SaveFrom YouTube Downloader: YouTube to MP3 and MP4 Without SaveFrom.net
SaveFrom.net was for years the default answer to "how do I download a YouTube video". Paste the link on en.savefrom.net, pick a quality, save the file. From the United States that no longer works: SaveFrom.net stopped serving US visitors on April 28, 2020, and every YouTube link you paste there from a US connection ends on a notice instead of a download button. YTMP3 does the same job on this page. Paste the YouTube link in the box above, the same box as on our YouTube to MP3 converter, and you get an MP3 up to 320 kbps or an MP4 up to 1080p, with no extension and no redirect.
Key takeaways
- SaveFrom.net ended its US service on April 28, 2020, after announcing it on April 16, 2020. The notice is still what US visitors see.
- SaveFrom's own YouTube guides still rank on Google, but from the US they redirect to that notice. Other SaveFrom-named sites are not the original service.
- This page takes the same YouTube link and returns an MP3 (128, 192 or 320 kbps) or an MP4 (up to 1080p).
- No SaveFrom Helper, no app, no account.
How SaveFrom Worked for YouTube
SaveFrom offered three ways into the same downloader: pasting a YouTube URL on the site, typing ss in front of youtube.com in the address bar, or installing the SaveFrom.net Helper browser extension, which added a download button under every YouTube video. All three sent the video to SaveFrom's servers and came back with a list of MP4 files. Audio-only downloads were limited, and for a proper MP3 the site pushed its desktop software.
Why SaveFrom Does Not Download YouTube Videos in the US
On April 16, 2020 SaveFrom.net posted a letter titled "Discontinuation of Service in the United States". It blamed "strenuous attacks by certain US copyright holders" and said service for US users would end on April 28, 2020. It did, and en.savefrom.net still shows that letter to US visitors in September 2026. The ss shortcut stopped working the same way, because it only redirects to SaveFrom.
This has two practical effects for anyone who searches "savefrom youtube" from the US:
- The real site will not help you. A VPN can get around the block, but you then depend on a service that does not want your traffic and is not tested for your region.
- SaveFrom's own guides still rank, but lead nowhere. The top results for "savefrom youtube" are SaveFrom help pages on subdomains such as en1.savefrom.net. Open one from the US and you are sent to us.savefrom.net, which shows the same April 2020 letter.
- Look-alike sites fill the rest. Further down are other domains using the SaveFrom name, a copy of a SaveFrom page on a document-sharing site, and app listings with SaveFrom in the title. None of them is SaveFrom. Some are harmless, but others open pop-ups, ask for notification permission or offer an installer.
Download YouTube Videos the SaveFrom.net Way, Here
The routine is the one you already know from SaveFrom: copy the link, paste it, pick a format.
- Copy the YouTube link. On a computer, copy it from the address bar. In the YouTube app, tap Share, then Copy link. Short youtu.be links, Shorts and YouTube Music links all work. You can also type a song title and pick from the results.
- Paste it into the box at the top of this page and press Convert. A result card appears with the thumbnail and title.
- Pick MP3 or MP4. Download MP3 saves the audio, Download MP4 saves the video. The file goes to your browser's downloads folder. You can download both formats from the same card.
SaveFrom vs. YTMP3 for YouTube
| Feature | SaveFrom.net | YTMP3 (this page) |
|---|---|---|
| Works from a US connection | No, blocked since April 28, 2020 | Yes |
| MP3 audio | Limited; full MP3 conversion pushed to desktop software | 128, 192 or 320 kbps in the browser |
| MP4 video | Not available from the US | Up to 1080p |
| Browser extension | SaveFrom.net Helper promoted for extra features | None needed, none offered |
| Search by song or video title | No | Yes, with a preview player |
| Account | No | No |
YouTube to MP3: The Part SaveFrom Never Did Well
Most people who searched "savefrom mp3" wanted a song, a podcast episode or a lecture as audio. SaveFrom was built around video files, so the usual workaround was to save an MP4 and convert it somewhere else. YTMP3 is an MP3 converter first. The Download MP3 button on the result card encodes straight from the YouTube audio stream, at up to 320 kbps, so there is no second conversion step.
| MP3 bitrate | Approximate size, 4-minute song | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| 128 kbps | about 4 MB | Podcasts, speech, saving phone storage |
| 192 kbps | about 6 MB | General music listening |
| 320 kbps | about 9 MB | Headphones, car audio, music you care about |
A higher bitrate cannot add detail the upload never had, so a low-quality upload will still sound like one at 320 kbps. For a full walkthrough of the audio side, see the YTMP3 YouTube to MP3 converter.
YouTube to MP4 Without the SaveFrom Helper
The SaveFrom.net Helper extension was the easiest way to use SaveFrom, and also the most fragile: it has at times been unavailable from the Chrome Web Store, and installing it meant giving an extension access to every page you visit. YTMP3 needs no extension. The Download MP4 button gives you an H.264 video with AAC audio at up to 1080p, which plays in Windows Media Player, QuickTime, VLC, the iPhone Photos app and Android galleries. If the video was uploaded below 1080p, the highest available resolution is used.
How to Tell a SaveFrom Clone From a Safe Downloader
These checks work on any YouTube downloader, including this one:
- The file you get should end in .mp3 or .mp4. An .exe, .dmg or .apk is not a video. Delete it.
- Do not allow notifications from a download site. No converter needs them.
- If the download button opens a new tab instead of saving a file, close that tab.
- Skip any site that insists on an extension or an app before it will show you a download link.
On YTMP3 the MP3 and MP4 buttons save the file directly. There are no extensions, notification prompts or installers anywhere on the site.
Phone and Desktop
iPhone and iPad
Use Safari. After you tap Download MP3 or Download MP4, iOS asks whether to download the file. Confirm and it goes to Files › Downloads. You can save videos to Photos from the share sheet.
Android
Chrome, Firefox and Samsung Internet all work. Files go to the Download folder, and your music app or gallery picks them up.
Windows, Mac and Chromebook
Any current browser works, and files go to its default downloads folder. On a Chromebook, where SaveFrom's desktop software never ran, this page works like it does on any other computer.
Troubleshooting
"Discontinuation of Service in the United States." That is SaveFrom's own notice. Paste the same YouTube link into the box at the top of this page instead.
"Video unavailable." The video is private, deleted or age-restricted. Check that it plays on YouTube while you are signed out.
A playlist or channel link does nothing. Only single videos are supported. Open the video and copy its own link.
A long video takes a while. Videos over about two hours take longer to convert. Keep the tab open until the download starts.
For other errors, see the YTMP3 FAQ.
A Note on Copyright
YTMP3 does not host or index videos. Each file is made on demand from the link you paste and deleted from our servers shortly after. YouTube's terms of service restrict downloading, and copyright law differs by country. Download only content you own, content with a Creative Commons or public-domain license, or content the rights holder allows you to save. Never re-upload or sell someone else's work. See our Terms of Use, and if you are a rights holder, use the copyright claims page.
SaveFrom YouTube: Common Questions
Is SaveFrom.net still working for YouTube?
Outside the United States, SaveFrom.net still runs. From a US connection it has shown a discontinuation notice since April 28, 2020, and no YouTube link will download.
Is this site SaveFrom?
No. YTMP3 is an independent YouTube to MP3 and MP4 converter with no connection to SaveFrom.net. It does the same job and works in the US.
Can I download YouTube as MP3 like on SaveFrom?
Yes, and more directly. Paste the link, press Convert and choose Download MP3 for 128, 192 or 320 kbps audio. You do not need desktop software.
Do I need the SaveFrom Helper extension?
No. Nothing is installed. The download starts from the result card in your normal browser tab.
Does it work with YouTube Shorts?
Yes. Paste the Shorts link exactly as the Share button gives it and download it as MP4 or MP3.
Is it free?
Yes. MP3 up to 320 kbps and MP4 up to 1080p are free, with no daily limit and no sign-up.