Introduction
Downloading YouTube videos to watch offline on your Android device is handy when you don’t have an internet connection. While you can manually download videos one by one through the YouTube app, scheduling multiple downloads is convenient. This allows you to queue up videos to save at specific times, even when your device is asleep. In this guide, we’ll cover how to schedule YouTube video downloads on Android.
Enabling Background Downloading on Android
To be able to schedule and download YouTube videos in the background on Android, you’ll need to use a third-party app. The YouTube app itself does not support this.
Using a Video Downloader App
A dedicated video downloader app like Video Downloader for Android enables background downloading. This also allows you to download videos in different formats.
Turning on Background Downloading
In Video Downloader’s settings, toggle on “Background downloading” to enable scheduling downloads for when your device is sleeping, or you’re using other apps.
Scheduling Your YouTube Video Downloads
Once background downloading is enabled, scheduling downloads is straightforward:
Setting Download Times in Video Downloader
When downloading a video in Video Downloader, use the schedule option to set specific days and times for downloads to start. You can queue multiple videos this way.
Using YouTube Premium to Schedule Downloads
If you have a YouTube Premium subscription, you can also schedule downloads directly from the YouTube app. Just toggle the “Schedule download” switch when saving a video offline.
Managing Your Download Queue
It’s easy to manage your queue of scheduled YouTube downloads:
Pausing, Resuming, and Deleting Downloads
You can pause, resume, restart, or delete queued and in-progress downloads as needed right from the Video Downloader app.
Prioritizing Downloads
If you want certain downloads to happen before others, use the prioritize feature to move them up the queue.
Monitoring Download Progress
The app shows the full list of downloads with their status, progress bar, and file size. You can check here for issues.
Playing Your Downloaded YouTube Videos
Once downloads finish successfully, there are a few ways to access and play the videos:
Using the Video Downloader App
The downloads section of the app contains all your finished downloads for direct playback.
Finding Files in Device Storage
Navigate to device storage > Video Downloader folder to find the downloaded files.
Via VLC Media Player
Use an app like VLC media player to play downloaded YouTube videos from your device storage.
Troubleshooting YouTube Video Downloads
If you’re having issues downloading YouTube videos on your Android device, try these troubleshooting tips:
Fixing Download Failures
Failures are often due to storage limitations or connectivity problems. Try deleting other files or move downloads to external storage.
Handling Device Storage Limitations
If you consistently get storage errors, transfer finished downloads off your device so you have space for new ones.
Switching Download Folders
Within settings, you can change the save folder location if needed to free up default storage.
Clearing Video Downloader’s Cache
A buildup of app cache files over time can also cause problems. Clear the cache to free up space.
Conclusion
Scheduling YouTube video downloads for Android is a handy way to save clips for offline viewing. A third-party app like Video Downloader enables easy queue management and background downloading options. Monitor your downloads, troubleshoot any issues, and enjoy your offline video library!
FAQs
Does the main YouTube app allow scheduled downloads?
No, only manual downloads are possible directly in the YouTube app. A third-party downloader is required to schedule downloads.
Do I need a YouTube Premium subscription to schedule downloads?
No, a Premium account is not required, though this does provide the ability to schedule through the main YouTube app.
Where do downloaded YouTube videos get saved on my device?
The default storage location is Device Storage > Video Downloader. You can customize the download folder in app settings.
Can I download videos longer than 30 minutes?
Most third-party apps do not limit video length. However, the main YouTube app restricts saving videos over 30 minutes.
How do I manage space used by downloaded YouTube videos?
Regularly transfer downloads off your device to a computer or cloud storage. Or use the app to delete watched videos. An external SD card can also help.