To download a YouTube video on an iPhone 11, sign in to the YouTube app with a YouTube Premium account, open the video, and tap Download below the player. The video is saved inside the YouTube app, and you can find it by tapping your profile picture and opening Downloads.
This is the only download method YouTube supports for other people’s videos. The download is not a file in Photos or Files. It only plays in the YouTube app while you are signed in to the same account.
What You Need Before You Start
- A YouTube Premium membership. Premium is YouTube’s paid plan. Downloads are one of its benefits, and it is only sold in certain countries and regions. Google keeps a list of where Premium is available.
- The YouTube app. The App Store listing currently says the app requires iOS 17.0 or later. An iPhone 11 can run that, so update iOS first if the App Store will not install or update the app.
- An internet connection. Wi-Fi is the safer choice because video downloads can use a lot of cellular data.
- Free storage. Higher-quality downloads take more space. Apple explains how to check iPhone storage in Settings > General > iPhone Storage.
The steps are the same on other iPhone models, because they happen in the YouTube app and not in iOS settings.
How to Download a YouTube Video on an iPhone 11
These steps follow Google’s instructions for watching videos offline with YouTube Premium on iPhone and iPad.
- Open the YouTube app and sign in with the Google Account that has your Premium membership. YouTube Help says you should see the YouTube Premium logo in place of the regular YouTube logo when you are signed in to the right account.
- Find the video and tap it so it opens on its own page with the player at the top. Google calls this the watch page.
- Tap Download below the video. The button sits in the row with Share and the like button. If you do not see it, swipe that row to the left.
- If the app asks you to choose a video quality, pick one and confirm. Lower quality downloads faster and uses less storage.
- Wait for the download to finish. YouTube Help says the download icon below the video changes once the video is saved.
You do not have to keep the video open while it downloads. If your iPhone loses its connection partway through, YouTube says the download resumes on its own when you are back online.
How to Find and Watch Your Downloaded Videos
- Open the YouTube app while signed in to your Premium account.
- Tap your profile picture at the bottom of the screen. Depending on your app version, this tab may be labeled You.
- Select Downloads. Google describes it as a playlist in your library under Recents.
- Tap a video to play it.
To confirm that the download worked, turn on Airplane Mode and play the video from Downloads. If it plays, it is stored on your iPhone. Older versions of the app put Downloads under a Library tab, so guides that mention Library are describing the same list.
Change the Download Quality
You can set a default quality so the app uses the same choice every time.
- Tap your profile picture, then tap Settings (the gear icon).
- Select Background & downloads.
- Tap Download quality and choose an option.
Google notes that higher-quality videos may use more data, take longer to appear in Downloads, and take up more space on your device. The same settings screen may also offer an option to limit downloads to Wi-Fi. That label is not listed in the current iPhone help page, so check your own app before you rely on it.
How Long Downloads Last
Downloaded videos do not stay available forever. YouTube Help lists these limits:
- Downloads can be played offline for up to 29 days. After that, the iPhone has to reconnect to the internet so the app can check whether the video is still available.
- In some countries and regions, the offline window is 48 hours.
- If the creator removes a video or it is no longer available offline, it is removed from your device at the next sync.
- If your Premium membership ends, you lose access to your downloads until you sign up again.
- Downloads only play while you are signed in to the account that downloaded them.
If you are getting ready for a long trip, open the YouTube app on Wi-Fi shortly before you leave so the 29-day clock starts fresh.
How to Remove a Downloaded Video
Removing a download only deletes the offline copy from your iPhone. The video stays on YouTube and you can download it again later.
- From the video: open the video, tap Downloaded under the player, then tap Delete.
- From the list: open Downloads, tap More (the three dots) next to the video, then select Delete from downloads.
- Everything at once: go to Settings > Background & downloads > Delete downloads, then tap Delete to confirm. This removes every downloaded video, so only use it when you want a clean slate.
Our guide on how to delete YouTube downloads on an iPhone walks through this in more detail. If the phone is still short on space afterward, see our guide to managing storage.
If the Download Button Is Missing or the Download Fails
Google’s I can’t download videos page lists these checks:
- You are not signed in to Premium. Sign out and back in with the account that has the membership. A second Google Account on the same iPhone will not have the benefit.
- The membership has expired. Tap your profile picture, then Settings > Purchases and memberships. If you recently resubscribed, Google says it can take a few hours for saved videos to show again.
- The connection is weak. Google recommends Wi-Fi of 3 Mbps or faster, or a cellular connection with a data plan that supports the download.
- You have hit a cellular data limit. Connect to Wi-Fi. Also open the iPhone Settings app and check that Cellular Data is turned on for YouTube if you want to download away from Wi-Fi.
- You have reached the device limit. Premium limits how many devices can hold downloads. Remove downloads from a device you no longer use.
A few other causes are worth knowing. Some videos cannot be downloaded at all, and the app will tell you when that is the case. An outdated app can also be missing current buttons, so install any YouTube update waiting in the App Store. If the iPhone is nearly full, free up space and try again.
What About Downloading Without YouTube Premium?
For videos uploaded by other people, YouTube does not offer a free download button in the United States, and Google’s help pages state that you can’t download other users’ videos outside of Premium. Websites, shortcuts, and apps that promise to save YouTube videos to your camera roll work against YouTube’s terms. They also tend to carry aggressive ads and stop working without notice, so this guide does not cover them.
There are three legitimate exceptions:
- Your own uploads. In the YouTube app, tap your profile picture, tap Your Videos, then tap the menu next to a video and choose Save to device. Google’s page on downloading videos you’ve uploaded has the details and limits.
- Movies and shows you bought or rented on YouTube. These can be downloaded in the YouTube app without Premium.
- Certain countries. In select locations outside the United States, some videos can be downloaded in the app without a membership.
If you only need to keep watching on a slow connection, lowering the playback quality may be enough. See how to watch YouTube on an iPhone in the app or Safari for streaming options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do downloaded YouTube videos go on an iPhone 11?
They stay inside the YouTube app, in the Downloads list that you reach from your profile picture. YouTube says the videos are stored encrypted on the device and can only be watched in the YouTube app, which is why they never show up in Photos or Files.
Can I save a YouTube video to my camera roll?
Only if it is your own upload. Use Your Videos and Save to device in the YouTube app. Premium downloads of other people’s videos cannot be moved out of the app.
Can I download just the audio or an MP3?
No. YouTube Help says it is not possible to download audio, music, or MP3 files from the YouTube app. Premium members can download songs for offline listening in the separate YouTube Music app.
Why are videos downloading on their own?
Premium includes a feature called Smart Downloads that automatically saves recommended videos, and downloaded playlists can pick up new videos too. To turn it off, open Downloads, tap the menu, tap Settings, and switch off Smart Downloads. Google’s Smart Downloads page also shows how to cap the storage it uses.
Can I download a whole playlist?
Yes. Premium benefits include downloading playlists as well as single videos. Open the playlist and look for the download button near its title. A long playlist can use a lot of storage, so check your free space first.
Do downloads work in Airplane Mode?
Yes, as long as the video finished downloading and you have been online within the offline window. Liking and commenting are not available until you reconnect.
Next Steps
Download one short video on Wi-Fi, then play it in Airplane Mode to make sure everything works before you depend on it for a trip. If you manage a child’s phone and would prefer to restrict the app, see how to block YouTube on an iPhone. And if you found a video through a search, here is how to get a video’s URL from Google.
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read hundreds of millions of times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.