How to Download YouTube Shorts to Your Phone or PC (2026)
Learn how to save any YouTube Shorts video as an MP4 on iPhone, Android, or desktop — no app required, no watermark, free with ClipsDown.
Can You Download YouTube Shorts?
Yes — YouTube Shorts are just regular YouTube videos cropped to a vertical 9:16 format. Any tool that can download a standard YouTube video can also handle Shorts, including ClipsDown.
The tricky part is that YouTube's own app doesn't offer a free, watermark-free download option. That's where a third-party downloader comes in.
How to Download a YouTube Short in Under 30 Seconds
Step 1 — Copy the Shorts link
Open YouTube on your phone or browser, find the Short you want to save, and tap Share → Copy link. The URL will look like:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VIDEOID
Step 2 — Open ClipsDown
Go to ClipsDown YouTube downloader in any browser. No app, account, or extension needed.
Step 3 — Paste and download
Paste the link into the input box and tap Download. Within seconds you'll see available quality options. For Shorts, 720p MP4 is usually the best balance of quality and file size.
Step 4 — Save the file
Tap the quality you want and it downloads directly to your camera roll (iPhone/Android) or Downloads folder (PC/Mac).
That's it — a clean, watermark-free vertical MP4 you can repost anywhere.
Downloading YouTube Shorts on iPhone (Safari)
Safari on iOS handles file downloads differently from Android Chrome. After tapping your chosen quality:
- The video will open in a new tab — hold down on the video.
- Tap Download Video from the menu that appears.
- It saves to your Files → Downloads folder.
To move it to your Photos app, open the Files app, find the video, tap Share, and choose Save Video.
Pro tip: The ClipsDown iOS shortcut in our guide automates this whole process into a single share-sheet tap.
Downloading YouTube Shorts on Android
- Open ClipsDown in Chrome (or any browser).
- Paste the Shorts URL and choose your quality.
- The video downloads directly to your Downloads folder.
- Open Gallery → Albums → Downloads to find it.
Can I Download YouTube Shorts in Bulk?
Yes — if you need to save multiple Shorts at once, use ClipsDown's Batch Downloader. Open it from the homepage, add up to 10 Shorts URLs at once, and download them all in a single session.
Why Downloading Shorts is Useful
- Content archiving: Save your own Shorts before deleting them for repurposing.
- Research: Analyse competitor content offline, or save inspiration for your own editing style.
- Cross-posting: Re-share a Shorts clip to TikTok or Instagram Reels (own content only — always respect copyright).
- Offline viewing: Save travel vlogs or tutorials to watch without data.
Is It Legal to Download YouTube Shorts?
Downloading videos for personal, offline use is generally accepted in most regions. You should never re-upload copyrighted content without the creator's permission. See our full legal explainer for details.