How to download videos on a Mac
Safari and Chrome don't have a button to save videos from web pages. Here are three ways to do it on a Mac, from easiest to most manual.
Updated 7 October 2026
Before you start: only download videos you have the right to keep, for example your own uploads, videos with a free licence, or videos the site allows you to save. Streaming services such as Netflix protect their videos, and none of these methods will save them.
1. With a download manager (easiest)
A download manager adds a download button right on the video in your browser and saves the file in the quality you choose.
With Download Manager for Mac:
- Install the app and its browser extension for Chrome, Edge, Brave or Arc.
- Open the page with the video and hover over it. A Download this video button appears.
- Pick the quality, from phone size up to 4K, or Audio only to keep just the sound.
- The video downloads in the background and lands in your Videos folder.
You can also copy the page's link and paste it into the app. It works with more than a thousand video sites, and big files download faster because the app uses several connections at once.
2. Record it with the Mac's built-in screen recording
Every Mac can record its screen, with no extra apps:
- Press Shift + Command + 5.
- Choose Record Selected Portion and drag a box around the video.
- Click Record, play the video, and click the stop button in the menu bar when it ends.
This works for anything you can see, but it records in real time, the quality is only as good as your screen, and capturing the sound needs extra setup.
3. Use the site's own download option
Some sites let you save videos directly, often through a Download or ⋯ menu under the video, or in their own app for offline viewing. If it's there, it's the simplest option, but most sites don't offer it.
Which way is best?
For one short clip, screen recording is fine. If you save videos regularly, a download manager is much faster, keeps the original quality, and saves the sound properly.
Questions
Can Safari download videos on a Mac?
No. Safari has no built-in way to save videos from web pages. You need a download manager, screen recording, or the site's own download option.
How do I download only the audio from a video on Mac?
In Download Manager for Mac, choose Audio only from the video's download menu, and the app saves just the sound as an audio file.
Is it legal to download videos?
It depends on the video and where you live. Downloading your own videos or videos with a free licence is fine. Don't download content you don't have the right to keep.