You can now download YouTube videos in more countries
- The ability to download YouTube videos for offline viewing looks to have rolled out to more countries.
- Commenters noted the feature is now available in several countries in and around the Middle East.
- We are not sure how many countries the feature rolled out to.
The ability to download videos from YouTube for offline viewing is a feature I cherish, particularly in areas where internet is a luxury. Now, the option looks to be rolling out to more countries.
According to commenters on Android Police, the download icon popped up in Iraq, Lebanon, Thailand, Palestine, Morocco, Vietnam, and Serbia. Weirdly enough, there are folks in the US, UK, and Japan that still do not have it, so we are not sure if the feature rollout is a calculated measure or a random one.
To check and see if you have offline downloads, open a YouTube video on your smartphone. You should see a download icon on the same row as the Like, Dislike, Share, and Add to buttons. Pressing the download icon lets you save the video in 144p, 360p, or 720p resolution. You can have the YouTube app remember your settings before hitting the OK button.
From there, press the Library icon on the bottom right and navigate to your collection of downloaded videos.
Keep in mind that certain regions might prevent you from downloading certain YouTube videos. For example, I was able to download Three Days Grace’s latest music video, but Android Police was unable to do so. Also, downloads remain available as long as your device has an internet connection every 30 days. Finally, you need a YouTube Red subscription to download videos for offline viewing.
Whether the download icon recently popped up for you, or whether that icon has been there for a cool minute, let us know in the comments below.
