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Best Free AI Video Generator from Text in 2024, Even those with little to no experience can create and edit videos effortlessly, thanks to the AI software listed and explained in this article.

Do you know the human brain is 60,000 times faster in processing visuals than text? Well, it is surprising but true. Hence, no doubt, videos connect with the audience at a deeper level. People prefer watching videos instead of reading big chunks of written content to save time and effort. However, creating high-quality and engaging videos is something easier said than done unless there is a free AI video generator to help you.

These free tools leverage the power of generative AI (Artificial Intelligence) to create visually appealing videos with less time and effort to strike the right chord with your audience.

Best Free AI Video Generator from Text in 2024

Hence, you can rely on these programs to analyze your content and produce professional videos even if you have zero experience. The best part is that you do not have to go anywhere in search of such software, as the following section of this article presents a ranked list of free AI text-to-video generators curated after deep research and analysis of all the available options.

Best Free AI Video Generator: Transform Text to Video Online without Watermark

Below are the free AI software programs we recommend to generate stunning videos from text effortlessly.

1. Colossyan

Colossyan

Are you an educator looking for the best free AI video generators to create learning videos from text? If yes, you can try Colossyan. It boasts a plethora of templates to help you create attractive videos, allows you to convert your PDFs and PPTs into videos, and offers the following features to justify its position on our list.

Key features of Colossyan

• You can choose from a wide range of AI avatars or create a custom avatar as a video presenter
• Colossyan boasts one-click video translation into multiple languages
• It allows you to create scenario-based videos with more than one avatar
• There is a huge collection of professional icons
• It supports enterprise functions, such as SCORM export, SAML/SSO , and more
• This software lets you export videos in formats, such as SRT, PDF, and MP3

Get it Now

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2.

Synthesia

Next, we have Synthesia to help you turn text into video in minutes in over 130 languages. It is among the best AI video generators as it allows you to create your script with Chat GPT-like prompts, use over 160 avatars to engage your viewers/create a custom avatar, automatically generate closed captions, clone your own voice, and apply the following features.

Key features of Synthesia

• You can customize your video’s colors, fonts, and layouts
• There are more than 60 templates for you to choose from
• It allows you to make avatars more interactive with micro gestures, such as nods, winks, etc.
• You can download the video in .mp4, use an embed code, or get a shareable link
• There is a massive media library of royalty-free images, icons, videos, and soundtracks
• It supports real-time team collaboration and many other options to collaborate with others

Get it Now

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3.

Lumen5

Let us introduce you to Lumen5. It is yet another free AI video generator to help you grow your brand. This online tool offers many customizable design options and templates, a huge library of media assets, an easy-to-use drag-and-drop editing tool, automatic video generation from RSS feeds and blogs, and these remarkable features.

Key features of Lumen5

• It analyzes your content and generates multiple video scripts for you to select from
• You can effortlessly customize the background, text, and graphics
• It allows you to reformat your video into different aspect ratios to make it compatible with various
• Lumen5 lets you add your watermark to the video
• You can choose from more than 40 AI voices to create impactful videos
• It enables you to add callouts and cutaways to make your videos more attractive

Get it Now

4.

AI Studios

There is no way to skip AI Studios when discussing the best free AI text-to-video generators. This software by Deepbrain AI is popular across the globe because of its realistic avatars, natural text-to-speech in 80+ languages and 100+ voices, effortless training and storytelling video creation with multi-avatar scenes, and the following impressive features.

Key features of AI Studios

• There are more than 100 templates available to create social media, marketing, and many other videos
• You can create videos in no time using a simple drag-and-drop editor
• It boasts an AI art generator to create custom, on-brand visuals, and videos by typing your requirements into the tool
• You can personalize your videos with logos, custom fonts, and other assets
• There is a gigantic stock asset library with millions of pictures, tracks, and video clips
• It offers an AI script assistant to help you generate perfect video ideas and outlines and also has a tool

Get it Now

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5. InVideo

InVideo

You can never go wrong with InVideo if you are searching for a video generator to create the best social media and content marketing videos for free. This software requires no video creation skills to create a video with script, visuals, subtitles, voiceover, and music on any topic, making it perfect for beginners. Moreover, here are the features that make InVideo one of our favorites.

Key features of InVideo

• You can specify the target audience when creating your video to ensure the software picks the design and other elements suitable for the viewers
• It enables you to choose from 6000+ video templates
• InVideo allows you to share links to the video or make it live on social media
• You can customize the intros and outros the way you want

Get it Now

6.

Elai

If corporate learning videos are what you wish to create, Elai is the one for you. This software takes only a couple of clicks to convert text into avatar-based training videos in 75+ languages and 450+ accents. Moreover, you can choose 80+ high-quality selfie, studio, photo, and animated avatars. Furthermore, here are some more features that contribute to making Elai one of the best free AI video generators from text.

Key features of Elai

• It lets you clone your voice into 28 languages
• You can add 2 avatars to a single slide to create scenario-based training videos
• There is a screen recorder to capture and use screen recordings to create video presentations
• You can generate videos from blog URLs, topics, and HTML
• It boasts a massive AI library of many animation and cartoon options
• There is an AI storyboard allowing you to create a script, make a course outline, and transform it into engaging videos

Get it Now

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7. Wondershare Virbo

Wondershare Virbo

Here comes Virbo by Wondershare. This software is popular among both experienced users and newbies to easily convert text into professional videos in more than 300 voices and languages. Moreover, a seamless cross-platform experience, 180+ customizable templates, and the following features add to this software’s popularity.

Key features of Wondershare Virbo

• There is a wide variety of multi-national AI avatars with varied origins, settings, clothing, and genders
• Wondershare Virbo lip-syncs the audio with AI avatars
• You can effortlessly customize scenes, voices, backgrounds, and other video settings to suit your requirements

Get it Now

Best Free AI Video Generators: The Conclusion

So, these were some of the best video generators from text to simplify video creation and editing. These AI programs can complete many complex tasks with just a few clicks to deliver stunning video results by analyzing your script (even helping you write one). You can glance through the features of these tools to select the one that fits your needs perfectly. However, if any questions or confusion persists, we are here to help, you can write to us in the comments section.

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What is AI?

Artificial intelligence, or AI, is technology that enables computers and machines to simulate human intelligence and problem-solving capabilities.

On its own or combined with other technologies (e.g., sensors, geolocation, robotics) AI can perform tasks that would otherwise require human intelligence or intervention. Digital assistants, GPS guidance, autonomous vehicles, and generative AI tools (like Open AI’s Chat GPT) are just a few examples of AI in the daily news and our daily lives.

As a field of computer science, artificial intelligence encompasses (and is often mentioned together with) machine learning and deep learning. These disciplines involve the development of AI algorithms, modeled after the decision-making processes of the human brain, that can ‘learn’ from available data and make increasingly more accurate classifications or predictions over time.

Artificial intelligence has gone through many cycles of hype, but even to skeptics, the release of ChatGPT seems to mark a turning point. The last time generative AI loomed this large, the breakthroughs were in computer vision, but now the leap forward is in natural language processing (NLP). Today, generative AI can learn and synthesize not just human language but other data types including images, video, software code, and even molecular structures.

Applications for AI are growing every day. But as the hype around the use of AI tools in business takes off, conversations around ai ethics and responsible ai become critically important. For more on where IBM stands on these issues, please read Building trust in AI.

Types of artificial intelligence: weak AI vs. strong AI

Weak AI—also known as narrow AI or artificial narrow intelligence (ANI)—is AI trained and focused to perform specific tasks. Weak AI drives most of the AI that surrounds us today. “Narrow” might be a more apt descriptor for this type of AI as it is anything but weak: it enables some very robust applications, such as Apple’s Siri, ‘s Alexa, IBM watsonx™, and self-driving vehicles.

Strong AI is made up of artificial general intelligence (AGI) and artificial super intelligence (ASI). AGI, or general AI, is a theoretical form of AI where a machine would have an intelligence equal to humans; it would be self-aware with a consciousness that would have the ability to solve problems, learn, and plan for the future.

ASI—also known as superintelligence—would surpass the intelligence and ability of the human brain. While strong AI is still entirely theoretical with no practical examples in use today, that doesn’t mean AI researchers aren’t also exploring its development. In the meantime, the best examples of ASI might be from science fiction, such as HAL, the superhuman and rogue computer assistant in 2001: A Space Odyssey

Deep learning vs. machine learning

Machine learning and deep learning are sub-disciplines of AI, and deep learning is a sub-discipline of machine learning.

Both machine learning and deep learning algorithms use neural networks to ‘learn’ from huge amounts of data. These neural networks are programmatic structures modeled after the decision-making processes of the human brain. They consist of layers of interconnected nodes that extract features from the data and make predictions about what the data represents.

Machine learning and deep learning differ in the types of neural networks they use, and the amount of human intervention involved. Classic machine learning algorithms use neural networks with an input layer, one or two ‘hidden’ layers, and an output layer. Typically, these algorithms are limited to supervised learning: the data needs to be structured or labeled by human experts to enable the algorithm to extract features from the data.

Deep learning algorithms use deep neural networks—networks composed of an input layer, three or more (but usually hundreds) of hidden layers, and an output layout. These multiple layers enable unsupervised learning: they automate extraction of features from large, unlabeled and unstructured data sets. Because it doesn’t require human intervention, deep learning essentially enables machine learning at scale.

The rise of generative models

Generative AI refers to deep-learning models that can take raw data—say, all of Wikipedia or the collected works of Rembrandt—and “learn” to generate statistically probable outputs when prompted. At a high level, generative models encode a representation of their training data and draw from it to create a new work that’s similar, but not identical, to the original data.

Generative models have been used for years in statistics to analyze numerical data. The rise of deep learning, however, made it possible to extend them to images, speech, and other complex data types. Among the first class of AI models to achieve this cross-over feat were variational autoencoders, or VAEs, introduced in 2013. VAEs were the first deep-learning models to be widely used for generating realistic images and speech.

“VAEs opened the floodgates to deep generative modeling by making models easier to scale,” said Akash Srivastava, an expert on generative AI at the MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab. “Much of what we think of today as generative AI started here.”

Early examples of models, including GPT-3, BERT, or DALL-E 2, have shown what’s possible. In the future, models will be trained on a broad set of unlabeled data that can be used for different tasks, with minimal fine-tuning. Systems that execute specific tasks in a single domain are giving way to broad AI systems that learn more generally and work across domains and problems. Foundation models, trained on large, unlabeled datasets and fine-tuned for an array of applications, are driving this shift.

As to the future of AI, when it comes to generative AI, it is predicted that foundation models will dramatically accelerate AI adoption in enterprise. Reducing labeling requirements will make it much easier for businesses to dive in, and the highly accurate, efficient AI-driven automation they enable will mean that far more companies will be able to deploy AI in a wider range of mission-critical situations. For IBM, the hope is that the computing power of foundation models can eventually be brought to every enterprise in a frictionless hybrid-cloud environment.

Explore foundation models in watsonx.ai

Artificial intelligence applications

There are numerous, real-world applications for AI systems today. Below are some of the most common use cases:

Speech recognition

Also known as automatic speech recognition (ASR), computer speech recognition, or speech-to-text, speech recognition uses NLP to process human speech into a written format. Many mobile devices incorporate speech recognition into their systems to conduct voice search—Siri, for example—or provide more accessibility around texting in English or many widely-used languages. See how Don Johnston used IBM Watson Text to Speech to improve accessibility in the classroom with our case study.

Customer service

Online  virtual agents and chatbots are replacing human agents along the customer journey. They answer frequently asked questions (FAQ) around topics, like shipping, or provide personalized advice, cross-selling products or suggesting sizes for users, changing the way we think about customer engagement across websites and social media platforms. Examples include messaging bots on e-commerce sites with virtual agents , messaging apps, such as Slack and Facebook Messenger, and tasks usually done by virtual assistants and voice assistants. See how Autodesk Inc. used IBM watsonx Assistant to speed up customer response times by 99% with our case study.

Computer vision

This AI technology enables computers and systems to derive meaningful information from digital images, videos and other visual inputs, and based on those inputs, it can take action. This ability to provide recommendations distinguishes it from image recognition tasks. Powered by convolutional neural networks, computer vision has applications within photo tagging in social media, radiology imaging in healthcare, and self-driving cars within the automotive industry. See how ProMare used IBM Maximo to set a new course for ocean research with our case study.

Supply chain

Adaptive robotics act on Internet of Things (IoT) device information, and structured and unstructured data to make autonomous decisions. NLP tools can understand human speech and react to what they are being told. Predictive analytics are applied to demand responsiveness, inventory and network optimization, preventative maintenance and digital manufacturing. Search and pattern recognition algorithms—which are no longer just predictive, but hierarchical—analyze real-time data, helping supply chains to react to machine-generated, augmented intelligence, while providing instant visibility and transparency. See how Hendrickson used IBM Sterling to fuel real-time transactions with our case study.

Weather forecasting

The weather models broadcasters rely on to make accurate forecasts consist of complex algorithms run on supercomputers. Machine-learning techniques enhance these models by making them more applicable and precise. See how Emnotion used IBM Cloud to empower weather-sensitive enterprises to make more proactive, data-driven decisions with our case study.

Anomaly detection

AI models can comb through large amounts of data and discover atypical data points within a dataset. These anomalies can raise awareness around faulty equipment, human error, or breaches in security. See how Netox used IBM QRadar to protect digital businesses from cyberthreats with our case study.

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Best free YouTube downloader apps 2024, Downloading content from YouTube doesn’t have to be stressful. Below, we round up a few of the best apps for saving YouTube videos and explain why you should avoid shady ripping sites.

YouTube has been around for almost two decades at this point. Naturally, plenty of users have come and gone during this time. Additionally, over the years, the platform refined its acceptable content rules and adopted a strict copyright claims system, leading to the deletion of millions of channels. In fact, if you go through one of your old playlists, you’ll almost certainly see at least one of the following errors:

 
 This video is private
 This video has been removed by the uploader
 The channel associated with this video has been terminated”
 “This video contains content from [company], who has blocked it on copyright grounds”

Once a video is removed from YouTube, you can’t even see its title anymore. Still, its ghost remains, causing a few seconds of silence whenever you reach that spot in the playlist. You know that you liked whatever video used to be there, but can’t quite remember what it was. Worse still, there’s no way to find out – it’s simply gone.

The only way to prevent this is to download your favorite YouTube videos. This is easier than you might expect, and allows you to make a permanent archive of content that would otherwise be forgotten forever. Here’s a short list of our favorite YouTube downloader apps, and a brief description of what makes each so special:

Best YouTube downloader apps in 2024

1.VideoProc Converter AIOur first choice for saving YouTube videos. Supports up to 8K resolution and every format you can think of. Can even upscale low-quality video using AI-powered tools. Includes a 30-day money-back guarantee.
2.SnapDownloaderIntuitive and powerful service that lets you try all of its features without providing any payment info. Ideal for backing up lots of videos at once.
3.YTD Video Downloader: Simple, straightforward app that supports all of the video-sharing sites. Free to use, with higher speeds and batch downloads if you upgrade to a paid plan.
4.4K Video Downloader: Flexible app that makes it easy to save entire YouTube playlists, extract subtitles, or automatically scrape new uploads. Allows a handful of free downloads, with no limits for paying users.
5.: This app is able to backup entire YouTube channels and adds a button to every video for one-click downloading. Free for the first 24 hours, but then you’ll have to upgrade. Only available on Windows.
6.Allavsoft Video and Audio Downloader: Works with YouTube, Vimeo, and many similar services. Offers a batch download feature, conversion tools, and 24/7 support. Five-minute video limit on free plans.

Criteria for the best YouTube downloader apps

There are hundreds of apps that let you download videos. That said, many are far more complex than they need to be for such a simple task. Then there are the downloaders that seem to work with every site except YouTube, or those that come bundled with adware. To make sure we only recommend the best of the best, we looked for services meeting all of these criteria:

 Can reliably download videos from YouTube and similar platforms
 Lets you convert the video to a format of your choosing (even audio-only)
 Has a free tier, money-back guarantee, or trial period
 Provides the ability to queue up multiple downloads
 Boasts a clean, simple, and novice-friendly interface
 Doesn’t ask you to install any sketchy programs during setup

The best apps for downloading YouTube videos

Here are our top YouTube video backup apps:

1. VideoProc Converter AI

(Windows, Mac)

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VideoProc Converter AI is primarily a video-editing program but its downloading feature is second to none. Users can try this service for free, though you won’t be able to process videos that are longer than five minutes unless you upgrade to a paid plan. Still, we’d say this is worth doing since the app works with over 1,000 streaming sites including YouTube, Facebook, and . It’s one of the few that’s able to download 8K resolution video.

You’re free to backup a single video, a playlist, or an entire channel, and there’s even a screen recorder in case you’d like to capture live streams as they’re happening. One of the interesting about this service is that it includes AI-powered tools. These are useful for upscaling standard-definition video to 4K, restoring damaged film, or bumping the frame rate up to 60fps.

Pros:

 Supports all of the main video-sharing sites including YouTube
 Exceptionally versatile
 AI video-enhancement tools
 Very easy to use

Cons:

 Primarily designed for video editing

PRICE:VideoProc Converter AI has a free plan, but premium subscriptions cost $25.95 per year. These include a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it risk-free and cancel if you’re not satisfied.

 

2. SnapDownloader

(Windows, Mac)

SnapDownloader boasts a streamlined interface that’s easy to get the hang of. Users can either paste up to 100 links into the URL field or switch over to the built-in browser and find videos on any platform they like manually. This app supports 360 video, 8K resolution, and can automatically download subtitle files and separate audio. There’s even a trimming tool included so that you don’t waste time downloading silent, boring, or irrelevant parts of the video.

We’re big fans of this app’s scheduling feature. This lets you queue up URLs and choose a time for the downloads to begin. As such, you’ll be able to backup all of your content at a time when nobody else in your home needs to use the internet. SnapDownloader’s website has an FAQ section, but it’s a little sparse. Luckily, there is an email support form in case your question hasn’t been answered yet.

Pros:

 Suitable for YouTube, Tiktok, and more
 Granular control over what and when you download
 Fully- free trial
 Downloads up to three videos simultaneously

Cons:

 Website could use a few more support articles

PRICE:SnapDownloader provides a free trial with no payment info required. Afterward, you’ll have to pay $7.99 per month for access. Alternatively, annual plans cost $29.99 and lifetime licenses are $39.99. Monthly plans have a 24-hour guarantee period, and all others offer 30 days.

3. YTD Video Downloader

(Windows, Mac, Android, )

image3

YTD Video Downloader has a very simple interface, with separate tabs for downloading and converting videos. Users can just enter a URL (or several) and the app will automatically grab everything, regardless of whether the link is to a channel, playlist, or individual video. All of the most popular formats are supported, and this app works with YouTube, Facebook, and Vimeo, among other platforms.

This software is free to use, but there are a few caveats. For instance, you’re subject to daily download limits, your speeds are limited, and you can’t use the batch download feature unless you upgrade. There is a seven-day free trial, so unless you’re looking to download thousands of videos, you may not even need to pay anything. If you’re having problems, you can submit a support ticket. There is also a Frequently Asked Questions section on the website, though it’s fairly sparse.

Pros:

 Works on almost any device
 Novice-friendly design
 Ideal for downloading lots of videos at once
 Lengthy trial period

Cons:

 Premium plans are expensive if you pay monthly

PRICE:YTD Video Downloader is a freemium service, although to download multiple videos per day, you need a paid plan. These start at $6.99 USD per month, with annual plans costing as little as $35.88 following a seven-day trial.

4. 4K Video Downloader

(Windows, , MacOS)

image4

4K Video Downloader takes all the hassle out of backing up your favorite YouTube content. It supports YouTube shorts, playlists, and full channel archival, plus it works with your private videos provided you log in via the app’s internal browser. Naturally, other popular sites (like Twitch, BiliBili, and Facebook) are supported too.

There aren’t as many supported file formats, but all of the main ones like MKV, MP4, and OGG are accounted for. Additionally, we were pleased to see that 4K Video Downloader supports multiple languages. The site includes plenty of setup guides and tutorials, although the “contact us” link doesn’t actually do anything.

Looking for more than the free version offers? Good news: this app actually has reasonably-priced lifetime licenses. In other words, after paying a one-time fee, you can download as much as you like, forever. Paid users also unlock the multi-threading feature, allowing them to download up to three videos simultaneously.

Pros:

 Expansive support section, with posts in over a dozen languages
 Can download just about anything, even videos that are set to private
 One-time payment
 Allows multiple downloads at once

Cons:

 Can’t convert to as many video formats as its rivals
 No way to speak with staff as contact link broken

PRICE:You can use 4K Video Downloader for free indefinitely or unlock its full potential with a $25 lifetime pass. Alternatively, annual plans are available for $15. Each includes a two-week money-back guarantee.

5. ByClick Downloader

(Windows only)

image5

ByClick Downloader goes the extra mile to make your life easier. The app inserts a button under every YouTube video, even if it’s embedded on another site, that lets you grab it with just one click. You can directly paste in video links, too. Whether you’re looking to backup your private videos, scrape an entire channel, or archive a feed, ByClick is up to the task.

The app can’t help you edit videos, but it can convert them to a few of the most popular formats. Additionally, users can choose whether to download a video’s subtitles or just the audio. The app supports roughly two dozen different languages, but unfortunately, the FAQ section on the website is only in English. As such, you may have to rely on translation tools to help you find answers. Users can speak with staff directly using the site’s built-in contact form.

Pros:

 Easily archive full YouTube channels
 Affordable lifetime plans
 Supports many video-sharing sites

Cons:

 Inconsistent multilingual support
 Only available on Windows

PRICE:ByClick Downloader has a 24-hour free trial that gives you access to all of its features. Afterward, you’ll have to pay to keep using the service. Lifetime plans cost $40 but at the time of writing, these are available at 50 percent off.

6. Allavsoft Video and Audio Downloader

(Windows, Mac)

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Allavsoft Video and Audio Downloader might not be the prettiest service in this list, but it’s more than capable of backing up your favorite content. In fact, it claims to work with over 1,000 sites including YouTubeSpotify, and Facebook. Popular video formats like MP4, MOV, and AVI are supported, although unlike some of the tools above, Allavsoft’s maximum download quality is 4K.

In addition to its batch downloading functionality, this app comes with its own browser. This way, you can visit any site and simply grab any video you want. There’s also a screen recording feature in case you’d like to backup live streams. Allavsoft’s website doesn’t provide any support documentation or setup guides, but there is a contact form so you can get help if you need it.

Pros:

 Capable of saving video from just about anywhere
 Promises to respond to support requests within 24 hours
 Good amount of customization

Cons:

 More expensive that many of its competitors
 Can’t download 8K video

PRICE:Allavsoft Video and Audio Downloader has a free trial that lets you download up to five videos (provided they’re under five minutes long). Paid plans cost $19.99 per month, $29.99 per year, or $69.99 for a lifetime license. All plans include a 30-day guarantee.

 

Are there any other ways to download a YouTube Video?

Yes, several. However, they all come with their own disadvantages. Below, we’ll cover a few of the most common ways people download YouTube videos, and why they’re less than ideal.

Sign up for YouTube Premium

Premium only allows you to download videos at a maximum of 1080p resolution. Further, you have to check into YouTube every 30 days (and in some places, every 48 hours) or you’ll lose the ability to watch the content you’ve downloaded. Those are some pretty steep disadvantages for a service that costs $13.99 per month.

In a perfect world, YouTube would let paying subscribers freely download any video they like for offline playback. That’s not the case, though. First off, while YouTube is available just about everywhere, there are some countries that don’t have access to YouTube Premium yet.

YouTube-ripping sites

Plenty of websites can help you download content from YouTube. However, many of these only rip audio, not video. Additionally, they usually only let you process one download at a time and may add the name of the website to the resulting filename. To make matters worse, there’s no easy way to tell whether the site is providing a legitimate service or simply trying to trick you into running .

Finally, these sites are often taken down when they get popular. YouTube has filed multiple lawsuits against the people who these platforms, claiming they facilitate copyright infringement or otherwise breach YouTube’s protection measures.

Browser extensions

A quick look at your browser’s extension store will reveal dozens of addons that claim to be able to download YouTube videos. You’ll notice that the ratings seem to be all over the place, though, and on closer inspection, it seems like most have at least a few comments saying they don’t work anymore.

Let’s say you find one that seems to work. Again, there’s no way of telling whether the file you download is actually a video or just a Trojan. Further, browser extensions tend to be created by single developers or small teams. In other words, any change to YouTube’s backend is likely to result in the app being broken for quite some time.

Am I allowed to download videos from YouTube?

YouTube’s terms of service explicitly say that you are not allowed to download any content without express permission from both the platform and the copyright holder (which you are extraordinarily unlikely to get).

The biggest flaw here is when you stream a video, you’re effectively downloading a copy of it whether you intend to or not. On the plus side, as far as we’re aware, YouTube has never taken action against a user for making a copy of someone else’s video.

In fact, there are plenty of examples of prominent YouTubers who freely admit to doing this. Hbomberguy, for instance, previously covered problematic creators and mentions having archived his target’s channels ahead of time to prevent them from hiding incriminating content. Kevin Stratvert, meanwhile, has millions of subscribers as well as a video specifically explaining how to download content from YouTube. In other words, you should be just fine.

Disclaimer: We are not lawyers and nothing in this article should be considered legal advice. Please do your research.

Why would I need to download a YouTube video?

One of the most common arguments against YouTube downloaders is that they’re often used for piracy. While that may be true, there are plenty of perfectly legitimate reasons why someone may want to get their own copy of a video. Here are just a handful:

 Backing up their own content
 Archiving other people’s content for historical or research purposes
 To include sections of someone else’s video in one of your own (assuming fair use)
 To prevent the permanent loss of media that can’t be found anywhere else
 So you can watch while offline or in a country where YouTube is not available
 Checking whether a visual issue such as artifacting is included in the video itself or caused by the way YouTube renders content in a browser

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The best apps for 2024, One of the best parts about owning an Apple computer is the massive ecosystem of superb Mac apps it gives you access to. There are apps available to Mac users no matter what you are looking for, whether that’s productivity, photo and video editors, security suites, and more. You can get them from Apple’s own App Store or from third-party developer websites, and many of the best Mac apps are even free.

Whether you just bought your first Mac or you’re a longtime Apple customer, here’s a look at some of the best Mac apps you can get.

Alfred

Alfred 4 running on a Mac.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Think of Alfred as Spotlight with a dash of Siri. It’s an application launcher, but it can do a lot more than just that. With Alfred, you can quickly perform calculations, execute web searches, and find word definitions, among many other functions.

It’s a Mac app that fills the gap between Siri and your Spotlight search by allowing you to automate tasks and perform advanced functions that, frankly, Siri should be able to handle on its own. Version 4 improves the workflow creator, introduces rich text snippets, and more.

Get Alfred

The best Mac apps for 2024

Read Also : The best old games PC 2024

Amphetamine

The Amphetamine Mac app showing its menu bar items and preferences window.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Always a favorite, Amphetamine keeps your computer from going into sleep mode, starting the screensaver, or performing the auto-dim function. It’s ideal for Mac users who want to watch streams, videos, or any other activity in which they don’t touch the keyboard or mouse for an extended period.

Note that Amphetamine no longer works with versions of macOS before Yosemite.

Get Amphetamine

Bartender 4

The Bartender Mac app showing the expandable menu bar feature of the app.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Bartender 4 is an app made for when you’re utilizing too many apps. Put simply, it lets you choose which apps appear in the menu bar and rearrange their position to your liking. It’s a subtle tool that’s specifically designed with organization in mind, and as such, it lets you better systematize various aspects of your interface.

You can also search for specific items or move them into the optional Bartender Bar if you’re in dire need of additional space. The latest version added support for macOS Monterey and M1 devices, a quick reveal to show/hide apps, and the ability to adjust the icon sizes. You can choose a four-week free trial before purchasing.

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Magnet running on a MacBook.

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It’s not always easy to view multiple windows side by side, but Magnet gives you tons of options. The app is made for the multitasking Mac user inside all of us and presents a quick way to arrange your desktop.

With Magnet, you can drag and snap windows to the edges and corners of your screen, which will then lock into place. It’s a terrific tool, complete with predefined keyboard shortcuts if you want to copy content from one app to another.

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Noir

A promotional image of the Noir Mac app showing how it works.

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Ever switch on Dark Mode to browse your Mac late at night, only to get your eyes blasted by a bright white website that doesn’t have its own dark version? We’ve all been there, but there’s no need to suffer bleeding retinas in silence. Instead, get Noir.

This clever little app forces websites to use a dark color scheme if you have Dark Mode enabled. If they don’t have one of their own, Noir reskins the website with a darkened, tasteful new look that fits in perfectly with each site’s own style. It’s customizable, too, and you can choose which theme Noir uses from a range of options — or create your own. You can even set site-specific rules.

If you use , Noir is the perfect companion for late-night browsing (or if you just love using Dark Mode during the day). At $4, it’s an absolute steal.

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The Unclutter Mac app showing its overlay with files and clipboard contents inside.

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Unclutter is a simple piece of software that suits its name. This Mac app is accessible with a quick swipe from the top of your screen and functions as a convenient place for storing quick notes, recent files, and clipboard information. You can access it elsewhere, which makes it handy for pasting images into emails, for example, or moving a folder to a new location.

Recent updates also allow for a light or dark theme and include an option for dragging cards on top of other desktop windows. Files and notes even automatically sync across your devices via Dropbox, a suitable addition that adds to the app’s lasting appeal.

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The best Mac apps for productivity

CheatSheet

The CheatSheet Mac app showing its shortcuts windows in action.

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Keyboard shortcuts are great, but so many different apps use so many different shortcuts that trying to remember them all can be an exercise in frustration. Well, no longer, as there’s a brilliant little app that can fix the problem.

The appropriately named CheatSheet is simple. Just press its hotkey and up pops a window listing all the active shortcuts in your app of choice. It’s smart and only shows the shortcuts for the app you’re currently using, so there’s no need to specify the app you need help with. Release the hotkey and the pop-up window disappears. It’s there when you need it and gone when you don’t.

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The Fantastical Mac app showing a calendar with a week view.

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Fantastical is the only calendar app you’ll ever need. A subscription grants you access to a powerful set of tools as well as a full-screen calendar window that’s as beautiful as it is practical. The app’s true hallmark, however, is in the way you create reminders; just type in that you have “Dinner with on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.” and watch the app schedule it with a reminder.

The free edition is minimal, with the ability to add and delete events, get the three-day forecast, and a few other features. For a premium experience, Flexibits provides subscriptions for both individuals and families starting at $3.33 per month (when billed annually). Premium features include a 10-day weather forecast, priority email support, and much more.

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Folder Tidy

A promotional image for the Folder Tidy Mac showing its capabilities.

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You might start off intending to keep all your Mac’s folders neat and organized, but over time, things can go awry — confusing folder names, loose files, things stored in the wrong places, etc. When you’re desperately searching for that all-important file, the confusion can be concerning.

Folder Tidy puts an end to all that in the simplest way imaginable. In just one click it sorts your files into orderly subfolders using its own ruleset. If you want more control, you can add custom rules to sort things how you like. You can ignore specific files, folders, anything with a tag, and much more, and you can also send things back the way they were with the undo button. Instead of spending ages manually sifting through your files, just get Folder Tidy to do the hard work for you.

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GoodTask

The GoodTask Mac app showing a selection of reminders in the app's main screen.

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Apple’s Reminders app is decent, but not much to write home about. Apple should really take some pointers from GoodTask — it’s the best Mac reminders app out there.

If you just need to quickly create entries, GoodTask gets out of your way and lets you do that. But it comes alive when you start to use its power features. You can make smart lists based on specified criteria, add new reminders using text snippets that GoodTask intuitively understands, and everything from the calendar view to almost every function can be tweaked to your liking.

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The Google Chrome app running on a Mac, showing the Digital Trends home page.

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Chrome’s rich feature set, extensive ecosystem, and blazing speed make it a great browser for your Mac. Chrome is one of the fastest browsers available for Mac, one that also features the ability to automatically sync all your information — bookmarks, open tabs, recent searches, and more — across multiple computers and mobile devices. That, combined with its robust customization and instant search capabilities, makes it worthwhile.

As popular as Chrome is, however, it’s one of the weakest for user privacy protections, so consider that before installing.

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Hazel

Hazel running on a Mac.

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Hazel is an organization Mac app with a great twist: You create your own rules for how the app recognizes, sorts, and moves all your files or downloads. This allows for incredibly flexible file management, whether you want to sort out a particular type of file, add names and tags automatically, or apply other strict rule sets to every file, folder, and download on your computer.

It’s an excellent work app, great for home finances, and generally usable in all kinds of scenarios. However, it may take some time to set up all the rules you want for file management, so it’s more friendly for hands-on organizers. It costs $42, though you can get a family five-pack for $65.

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Keyboard Maestro

The Keyboard Maestro Mac app with a macro shown in the app's main window.

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If you’re looking for a way to simplify or eliminate menial tasks in your day-to-day workload, then Keyboard Maestro should be on your radar. In essence, you can automate a variety of tasks, from waking your Mac at a certain time to automatically opening and running windows in a sequence when you launch an app.

It’s a bit overwhelming at first, especially if you’re new to automation features like this. But if you have experience with Apple’s Shortcuts app, you can quickly grasp Keyboard Maestro. Best of all, Keyboard Maestro isn’t a subscription-based app — it’s a one-time purchase of $36, and you might pay to upgrade when new versions release. The latest version now supports Dark Mode and multiple editor windows. That all makes Keyboard Maestro a great app for productivity-oriented users.

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Microsoft 365

Microsoft Word running on a Mac.

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Apple already supplies native tools for creating documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. However, if you work on multiple platforms (including Windows), Microsoft 365 may be the better option. This popular office suite includes , Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and OneDrive.

However, users will need a subscription: $7 per month for 365 Personal (one user) and $10 per month for 365 Family (six users). Both subscriptions provide 1TB of storage for each individual regardless of the plan. For Mac owners who don’t want a subscription, Microsoft provides free web-based versions.

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Notion

Notion running on a Mac.

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It’s hard to quantify what Notion is because it does so many things. It works as a database, calendar, Kanban board, and more. It’s great for project management, book writing, social media calendars, and just about anything else you can imagine.

That level of flexibility is what makes Notion such an amazing app. It’s a productivity tool that can be used by anyone for just about anything. It’s particularly popular among the bullet journal crowd, and it’s a must-have tool for any professional who needs help organizing and compiling their workflows.

Notion is a great tool that is simple enough to use, but true mastery of the app can make for some stunning frameworks.

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Parallels Desktop

The Parallels Desktop Mac app showing Windows running on a MacBook Pro.

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If you believe the diehards, you’d think macOS and Windows are eternal rivals, and never the twain shall meet. But there are plenty of times when you might want to run Windows on your Mac, from accessing Windows-only apps and games to testing out new features. Apple silicon-based Macs can’t use Apple’s own Boot Camp app to dual-boot into Windows, but they can use Parallels Desktop.

With this app installed, you can launch Windows inside its own, well, window. That means there’s no need to restart your Mac, making for fewer interruptions to your workflow. It works with over 200,000 Windows-native apps, giving you access to things you might never get on an Apple computer. And you can copy and paste files between Windows and macOS with ease, making the whole experience seamless.

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Parcel

The Parcel Mac app showing a list of expected parcels and their tracking details.

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Find yourself frequently purchasing things online? Parcel targets the online shopping aficionado, rendering it ideal for anyone who’s constantly expecting a package at their doorstep.

The tracking app works with more than 250 services — including mainstays such as UPS, USPS, and FedEx — allowing you to see where your packages are at a glance with little more than a tracking number. Push require a premium subscription of $5 per year.

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PDF Expert

PDF Expert running on a MacBook.

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Having to work with PDF files is a fact of life, and PDF Expert makes that task a little easier. Not only does the minimalist software allow you to fill out forms and merge PDFs, but it also grants you a host of tools for editing, annotating, and signing files on the fly.

Moreover, it’s compatible with Apple’s Continuity and Handoff features, so you can swap devices while in the middle of a document without fear of losing your work.

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Pocket

The Pocket app for Mac showing a selection of saved articles.

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As the name might imply, Pocket is a tool that lets you “pocket” articles, videos, and web pages for later viewing. It essentially consolidates all the content in a simple, easy-to-use interface that’s also accessible offline.

The app is perfect for sharing your favorite stuff among friends or for stowing interesting articles you may encounter on your evening commute, which you can then pull up on the big screen with their accompanying text, pictures, and links when you get home. Pocket is free to use, but if you want enhanced search capabilities and an ad-free experience, then you’ll want to take advantage of the premium subscription ($5 per month or $45 per year).

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Shortcuts

Apple's Shortcuts app running on MacOS Monterey

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Macs are powerful things, and there’s a huge amount you can do with them. Some tasks, though, can be boring, repetitive, or time-consuming. In those cases, it’s best to get something else to do the heavy lifting. Apple’s Shortcuts app is the perfect solution.

It gives you access to a whole host of actions that can be strung together to form powerful automations. Want to batch-process a whole folder of images? Or implement custom split-view layouts at the touch of a button? There is almost no end to the options you have with Shortcuts. It’s the perfect way to save time and speed up tasks on your Mac.

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Spark

Spark running on a Mac.

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Apple’s Mail app is fine, but we wouldn’t go much beyond that. Spark is great, however, and shows what’s possible in an email app. Its stated aim is to let you “Take control of your inbox”, and it achieves this in several clever and thoughtful ways.

Important emails from people you know are automatically floated to the top, ensuring they don’t get bogged down in a sea of newsletters and spam. You’ll only get notified about mail from your contacts, helping you cut out distractions, while its excellent collaborative tools are great for teamwork. Best of all, it’s free.

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Swish

The macOS options for the Swish app, which lets you perform various actions with a swipe or a gesture on a trackpad.

There are 28 gestures in total, all of which will come in handy Digital Trends

The Mac’s trackpad is the best on any computer, hands down, and Apple has built a great system of gestures into macOS. But Swish takes that even further, giving you gesture control over window management that’s so seamless it feels like Apple made it itself.

With Swish installed, you can fling windows around your display with consummate ease. A swipe upwards maximizes a window, while a pinch closes an app. The more you use Swish, the more ingenious gestures you learn. Before long, it’s second nature, and you’ve got a brilliant way to keep things organized on your screen.

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Things

Things 3 running on a MacBook.

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Things is a brilliant macOS to-do list and task management app. Thanks to a full redesign, Things is more useful than ever, connecting to your tasks and Calendar in a seamless interface. You can add descriptions, checklists, upcoming tasks, evening-only tasks, automated reminders, and a lot of other unique task features.

If you want to invest in a high-end task management app for Mac, Things is worth the price. However, there is a free trial available if you don’t want to pay right away.

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Ulysses

The Ulysses mac app showing a page of written text.

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When it’s time to write on your Mac, you want to make sure you operate with minimal distractions. Ulysses is tailor-made for these situations. With its pared-back layout and focused tools, it can help you get down to work and shut out the world around you.

You can manage all your files and projects in the Ulysses library, keeping everything just a click or two away. There’s a built-in proofreader, support for tons of common file formats, and quick publishing to WordPress, Medium, and more. Whether you’re a professional writer or just need a great word processor, Ulysses ticks all the boxes.

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The best Mac apps for photo and video editing

Affinity Photo

Affinity Photo running on a Mac.

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Tired of shelling out money each month for Adobe Photoshop but want an app that’s just as good? Affinity Photo from Serif could be just what you need. It’s a photo-editing Mac app that’s won numerous awards from Apple (including app of the year), so you know it’s something special.

Unlike Photoshop, you just pay a one-off fee of $35 and it’s yours for life. But this isn’t some cheap, hobbled software — it’s a deep, full-featured app that can stand toe to toe with Adobe’s image-editing behemoth. It has sister apps for graphic design and desktop publishing too, both of which are superb alternatives to Adobe’s wares.

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CleanShot X

CleanShot X's clean interface showing it's annotation tools.

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Taking screenshots and screen recording on macOS can be pretty unintuitive, and that’s a problem CleanShot X aims to solve. The app gives you over 50 different tools to capture and edit screenshots and screen recordings. It has a clean and modern user interface that blends perfectly with macOS, and it gives you more robust tools for annotating and editing than Preview.

If you find yourself taking lots of screenshots, CleanShot X is a must-have app.

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GIMP

GIMP running on a Mac.

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Here’s another image editor, but this one is free. GIMP has everything you need to replace Adobe’s monthly Photoshop subscription: Layer control, shadow effects, vector-based paths, filters, exposure, and so much more. It even offers similar auto functions to enhance colors, equalize, and correct white balance on the fly. It’s simply one of the best Photoshop alternatives to date.

GIMP is an open-source project, initially developed by two Berkeley students, that first went public in 1996. It works alongside other open-source Adobe alternatives to create an open-source suite: Scribus (InDesign) and Inkscape (Illustrator).

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The HandBrake Mac app with a video loaded and ready to be rendered.

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HandBrake shines when it comes to converting media files and encoding videos, especially when you factor in how quick and effortless this piece of open-source software makes the process.

The well-known app also comes with a plethora of video-editing tools designed for splicing, adjusting frame rate, and adding subtitles, among a laundry list of other useful actions that complement its optimization presets.

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Pixelmator Pro

Pixelmator running on a MacBook.

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Mac users have access to a vast selection of excellent photo-editing apps, but even against its many competitors, Pixelmator Pro stands out as one of the best. It boasts a massive list of powerful features and is currently one of the fastest apps in the entire photo-editing space.

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