YouTube Converter & Downloader

YTD Frequently Asked Questions

Installing YTD

Downloading videos

Converting and playing videos

Miscellaneous

License

Installing YTD

I cannot install the latest version of YTD. I receive "Abort, Retry, Ignore" errors. Why?

The file the installer it is trying to replace is still being used by Windows. This occurs when one installs a new version of YTD to the same location. The program will typically close any instances of YTD that is running before installing a new version. But this does not always happen. We suggest you Save all your work and restart the computer - then try installing again. This will free up locked files. If the problem persists, uninstall the older YTD version, then reinstalling, by using "Add or Remove Programs" in the Windows Control Panel. If all else fails completely delete the installer and download a new version.

I receive a "file not found" error when running YTD. What's going on?

YTD requires Visual Basic Runtime to operate. You will likely see this error if you do not have one installed: "A required file, MSVBVM60.DLL was not found" or "Class not registered, MSSTDFM.DLL needs to be installed on your machine." Download / install Visual Basic Runtime from Microsoft, restart your computer. The issue should be solved.

How do I uninstall YTD?

Uninstall YTD using "Add or Remove Programs" in Windows Control Panel. Or, click "Uninstall" from the "YTD" folder in "Programs" section of the Windows "Start" menu.

Downloading videos

Is Recording Streaming Video Allowable?

We think that recording streaming videos for the later personal enjoyment or edification of yourself and members of your immediate household is allowable, whether as a "fair use" under the United States Copyright Act or the equivalent in the territory of the rights holder or you, or otherwise, and is the equivalent of using a digital video recorder (DVR), or an old fashioned VHS or Sony Betamax video recorder (we suspect that most of you don't remember the Betamax) hooked up to your TV, or a video camera pointed at your screen, to record. And there are many videos that are in the public domain (meaning, at least in the United States, there is no copyright or all copyright has fully and irrevocably expired), or where the copyright holders are okay with you saving or recording these videos for your later personal enjoyment or information. Some copyright holders are even okay with you making more copies of those videos or other works for the purpose of distributing them (or making them available) to others, without charging for them or otherwise financially benefitting, but this may be a pretty complex area of the law, and it isn't always crystal clear what a particular copyright holder may be okay with, and what the law is or may be, so we urge caution and unless you are certain about who the rights holder are and what they may be okay with please do not distribute or make them available to others. Sometimes a copyright holder will actually inform you that you can re-use or re-distribute their videos or other works, in whole, or in part, including by notifying the world at large that a particular Creative Commons type license [1] is applicable to a video. Here is where Creative Commons lists organizations and projects powered with Creative Commons licenses: http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Content_Directories.

The Internet Archive has a large collection of educational and entertainment video's that are available either because they are in the public domain or have some sort of some, but not all rights, reserved Creative Commons type license: http://archive.org/index.php . Under C-SPAN's copyright policy a license is generally not required to post a recording of C-SPAN's video coverage of federal government events online for non-commercial purposes so long as C-SPAN is attributed as the source of the video (http://www.c-span.org/About/C-SPAN-Copyright-Policy/). YouTube® allows uploaders of videos to indicate that certain videos can be edited, re-used, or re-distributed, in whole or in part (see, http://www.youtube.com/t/creative_commons).

We suggest that for those videos where you are not sure if they are in the public domain, or where you are not sure that the copyright holder would be okay with you making more copies of those videos or other works for a purpose of distributing them (or making them available) to others, or doing something else typically within the exclusive rights of the copyright holder, without charging for them, that you not place those videos or other works in any folders where you might make the content of such folder(s) available to others, whether on a VPN (virtual private network) or through any P2P (peer-to-peer) file search and sharing networks. Also, although some agreements (the "Terms" or "EULA" [End User License Agreement]) with various streaming video websites might say that you shouldn't convert or record videos that stream, we think the same reasoning applies to recording for your own later personal enjoyment, and we don't think those parts of the website agreements are enforceable. We also think that it is fair, in most instances, for you to convert audio/video files to audio files, again for your later personal enjoyment. This may be particularly true if you are visually impaired. As a matter of fact, in many instances the video you are streaming is actually being recorded and saved already. When you watch a video in flash from a website, the video is downloaded into your computer, in the folder "Temporary Internet Files" of your browser. The YTD program does pretty much the same thing, allowing you to select the destination folder. This means that the file is saved on your computer while you watch the video and there remains until you do delete it. Some, but obviously not all copyright holders may feel that this is not always fair or allowable. For example, some "major label" music recording or music publishing companies, and performers and songwriters may believe that with regard to music videos it is not fair for users to either record, or continue to keep the video streams that have already been recorded to your computer, or to just keep the audio portions of the videos, especially if a user can continue to play those files after they have been removed from the streaming website, or they think that you should have bought what they were allowing to be streamed for free if you were going to do anything other than watch or listen from the streaming website. That's kind of like saying you can't make a recording of what is playing on a radio station, or music videos playing on you television, whether delivered over the air, by cable, by satellite, by telephone line, or other communications carrier or delivery mechanism. We, and many many others from all walks of life, from economists, to scholars, to industry insiders, to average citizens and consumers, to some in government, feel that, all things considered, it is okay for you to record, convert to audio, and save for later personal use. But we recognize that some believe otherwise, and you should know this too. And so while we think that we are right, and it is within your rights to record even music videos for later personal use, it is your choice to make an informed decision. And we will repeat because we think it is important, that we do not condone copyright infringement, we don't think that you should attempt to sell or make money from streamed audio-video files (unless the rights holder says you can, or perhaps you are using parts in something like news reporting, or for scholarly or educational purposes, or the like . . . but the exceptions to the "no profiting" rules are even more stringent and complex than the average person will want to try to figure out). And you should be very very careful about making some such content available for distribution, even if not for profit. Also, we encourage you to support authors and artists whose works you like. But ultimately, unfortunately, we can't give you advice about any of this. You might want to consult with an experienced and good lawyer who knows about these issues, or ask some public interest groups to publish information on these topics and help you stand up for your rights. Also, this was written with the laws of the United States principally in mind, as we understand them, though may of the same principles apply elsewhere. If you are outside of the United States you might want to look into what the laws are of the territory where you are, the Electronic Frontier Foundation provides a database of copyright laws around the world at http://copyright-watch.org. In European Union countries, the Commission website has some helpful information and links: http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/eyouguide/navigation/index_en.htm .

WIPO has a list of Intellectual Property and Copyright Offices internationally, you can find the one applicable for your country here: http://www.wipo.int/directory/en/urls.jsp

See http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1.pdf for more information about U.S. copyright law.

For more information on US copyright law and fair use, check out the following materials.

- http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html

- http://fairuse.stanford.edu/Copyright_and_Fair_Use_Overview/chapter9/

- http://www.copyrightwebsite.com/Info/Law/FairUse.aspx

- http://chillingeffects.org/fairuse/

The School of Communication American University Center for Social Media has a Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Scholarly Research in Communication .

Greentree Applications SRL respects intellectual property rights and expects the users of YTD to do the same. Any use of YTD that violates an intellectual property right of a third party is not allowed.

Other Stuff our lawyers like us to say:

All defenses, remedies, rights, claims, etc., reserved without waiver or prejudice. No admissions, waivers, etc. made, including by silence or only partial response. No promises made or implied. Emails, other Posts, and written and oral discussions do not make or modify contracts and are not digital or electronic signatures or writings.

[1] Creative Commons (CC) is a nonprofit entity dedicated to making it easier for people to share and build upon the work of others, consistent with the rules of copyright. CC licenses provide a standard way for authors to declare their works as having "some rights reserved" (instead of "all rights reserved"). CC provides free license types and other legal tools to mark creative works with the freedom the author wants it to carry, so others can share, remix, use commercially, or any combination thereof. To learn more, visit www.creativecommons.com. If the source you're quoting has a Creative Commons license or public domain dedication, you may have extra rights to use the content. Licenses don't trump fair use, but if you want to do more than fair use allows, look at the terms of the license to see what it permits and what, if anything, it requires you to do in return. The attribution license, for example, lets you copy, distribute, and display a work so long as you name the original author. Share-alike lets you make derivative works so long as you use the same license for your re-mix. A work in the public domain is no longer under copyright, so you can use as much as you want in any way you like.

I am getting a Failed status while downloading. What can I do?

There are a few things you can try. First, make sure your YTD version is up to date. Open YTD and click on Help. Check for Updates to assure you are running the latest version. Install any available updates and try to download again.

YTD uses cookies on Internet Explorer when downloading videos. If you have trouble downloading videos from specific sites, try viewing them in IE, then try downloading the video while IE is running. If you cannot view the video in Internet Explorer please update it to a newer version.

In case you receive a "Pause, waiting for internet connection" or "Failed 6" error please reset your Internet Explorer settings by opening Internet Explorer and going to "Tools" (Alt + X keyboard shortcut), "Internet Options", "Advanced" tab and selecting the "Reset" button. Make sure to select the "Delete personal setting" check box before resetting. The reset must be performed in Internet Explorer regardless of the web browser you use on a daily basis.

Antivirus programs or firewalls could block YTD from connecting to the web. Switch the Antivirus and Firewall off and try to download again. You should add YTD to the allowed list in your firewall.

In case you are using AVG Internet Security please make sure to disable the AVG Accelerator option by going to "Options" -> "Advanced settings" -> "Web Browsing protection" -> "Online Shield". There is currently an issue with AVG Accelerator and youtube videos, you can read more about it here.

We found these issues arise with Zone Alarm products. If you use Zone Alarm, go to COMPUTER Protected section, then to Application Control. Select YTD, click on the ? (question mark), select ALLOW. Try to download with YTD. If this does not work please uninstall Zone Alarm from your computer and try to download.


McAfee firewall may also block YTD. A message will appear, asking you to Allow; Allow one time; Deny the access for the software to internet, etc. Select Allow the access for YTD. If this will not work uninstall McAfee firewall and retry.


As a last resort uninstall YTD (Control Panel - Add/Remove programs). Restart your computer, Install and run a registry cleaner program. Reinstall YTD from here.

I can't find the video URL to paste into YTD. Where is it?

YTD uses the same URL to download a video that a web browser uses to display the web page. Copy URL from the address bar and paste it into YTD. Click "Download" to start the video download to your computer.
For more details on how to use YTD please check this video tutorial.

Some downloaded videos are saved as an unknown file type. How can I play them?

Different video sites use different formats, though most use "flv" or "mp4" video files. YTD can figure out what type of video file most sites use, and sets the file type correctly. On YouTube, "Normal" quality videos are ".flv" and HQ or HD are ".mp4", while on Facebook all videos are ".mp4". If you accidentally downloaded a video that doesnt include the extension on the file name (for example, is missing the ".mp4"), you need to figure out what type of video file it is and rename it correctly. Open the video file in Notepad, see if the first line of the file has "flv" or "mp4" in it.

A file might be unknown if your computer doesnt know how to play it. VLC Media Player is a free, open source program that can play almost any video type without requiring additional software. It also tells you what type of video a file is (load the video and select "Media Info" under the Tools menu). We recommend downloading VLC Media Player to play any of the above files.

I'm downloading a YouTube video and it's asking for a username / password. What's going on?

You are attempting to download a video flagged by YouTube. This restricts access to people over 18 years of age only. When you attempt to download a restricted video using YTD, it will prompt you for a YouTube username and password (the username and password you use on Youtube). Log in using that, or if you do not have a YouTube account, create one by going to YouTube and clicking the "Sign Up". You can also now log into YouTube using a Gmail account. After exiting YTD, it will forget your account information. You will need to enter it every time you want to download a restricted video.

A "No Flash video found" error might require you to log into your YouTube account. YouTube may have flagged your account, and will request a "captcha" when you log in. By logging in to YouTube, you can respond to the "captcha" and should be able to use YTD to download videos again.

When downloading a video from FaceBook it asks for a username / password. What's going on?

Facebook requires a log in to access any content. When you attempt to download a video from Facebook using YTD, YTD will prompt you for your Facebook username and password, the same username and password you use to get onto Facebook. Remember, like YouTube, when you exit YTD, it will forget your account information. You will be asked to log in every time you use YTD to download a video from Facebook.

When I download a video from Facebook why am I logged out in my browser?

Facebook allows one web browser at a time to be signed into any given account, and automatically signs out other signed in browsers when you sign in using a different program. YTD appears like another browser to Facebook, so Facebook signs out your web browser when you sign into it using YTD.

Downloading multiple videos from Facebook? Open each video in a new tab in your browser before starting the download with YTD so all the video URLs are available. You can also copy / paste all the video URLs from your web browser into a text file beforehand.

Why do I get an error when trying to download a video from Facebook?

Its possible that you have the Secure browsing option turned on. Go to Facebook, then to Account - Account Settings - Account Settings - Secure Browsing (https) and uncheck the option to Browse Facebook on a secure connection (https) whenever possible. Try to download the video again. When you are done, you should enable the option again in Facebook.

Why does a download from YouTube start fast then slow down?

This is controlled by YouTube. YouTube servers send data more quickly when you start playing a video, then it slows down. This makes for a smooth video playing experience when watching online, while reducing the network capacity required to serve videos to its users.

How do I download HD YouTube videos?

Click "Download Options" and select one of the "HD" options (HD 720p, etc.) or "Best available" from the "Download Quality" menu. If there is a HD version available, it will be downloaded.

What do the different quality levels mean in "Download Quality"?

YouTube offers the same video in multiple quality levels. "Best Available" and "HD 1080p" are the same - first try to download the HD 1080p version, then HD 720p, then HQ 480p, then HQ 360p (flv), then HQ 360p (MP4), then Normal. "HD 720p" tries HD 720p, then HQ 480p, then HQ 360p (flv), then HQ 360p (MP4), then Normal. "HQ 480p" tries HQ 480p, then HQ 360p (flv), then HQ 360p (MP4), then Normal. HQ 360p (flv) tries HQ 360p (flv) then "Normal". HQ 360p (MP4) tries HQ 360p (MP4) then "Normal". "Normal" just tries to download the Normal quality. For details on the video formats used by YouTube, please see the YouTube entry on Wikipedia. If you pay close attention, youll notice there are two "HQ 360p" resolutions available on YouTube - 360x640 and 360x480. YTD now had 2 levels, HQ 360p (flv) for 360x640 resolution and HQ 360p (MP4) for 360x480. "Best available" is the default setting for downloading videos so that YTD will always try to download the highest quality video available. Note: this setting only applies to downloading videos from YouTube, and not to other video sites.

Does YTD currently support YouTube's new "4K" (HD 4096p) video format?

YouTube announced in July, 2010 that they support the HD 4096p video format. However, there are few videos currently available at this extremely high definition format due to the specialized cameras required. In addition, HD 4096p video files are several times larger than other HD video files which means they will take several times longer to download. YTD does not currently support downloading videos in HD 4096p format, and will download them in HD 1080p format. YTD will continue to monitor "4K" videos and likely add support in a future release. If you would like to see this feature implemented, please let us know using the Support form and include the URL of the video youd like to download.

Some of my videos being downloaded as an MP4 file, others as a FLV file.

If you have "Best Available" as your download quality, YTD will attempt to download videos from the highest resolution to the lowest in this order:

Can I queue multiple files for downloading?

Yes, but you must upgrade to the PRO version.

Can I use a proxy server to download videos?

Yes. YTD uses the default proxy server defined in Internet Explorer Options. You will need to set your proxy settings there.

My proxy server requires a password. Where do I enter it?

Currently, YTD does not allow you to use a password for HTTP proxy.

Converting and playing videos

Can I select multiple files to convert them with 1 click?

Yes, but you must upgrade to the PRO version. Then go to Convert Tab, press the folder icon next to Select the video file, and use the Ctrl key to select multiple videos.

After converting a video using YTD, the sound quality is poor. What can I do?

When you convert and lose sound quality, go to the Convert tab, and check "Show advanced conversion options". Adjust the volume button up or down and listen if sound improves.

When I try to convert the video I receive an error message: "The conversion of your video file has failed, etc." Why?

The conversion could have failed for various reasons. Check the file name under "Select video file". This file name needs to be a full path to the file, not just the name of the file. For example, if you downloaded a video and saved it as "thisvideorocks.mp4" in your "C:Videos" folder, the "Select video file" box should have "C:Videos hisvideorocks.mp4" in it not just "thisvideorocks.mp4" (no directory name) or "C:Videos hisvideorocks" (no file extension, e.g. ".mp4"). To get the entire file path in the "Select video file" box, click the "Browse" button and find the file on your drive to select it and try the conversion again. In fact, if you are seeing this error, click the "..." button and reselect your file anyway, just to make sure the entire file and path is present and correct. Since long path names are usually truncated in the select video box, its not easy to tell what path and filename YTD is using.

Sometimes YTD can get in a confused state ( for example, if you have many downloads running at the same time). If you see this error and the solution above doesnt fix it, wait for all downloads to complete, then exit YTD and restart it to try again.

If youre still seeing this error, you may be missing a codec or have conflicting codecs on your computer. It is likely if you have an older version of Windows, or you have installed many video processing applications on your system. Youll need to figure out what codec is missing or corrupt and fix it. We do not recommend a particular codec pack, we do not endorse and we are not responsible for, but there are many codec packs available at sites like download.com, eg: Windows Essentials Media Codec Pack.

How can I remove video and only save the audio to play on a mp3 player?

In the Basic version, go to the Convert tab, Select the video file using the Browse button. Select MPEG Audio Layer 3 (MP3) from the drop-down menu. In the "Choose Quality" dialog, select the quality of the mp3 you want. (Remember, a higher quality means a larger mp3 file). If you want to change the volume or copy only part of the video check the "Show advanced conversion options" box. Click "Convert Video" and follow the progress in the activity tab.
If you use the PRO version you can download and convert to MP3 in the same step from the Download tab. Choosing this option will not allow you to cut the video or adjust volume.

I converted a video to "iPod" but can't play it on my iPod Touch? Why?

The iPod Touch is similar to the iPhone, not an iPod when it comes to supported video formats. To convert video to play on the iPod Touch, select "iPhone Video" as the file type to be converted to.

When I play a downloaded video, it is incomplete, only 10/15 seconds long. Re-downloading doesn't help.

YTD uses Internet Explorer to download files. If a download was interrupted, IE may have saved a corrupt copy in its cache. You need to delete it so you can download the complete file. Also, delete your Temporary Internet Files and browser cache. To do that in IE8, open Internet Explorer and click on Tools, click on Internet Options and on the General Tab, in the middle of the screen, click on Delete in the "Browser History" section. In the window that opens, uncheck everything but "Temporary Internet Files" and click "Delete". Now close all the open browser windows and try downloading the video again.

I can't play my downloaded video file.

YTD downloads videos from popular video streaming sites, like YouTube. These files are typically Flash videos with filenames ending in ".flv", or MPEG-4 videos with filenames ending in ".mp4". Windows does not have a program to play FLV or MP4 files installed. You need to install a program which knows how to play the files, or convert them to a format Windows understands. You can use YTD to convert the files to a format all Windows computers know how to play by clicking the "Convert" button and selecting "Windows Media Video" as the type to convert the file to. YTD also has a built in video player that you can use to play FLV or MP4 files by clicking the "Convert" radio button, selecting a video file and pressing the "Play" button.

For the best possible quality, we recommend saving videos as they are without any conversion, and playing them with the free, open source VLC Media Player.

After converting video, I can't play it. Or I can hear the audio with no video / video with no audio.

The computer doesnt know how to play the file, or the audio / video in the file isnt recognized. We recommend using VLC Media Player for video playback, which is an open source (free) program. If you are using Windows Media Player, you need to install or upgrade your audio and video codecs with a product such as the Windows Essentials Media Codec Pack.

How do I convert video to a DVD I can play in a DVD player?

YTD can download video from various sites, and converts it to popular formats. Creating a DVD requires converting audio and video to the correct types and formats, as well as the ability to write files to the DVD with correct names and locations. There are several commercial and free products available that will help you create a DVD with downloaded videos.
Please also review this FAQ

How do I convert videos to a CD I can play on my stereo?

Creating an audio CD requires converting audio to the correct format, and the ability to write files to the CD with correct names and locations. There are several commercial and free products available which will help you create a CD with your downloaded videos.
Please also review this FAQ

My conversion to a PSP file has failed. Why?

Converting a video in PSP requires both audio and video. Therefore, MP3 videos will fail when converted to PSP. Also, video streams without audio or with the volume set to 0 will fail. Make sure your video has both audio and video before converting to PSP.

I can see subtitles for the video. Can YTD download videos with subtitles?

YTD cannot download the subtitles at the time, because subtitles are separately introduced in the video. YTD can only download the original video.

Miscellaneous

Where can I review this great program?

It would be great if you can review YTD on CNET, here. Go down to the User Reviews section, select the number of stars you give us and click Write a review. You need an account with cnet or you can login with your Facebook account. Thank you, we appreciate it.

How do I know which version of YTD I've installed?

In the main application screen, click "About YTD" under the "Help" button to see the About page, including the version number of YTD.

I can't find my video files.

On the Download tab, you have the "Save to" label. That is the folder where your videos are saved. Click on the directory to see the files. Click on the folder icon to the right of the label to change the folder. When converting videos, YTD will place the new video in the same directory.

How can I change the name of downloaded/converted videos?

To change the name of a file from the Activity tab select the file and right click it, then hit Rename.

In what languages is your application available?

YTD Downloader is available in English, Albanian, Arabic, Belarusian, Bulgarian, Chinese, Chinese Simplified, Croatian, Czech, Dutch, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Kurdish, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish. If you want the application to be available in your language please contact us.

Can I use YTD on my Mac or my mobile device?

You can download YTD for Mac from here. YTD for Android is available here. Get YTD for iOS here

It's still not working, now what?

Send us feedback and well take a look at it.

License

Do you offer a free version of YTD?

Yes. You can download it here.

Do you offer a PRO version of YTD?

Yes. YTD PRO offers additional benefits, please go here for details.

How long is the PRO version license valid for?

The license is valid for 1 year from the time you purchased it. During this year, several versions of the application will be released and you will have access to all of them.
New versions and upgrades may contain new or different license terms, so please make sure to carefully review the license upon your initial download of YTD and each upgrade.

When does my license expire?

To see this information follow these steps: YTD -> Help -> Your license. You will find here the expiration date. Also you can renew your subscription so that YTD won't expire.

How do I pay for the license?

You can securely pay with your Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Banking Account, Paypal and also some other payment methods are accepted.

Can I use YTD PRO on several computers?

No, the license is for one computer only.
However if you want to use YTD Pro on several computers, we are offering discounts for multiple licenses purchased through a single payment. If you want to pay with Paypal, click here, choose "Pay with PayPal", enter the number of licenses you want to buy in the "Quantity" field and click "Update" to see our special prices. If you want to pay using a credit card, click here and access "Volume discount prices" to see our special prices."

I keep getting a Communication Error when trying to activate my license key. Why?

That means something is blocking the activation process. Please disable your firewall and if you have any modem/router bypass them and try to connect directly to the internet(internet cable directly in the PC with YTD) for the activation to complete.

What happens if my computer breaks and I get a new one? Can I move my license?

Yes. In case you get a new computer, or you need to format your old computer, please go here to reset your license.

I forgot my license, how can I find it?

Please go here, complete the form, and we will email you the license.