Ummy Video Downloader for Mac

Download HD videos or MP3 files in just 2 clicks!

If you've ever wanted to watch a favourite video without an internet connection or take a clip from a YouTube video to use in a presentation, you'll have been frustrated by the fact that you can't download videos from the internet's most popular video site. Ummy Video Downloader allows you to save YouTube videos to your computer for offline access. It's simple and easy to use, in part because it doesn't offer a very broad range of features.

How it works

Using Ummy Video Downloader couldn't be simpler. Open up the app and paste the URL of a YouTube video into its field. The video's thumbnail will pop up after a moment and it will begin downloading.

You can choose to save your files as MP4 format videos, MP3 audio, MKV, FLV, MOV or AVI, covering all the basic options most of us are familiar with. If it's a video file, you can specify the resolution in order to keep the file size manageable. Adding multiple files to the downloader creates a queue of videos that will be downloaded in order. It really is as simple as that.

The benefits and flaws of simplicity

Because it's quite a small, light-featured piece of software, Ummy Video Downloader won't put any very strenuous demands on your computer. However, this simplicity also means that hardcore videophiles may feel that it lacks some options they were hoping for. If you have a lot of files you want to download, the process can be a little slow; its videos download sequentially rather than simultaneously. It doesn't offer a huge range of options for file format (although it does cover all of the most likely options), so if you want to convert a video into a different format you'll need other video editing software. If you're downloading a playlist, you'll have to do it one video at a time -- Ummy will only take the video currently playing. Earlier versions of this software also couldn't download video from other video sharing sites, but Dailymotion videos now work just as well as YouTube.

Another thing to watch out for is additional downloads bundled with this program. Choose the right options during installation so that you don't end up with unwanted software components like browser toolbars or a new default search engine. These aren't malware per se, but they're a nuisance nonetheless.

Get the videos you want

Ummy Video Downloader is a simple, efficient video download program with no extraneous bells and whistles. If you just want to download some videos for offline viewing, it's an excellent choice because of its simplicity and ease of use.

However, bundled software options can make installation a little fiddly. And of course, remember that YouTube's terms of service don't allow unauthorised downloads, so make sure you only download videos where you have permission to do so.