12 Ways to Download Any Streaming Video

Try Movavi Screen Recorder:

  • Record your screen in high quality

  • Schedule your recordings

  • Capture sound from your speakers, microphone, or both simultaneously

Edited by Ben Jacklin
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In this article, we discuss multiple ways to download any streaming video. If you want to know how to download streaming videos from any website for free, these different desktop programs, mobile apps, and online tools make it easier than ever to watch content from your favorite creators.

Program

Best for

Download

Downloading videos and playlists from YouTube

Downloading videos from different websites

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Our goal is to provide you with only verified information. To ensure this, Movavi Content Team does the following:

  • When selecting products to include in our reviews, we research both demand and popularity.

  • The team tests all the products mentioned in this article.

  • When testing, we compare the key characteristics of the products, which include selecting capture area, schedule recording, showing keystrokes and mouse, and other significant features.

  • We study user reviews from popular review platforms and make use of this information when writing our product reviews.

  • We collect feedback from our users and analyze their opinions of Movavi software as well as products from other companies.

Best desktop video stream downloaders

Movavi Screen Recorder

Best for: capturing any screen activity in HD

OS: Windows, macOS

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5, 50 reviews

Movavi Screen Recorder is ideal for capturing and recording screen activities, including video calls, gameplay, tutorials, and online streaming videos. This video stream downloader is compatible with both Windows and macOS. Thanks to its customizable recording settings and audio capture options, you can schedule your recordings, have your webcam show on overlay, and even edit your finished video.

Key features: 

  • Capture and record any screen activity, including video calls and gameplay

  • Record audio from multiple sources, including microphone and system audio

  • Capture webcam footage and overlay it on the screen recording

  • Set up scheduled recordings to automate the capturing process

  • Edit recorded videos with basic editing tools

Pros:

  • User-friendly interface makes it easy to use for beginners

  • Offers a wide range of recording options and settings

  • Allows simultaneous recording of your screen and webcam

  • Provides basic video-editing tools for quick edits

  • Supports multiple output formats for saving recorded videos

Cons:

  • Lacks advanced video-editing features

4K Video Downloader

Best for: downloading videos, playlists, channels, and subtitles

OS: Windows

TechRadar rating: 4.5 out of 5

4K Video Downloader is a versatile program that lets you copy streaming videos from many different platforms, including YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, and many more. True to its name, it supports high-quality video downloads up to 4K resolution and allows users to download entire playlists or channels. You can also extract and save subtitles in a variety of formats.

Key features: 

  • Download videos, playlists, and channels from popular platforms

  • Support for high-quality video downloads up to 4K resolution

  • Ability to extract and download subtitles in various formats

  • Batch download multiple videos at once

  • Built-in proxy setup for accessing region-restricted content

Pros:

  • Simple and intuitive interface for easy video downloading

  • Supports a wide range of video platforms

  • Allows high-quality video downloads, including 4K resolution

  • Provides options to download entire playlists or channels

  • Ability to extract subtitles adds convenience

Cons:

  • The free version has limitations, such as limited playlist and channel downloads

  • Downloading speed can vary depending on the source and network conditions

  • Occasional issues with certain websites' compatibility

  • May display ads in the free version

Freemake Video Downloader

Best for: downloading and converting videos to different formats

OS: Windows

G2 rating: 3.9 out of 5, 26 reviews

If you want to download any streaming video online and convert it to a different format, Freemake Video Downloader can help. It only works with Windows though, so macOS and Linux users are out of luck with this particular program. This free grabber lets you download videos from any site, including YouTube, Facebook, and Vimeo, and lets you convert from one format to another. 

Key features:

  • Download videos from popular platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and more

  • Support for a wide range of video formats for downloading

  • Choose quality settings for downloaded videos

Pros:

  • Free to use with no limitations on video downloads

  • Supports downloading from multiple online platforms

  • Offers various video quality options

  • Basic video conversion features

  • User-friendly interface makes it easy to use for beginners

Cons:

  • Available only for Windows operating systems

  • Limited functionality compared to more feature-rich video downloaders

  • Occasionally encounters issues with certain websites' compatibility

  • Lacks advanced features like batch downloads or subtitle extraction

OBS Studio

Best for: live-streaming or recording videos from external sources

OS: Windows, macOS, and Linux

TechRadar rating: 4 out of 5

A free open source program to rip streaming videos and streaming movies, OBS Studio works with Windows, macOS, and Linux, and provides a variety of tools for video recording and live-streaming. With this robust freeware, you can capture and mix videos from many different sources, including your computer screen, your webcam, and external devices. It comes with some built-in customizable settings, making it a favorite among gamers and content creators. 

Key features:

  • Capture your computer screen, webcam, and external devices

  • Mix multiple sources and create customizable scenes

  • Advanced settings for video encoding, bitrate, and streaming platforms

Pros:

  • Free and open-source software with extensive features

  • Supports multiple sources for capturing and recording

  • Customizable scenes and transitions enhance visual appeal

  • Real-time video and audio mixing provide professional-quality output

  • Wide range of plugins available for additional functionality

Cons:

  • Steeper learning curve compared to simpler screen-recording software

  • Requires more system resources, especially for encoding and streaming

  • Lack of built-in video-editing features

  • Advanced settings may be overwhelming for beginners

QuickTime Player

Best for: playing a variety of multimedia files

OS: macOS, Windows

Created back in 1991, QuickTime Player came about during a time when computers playing multimedia files was simply extraordinary. To this day, QuickTime Player is still best used for playing a wide range of multimedia files. In addition to simple playback, QuickTime Player can also record your screen and offers some basic editing tools. 

Key features:

  • Playback of various multimedia formats

  • Video- and audio-recording capabilities

  • Screen-recording functionality for capturing on-screen activities

Pros:

  • Comes pre-installed on macOS, making it easily accessible

  • Supports a wide range of multimedia formats

  • Provides basic video- and audio-recording features

Cons:

  • Limited compatibility with non-Apple platforms and operating systems

  • Lacks advanced features and functionalities found in dedicated media players

  • Limited codec support compared to other media players

Best apps to download any streaming video online

Screencapture.com

Best for: capturing your screen activities with ease

OS: any, web-based

Trustpilot rating: 4.8 out of 5, 1,464 reviews

Screenapture.com is a web-based service that’s accessible on a wide range of operating systems. It lets users capture screen activities directly from their web browser. Record your screen, microphone, and webcam footage with ease. 

Key features:

  • Capture high-quality videos with customizable options

  • Record screen activities with audio narration

  • Instantly share captured content via generated links

Pros:

  • Web-based service accessible from multiple operating systems

  • Easy and convenient way to capture and share screen recordings

  • Provides options for sharing via generated links or downloading the content

Cons:

  • Limited functionality compared to dedicated screen capture software

  • Relies on the internet connection for access and usage

10downloader.com

Best for: downloading videos and playlists from YouTube

OS: any, web-based

10downloader.com is a free online streaming video downloader that lets users download videos from YouTube simply by pasting in the URL. Users can also optionally download videos in the MP4 format, download an entire playlist/channel, or download YouTube thumbnails.

Key features:

  • Download videos from YouTube directly by pasting in a URL

  • Supports the download of entire playlists or channels from YouTube

  • Download YouTube video thumbnails

  • Can download the resulting video in a variety of qualities up to 4K

Pros:

  • Nothing to download or install, simply paste in the URL of the video you want to download

  • Saves videos in the MP4 file format

  • Can optionally download entire playlists and channels

  • Free and easy to use

Cons:

  • Only works with YouTube

Best video stream downloading extensions

Video DownloadHelper

Best for: downloading videos from different websites

OS: any, works as a browser extension

Chrome Web Store rating: 4.4 out of 5, 17,509 reviews

Video DownloadHelper, as its name implies, is a handy tool for downloading videos from online streams. It’s available as a Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox browser extension for quick and easy downloading. Once installed, the extension adds an icon to the browser toolbar, which detects and displays downloadable videos on a current webpage. It offers options to choose the video quality and format before starting the download.

Key features:

  • Supports popular platforms like YouTube, Vimeo, and Facebook

  • Detects and displays downloadable videos on webpages

  • Select the video quality and format before downloading

Pros:

  • Easy to install and use as a browser extension

  • Supports a wide range of websites and platforms

  • Can download multiple videos simultaneously

  • Offers additional features in the premium version

Cons:

  • Limited to supported browsers (Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox)

  • Some websites may have restrictions or prevent video downloads

  • The free version has limitations, such as limited concurrent downloads and video conversion options

Video Downloader Professional

Best for: selecting the video quality and format for downloads

OS: any, works as a browser extension

Chrome Web Store rating: 4.5 out of 5, 212,013 reviews

Video Downloader Professional is a video stream downloading extension that enables users to download videos from websites like YouTube, Vimeo, Dailymotion, and many others. It adds a download icon to the browser toolbar, allowing you to easily initiate video downloads with a single click. The ripper supports multiple video resolutions and formats, giving you options to choose the desired quality for your downloads.

Key features:

  • One-click video downloading directly from the browser toolbar

  • Supports various popular video platforms like YouTube and Vimeo

  • Offers options to choose the video quality and format for downloads

Pros:

  • Compatible with Google Chrome

  • Convenient one-click video downloading without leaving the webpage

  • Supports a wide range of popular video platforms

  • Allows simultaneous downloads of multiple videos

Cons:

  • May encounter compatibility issues with browser updates

  • Some websites may prevent video downloads

Video Downloader PLUS

Best for: downloading several videos at once

OS: any, works as a browser extension

Chrome Web Store rating: 3.5 out of 5, 1,023 reviews

Video Downloader PLUS allows you to download streaming videos in Chrome from nearly any website. It’s updated often and contains no ads. You can also download and save multiple file types such as 3GP, MP4, WMV, FLV, and SWF.

Key features:

  • Allows Facebook video downloads

  • Works with a wide range of file formats, even older or outdated ones

Pros:

  • Download videos from Facebook, Vimeo, Dailymotion and Twitch as well as video-streaming websites

  • Free to use with no advertisements

  • Can download videos streaming online

Cons:

  • Some users complain of frame skips on downloaded videos

Best mobile apps to save streaming videos

Video Downloader

Best for: downloading social media videos and music

OS: Android

Google Play rating: 4.8 out of 5, 1.75M reviews

Video Downloader is a simple app if you want to save streaming videos on your smartphone. It automatically detects videos playing on any website and lets you download them. Pause and resume video streaming downloads, download in the background, or download multiple videos simultaneously. You can also preview the video first and then optionally download it. 

Key features:

  • Download social media videos and music directly to the device

  • Preview videos before you download them to save space

  • Save the video to your device to play it offline 

  • Download multiple videos simultaneously

Pros:

  • Fast and efficient video downloader and manager for streaming videos

  • Supports multiple file formats

  • Developer is proactive about addressing support inquiries

  • Basic version is free

Cons:

  • Some users report downloaded videos are unable to be played with any media player

Video Saver PRO+

Best for: basic editing, including splitting, trimming, and cutting videos

OS: iOS

App Store rating: 4.5 out of 5, 43.1K reviews

As one of the best streaming video downloaders for iPhone and iPad users, Video Saver PRO+ lets you download videos from streaming sites, manage your video collection, maximize file storage space with a built-in video compressor, and make basic edits.

Key features:

  • Supports all popular file formats

  • Allows basic editing, including splitting, trimming, and cutting video

  • Has a built-in video compressor

Pros:

  • Allows for simultaneous downloads and uploads

  • Offers built-in audio and video converter

Cons:

  • The app’s ability to download from different websites can be hit or miss at times

  • The app is free but does offer in-app purchases

How to download streaming videos from any website

Step 1. Download and install Movavi Screen Recorder

Download the version of Movavi Screen Recorder for your particular operating system and follow the installation instructions. Once the program is installed, open it.

Step 2. Adjust the recording settings

Click Screen recording on the sidebar. Select the area of the screen you want to record.

Activate System audio and Microphone to capture the sound from these devices if needed.

Step 3. Download your streaming video

Hit the REC button to download a streaming video. After a brief countdown, the recording will start. If you need to pause at any time, click Pause. When finished, click the Stop button.

To edit your video, use the Scissors tool to cut out any unwanted pieces. Then click Export, choose your output format, and hit Save.

Summary

There you have it, a dozen different ways to download videos from streaming sites. Keep in mind that you should always respect the intellectual property rights of the content creators and be sure you adhere to the terms and conditions of the website you’re downloading from.

Movavi Screen Recorder

The perfect way to record anything from your screen

Disclaimer: Please be aware that Movavi Screen Recorder does not allow capture of copy-protected video and audio streams.

Movavi Screen Recorder

Frequently asked questions

Can I download and save a live stream video?

How do I download someone’s live stream on YouTube? 

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