How to Download YouTube Videos and Shorts in Up to 4K

This guide shows how to save a YouTube video or Short with Vidizza: picking a resolution from 144p to 2160p (4K), why 4K sometimes does not appear, keeping only the audio as MP3, and staying within the hourly limit. It all happens in your browser on a computer or phone, with nothing to install and nothing to pay.

Before you start

You need three things:

A YouTube link. Regular video links (youtube.com/watch?v=...), short links (youtu.be/...) and Shorts links (youtube.com/shorts/...) all work.
A browser on desktop or mobile.
The right to save the video. Your own uploads, or videos you have permission to download.

How to download a YouTube video or Short

Copy the link. In the YouTube app, tap Share and then Copy link. On a computer, copy the address from the browser bar.
Open Vidizza. Go to the Vidizza home page and paste the link into the box. You can use the Paste button at the left end of the box (a clipboard icon on phones) or your usual paste shortcut. Vidizza recognizes that it is a YouTube link on its own.
Click DOWNLOAD. The video is analyzed, and a preview appears with its title, duration and platform.
Pick a quality. Under Quality Selection you see every resolution this video offers. The highest one within the limits is already selected; tap another if you prefer.
Click Download Video. A progress indicator shows while the file is prepared. When it is ready, it is saved to your device, usually in your browser's downloads folder.

Shorts follow exactly the same steps.

Choosing the right quality

What the options mean

The quality buttons carry short labels so you can choose at a glance:

Low (144p, 240p, 360p): small files, fine for a quick reference or a slow connection.
SD (480p): acceptable on a phone screen.
HD (720p): clear on phones and most laptops.
Full HD (1080p): a solid default for most screens.
2K (1440p): extra detail on large monitors.
4K (2160p): for 4K screens, or when you want to crop or edit the footage.

Video downloads keep the original audio track.

When 4K is available, and when it is not

Vidizza can only offer the resolutions YouTube has for that particular video, so the list changes from video to video. If 4K is missing, it is usually for one of these reasons:

The video was never uploaded in 4K. If the creator uploaded a 1080p file, 1080p is the top option.
It is a Short. Many Shorts are filmed on phones and published at lower resolutions, so 4K often does not appear for them.
The upload is very new. YouTube tends to make higher resolutions available some time after the lower ones, so try again later.
The file would be too large. A long 4K video can be very big. If a quality would go past the file size limit, its button is grayed out and marked Limit Exceeded. Choose the next resolution down.

4K files take up a lot of storage and may not play smoothly on older devices; for a phone, 1080p or 720p is often more practical.

About file format

If the source is already in the widely supported H.264 format, it is delivered as it is. Other sources are converted with high-quality settings so the file plays on common devices and players. You may see a short Processing video step while this happens.

Saving only the audio as MP3

Sometimes you only need the sound, such as a talk from your own channel. Click Download Audio Only instead of Download Video. Vidizza saves the audio as an MP3 file. Audio downloads have their own size limit, which you can see under Check Limits.

Limits: hourly fair use and "Check Limits"

A few fair-use rules keep the service available to everyone:

Hourly limit: each IP address has a separate hourly allowance per platform, and YouTube's is lower than TikTok's, Instagram's and X's.
Length and file size: click Check Limits just below the link box on the home page. It lists the maximum video duration and the size limits for standard video, high-resolution video and audio. If a video is longer than the limit, a warning appears and the download buttons stay disabled.
"Many downloads are currently in progress": this message appears when the service is busy or when you have reached the hourly limit. Wait a while and try again.

If a video will not download

Some videos cannot be saved, and the on-screen message tells you why:

The video is private or has been removed.
The video is age-restricted.
The video is not available in the server's region because of geographic restrictions.
The video is blocked because of copyright restrictions.

If the page has been open for a long time and a download fails, refresh it and start again.

Use it responsibly

Vidizza does not keep copies of the videos you download. What you do with a file is your responsibility. Saving your own videos, or ones you have permission to download, is fine. Downloading or sharing someone else's copyrighted content without permission may be illegal and can break YouTube's terms. Our own terms put it simply: "Do not download copyrighted content without permission." If you use a clip with permission, credit the creator, and do not re-upload other people's work as your own.

Frequently asked questions

Is downloading YouTube videos with Vidizza free?

Yes. There is no subscription, no paid plan and no hidden fee, and you do not need an account. The site is supported by ads and optional donations.

Can I download YouTube Shorts?

Yes. Paste the Shorts link into the box and follow the same steps as for a regular video.

Why can't I choose 4K?

Either the video is not offered in 4K on YouTube, so the option is missing, or the 4K file would go past the size limit, so the option is grayed out. Choose another resolution.

Does it work on my phone?

Yes. Vidizza runs in the mobile browser, so there is no app to install. Open the Vidizza home page and follow the same steps.

Is there a limit on YouTube downloads?

Yes. Each IP address has an hourly fair-use limit for YouTube, and the maximum length and file sizes are listed under Check Limits on the home page.