduled: The video will be published at a pre-determined future date. 

Conclusion

As you can see, it is possible to download private YouTube videos. Of course, it is much easier when the video you are trying to download is yours, but with the right tool, you can also just as easily download someone else’s private YouTube video.