Free 4K YouTube Downloader

Comparing downloaders? See our full comparison.

What 4K Means for a YouTube Download

4K on YouTube is 3840×2160 pixels, four times the pixel count of 1080p. Paste a YouTube link, the tool reads the manifest, then pulls the 2160p stream (HEVC on most modern uploads, AV1 on newer ones, VP9 on the long tail) and muxes it with the highest opus or AAC audio track. A 10-minute 2160p clip lands between 1 GB and 3 GB depending on motion and codec. HEVC typically writes ~1.2 GB, AV1 ~900 MB at the same visual quality, VP9 closer to 1.8 GB.

8K (4320p) sources arrive in AV1 only and routinely cross 4 GB for a 10-minute clip. HDR is preserved when YouTube delivers HDR10 or HLG metadata, and color is kept at the original 10-bit depth where the upload supports it. Output container is MP4 for HEVC/AVC sources and MKV for AV1 or HDR, so timestamps and HDR side data survive the mux. Most 10-minute 2160p jobs finish in 5 to 15 minutes on typical broadband.

Why use it:

• Save videos in 2160p and 8K (4320p) at no cost
• No quality loss or watermarks
• One URL at a time (no batch)
• No malware or bundled software
• SRT subtitles in 99 languages
• Batch multiple files at once
• Works on Windows, Mac, iOS, Android
• Keeps original bitrate and color
• No registration
• Used by 2M+ people

How 4K YouTube Downloading Works

1. Copy and paste the URL - Paste the YouTube link into the field. The tool analyzes the video and lists available quality options.

2. Pick quality and format - Choose 720p, 1080p, 4K (2160p), or 8K (4320p). Pick MP4 for broad compatibility or MKV for high definition. Turn on subtitles if you need them.

3. Download - Click download. The file saves to your device at full quality.

Set your preferences once and they apply to future downloads.

How ScreenApp Compares to Other 4K Downloaders (April 2026)

The 4K-capable tools split into two camps: desktop apps that wrap yt-dlp or a similar muxer, and browser tools that do the same work server-side. The columns below are what each one actually writes to disk for a 2160p YouTube source, not what the marketing page claims.

Tool	Max resolution delivered	Codecs pulled	HDR (HDR10/HLG)	Playlist batch	Default output
ScreenApp	4320p (8K) where YouTube serves it	AV1, HEVC, VP9	Preserved (MKV)	No (one URL at a time)	MP4 (AVC/HEVC), MKV (AV1/HDR)
4K Video Downloader+	4320p	AV1, VP9, AVC	Preserved on AV1	Yes, with channel subscriptions	MP4 or MKV
JDownloader 2	2160p (manual stream picker)	VP9, AVC; HEVC via plugin	No HDR metadata pass-through	Yes, queue-based	Source MP4/WEBM, no remux
yt-dlp (CLI)	4320p	AV1, VP9, HEVC, AVC (user-selectable)	Yes, with --remux-video mkv	Yes, --yes-playlist	User-defined; MKV recommended for AV1
Snap Downloader	2160p	AVC, VP9 (no AV1 at 2160p)	No	Yes	MP4
AllAvSoft Video Downloader	2160p	AVC, VP9	No	Yes	MP4

A few practical notes from the April 2026 retest:

• yt-dlp is the most format-honest option but exposes every codec/container choice to the user. ScreenApp picks the AV1 stream when present and falls back to HEVC, which is what most editors actually want.
• 4K Video Downloader+ writes the cleanest AV1 MKV among the desktop apps. Its installer asks for registration and has no mobile build.
• JDownloader 2 is free and unlimited but does not remux DASH segments, so AV1 2160p arrives as a separate video and audio file the user has to combine.
• Snap Downloader and AllAvSoft still ship without AV1 at 2160p in the April 2026 build, so 2160p files come out as VP9 in WEBM by default and re-encoded AVC MP4 on request, heavier files than necessary.

Browser-side, ScreenApp runs on iOS Safari, Android Chrome, and any desktop browser without an installer, so the same workflow covers reference pulls on a phone and an editing workstation.

4K vs 8K YouTube Downloads

Not sure which resolution to pick? Here’s the practical breakdown:

Resolution	Pixel Count	File Size (10 min)	Best For
720p HD	1280x720	~150MB	Mobile viewing, limited storage
1080p Full HD	1920x1080	~300MB	Laptops, standard monitors
4K UHD (2160p)	3840x2160	~1.2GB	4K TVs, large displays
8K UHD (4320p)	7680x4320	~4GB+	Professional editing, future-proofing

Most viewers are best served by 4K. 8K files are very large and only look different on an 8K display. For archiving or editing source footage, 4K is the practical choice on 2026 hardware.

For audio only, use the YouTube to MP3 converter or extract audio from videos for direct MP3, WAV, or AAC output. To change formats after downloading, try the video converter.

Verify your 4K download is actually 4K

Some tools tag 1080p files as “4K Ultra HD” in the filename without actually delivering 3840×2160 pixels. Three quick checks tell you what you actually have. Run any one of them on your downloaded file before assuming the resolution is real.

Method 1: macOS Finder Get Info

Right-click the.mp4 file → Get Info → look under “More Info” for Dimensions. A real 4K file shows 3840 × 2160. An upscaled 1080p shows 1920 × 1080 even if the filename says 4K.

Dimensions: 3840 × 2160

Method 2: ffprobe (cross-platform)

If you have ffmpeg installed (brew install ffmpeg on Mac, or via package manager on Linux), run:

ffprobe -v error -select_streams v:0 -show_entries stream=width,height,codec_name,bit_rate -of default=noprint_wrappers=1 your-file.mp4

A real 4K AV1 file returns something like:

codec_name=av1
width=3840
height=2160
bit_rate=18450000

The bit_rate matters too: real 4K AV1 from YouTube runs 12-25 Mbps. If you see bit_rate=4000000 (4 Mbps) at 3840×2160, that’s a re-encode, not the source.

Method 3: mediainfo (the most detailed)

MediaInfo is a free GUI app that shows every spec in plain English. Drag your file onto the MediaInfo window. Look for:

Width: 3840 pixels
Height: 2160 pixels
Frame rate: 60.000 FPS (or 30/24 depending on source)
Format profile: Main 10 (for HDR)
Bit depth: 10 bits (for HDR)

If Bit depth is 8 bits, the file is SDR. If it’s 10 bits with Format profile: Main 10, you have HDR10. HLG HDR shows Color primaries: BT.2020 and Transfer characteristics: HLG.

Telltale signs of fake 4K

• File size is suspiciously small (under 200 MB for a 10-minute “4K” clip)
• Bitrate is below 8 Mbps (real 4K AV1 is 12-25 Mbps; real 4K VP9 is 20-40 Mbps)
• Codec is h264 for content claimed as 8K (H.264 caps practically at 4K; 8K is always AV1 or VP9)
• Aspect ratio mismatch: a 1080p file stretched to 3840×2160 will have visible block artifacts when paused

If your 4K isn’t playing smoothly, it’s a hardware question, not a download question

Playback of 4K AV1 needs hardware decode. Apple Silicon (M1 and newer), Intel 11th-gen or newer, AMD RDNA 2+, and Nvidia RTX 30-series and newer decode AV1 in hardware. On older CPUs/GPUs, the same file plays as a slideshow because the decode is software-only. If your 4K download is correct but stuttery, it’s the hardware, not the file.

Hardware	AV1 hardware decode	VP9 hardware decode
Apple M1+	Yes (M3 and newer for AV1)	Yes (all M-series)
Intel 11th gen+	Yes (some 11th, full from 12th)	Yes
AMD RDNA 2+	Yes (RDNA 3 fastest)	Yes
Nvidia RTX 30+	Yes (RTX 30 = decode only; 40 = decode + encode)	Yes
Older / integrated graphics	Software fallback only	Limited

Who Pulls 4K from YouTube

Videographers archiving reference clips download 2160p uploads from other shooters to study lens choices, lighting setups, and camera moves. Pulling the source at full 3840×2160 means a still frame at any timestamp is sharp enough to read focus and grain.

Editors sourcing B-roll download single stock-grade scenery, drone, and city-life clips at 2160p, then drop the MP4s straight onto a Premiere or DaVinci Resolve timeline. AV1 and HEVC files cut natively on M-series Macs and recent Nvidia GPUs without a proxy pass.

Color graders studying reference grades want the original 10-bit color and HDR metadata kept intact, which is why the AV1-in-MKV output matters here. A re-encoded 8-bit MP4 destroys the gradient information that makes the reference useful in the first place.

Archivists preserving 8K master uploads pull 4320p AV1 files from creators who publish full-res masters (anime studios, science-visualization channels, planetarium uploads) before reuploads or takedowns drop the source to 2160p. File sizes run 4 to 12 GB for a 10-minute clip; the tool resumes interrupted transfers so a flaky connection doesn’t waste the download.

FAQ

Is this YouTube 4K downloader safe and malware-free?

Yes. The tool runs in your browser with no installation, no bundled software, and no tracking. Over 2M people use it.

Is the 4K video downloader free?

Yes. The free tier covers 1 free recording + 7-day Growth trial in 4K, 1080p, and 720p. Premium plans add unlimited downloads.

How do I download a YouTube video in 4K on mobile?

Open the site on iOS or Android, paste the URL, pick 4K, and download. Files save as MP4, which plays on every mobile device.

Does this tool support playlists or batch downloads?

No. The tool processes one URL at a time. For batch or playlist workflows, a desktop CLI like yt-dlp is a better fit.

Can I download YouTube videos in 4K with subtitles?

Yes. Subtitles save as SRT files in 99 languages, along with annotations.

How do I download a YouTube video in 4K?

Paste the YouTube URL, pick 4K (2160p) from the quality menu, and click download. The file saves as MP4 at full 3840x2160 resolution with the original bitrate. Works on desktop and Android with no software install. iPhone users open the site in Safari.

Is there a free 4K video downloader for YouTube?

Yes. The free tier covers 1 free recording + 7-day Growth trial at up to 4K, no registration, no watermarks. Paid plans remove the monthly cap.

What’s the difference between 4K YouTube video download and regular download?

Resolution and file size. 4K is 3840x2160 pixels, about 1.2GB for a 10-minute video. Regular 1080p is 1920x1080 and about 300MB. Pick 4K for large displays or editing source footage; pick 1080p for mobile or standard monitors.

How long does a 4K YouTube download take?

A 10-minute video usually takes 5 to 15 minutes on typical broadband. 8K takes longer because the files are larger.

Does the YouTube 4K downloader support 8K videos?

Yes. Both 4K (2160p) and 8K (4320p) work, with the original bitrate kept intact.

Can I download entire channels?

No. The tool processes one URL at a time. For full-channel archiving, use a desktop CLI like yt-dlp.