While most laws around the world view downloading videos from YouTube as an illegal action, there are still a large number of programs available that will allow you to perform this action with ease. As long as you are safe and protected, such as with a VPN, here is how you can download a YouTube video with subtitles, in just a few simple steps:
Preparing for the download
Before you try to download a YouTube video, you need to make sure the subtitles are actually available first. To do this, take a look at the bottom of the YouTube video player, and check if the CC button is available (located next to the gear icon).
The absence of the CC icon means that the video doesn’t have subtitles; therefore, you won’t be able to download them along with the video. However, if the button is present, you can proceed with the following instructions.
Downloading a YouTube video with subtitles
Although there are many online tools and special software options available, claiming to allow you to download YouTube videos with subtitles, 4K Video Downloader is one of the safest and most popular programs thus far. Here’s how to use it:
- Download and install the version of 4K Video Downloader that’s compatible with your operating system.
- Go to youtube.com, and find the video you wish to download. After making sure the subtitles are available, copy the video’s URL from the address bar.
- Open 4K Video Downloader, and then click the Preferences button (crossed screwdriver and wrench icon) in the upper-right corner.
- Here, you will see a number of options, along with the Embed subtitles in video if possible Check this if you want to automatically merge the subtitles with the video file as you download.
- Exit the Preferences
- Next, click on the Paste Link button (green circle with a plus) in the upper-left corner. The 4K Video Downloader will now automatically find the YouTube URL you copied, and begin the copying process.
- Select your preferred video quality; you can choose from low-res to HD. You also have the option of selecting a different video format to the default one. Simply press the Format button, and choose your preferred extension from the drop-down list.
- Now, press the Download Subtitles button in the lower-right corner of the window. A drop-down menu will now appear. Here, you can select the preferred language for your subtitles.
- Press the Download button in the lower-right corner of the window to begin the downloading process.
- After the downloading has finished, you can right-click on the video, and then press Show in folder to find the video’s location. Play and enjoy!
Note: If you embedded the subtitles into the video, you might need to enable the subtitle track in your preferred video player to allow the subtitle text to appear. If you downloaded the files separately, however, you will see the subtitle file (SRT) in the same folder as your downloaded video, which you can load into your preferred video player.
