Summary
Do you want to download videos/movies from YouTube to a USB flash drive? In this tutorial, you will get 4 easy ways to download YouTube videos to local mp4 files, so then you could put YouTube videos on flash drive for backup or playback.

YouTube is one of the most popular online video sharing sites, providing a wealth of videos, music, tutorials, movies, etc. For many reasons, you may want to save YouTube videos to USB drive so that you can save your favorite YouTube videos forever, or watch it offline on your device, or even edit the video to make your own story. However, YouTube does not allow you to download YouTube videos to a flash drive directly. Instead, YouTube offers its Premium subscribers the option to download certain videos, movie and clips via app versions for iOS and Android devices. But the function is very limited, they can only keep the YouTube downloads for up to 30 days.

download youtube videos to USB drive

Due to video copyright, downloading YouTube videos to USB flash drive is not allowed. Fear not, we’ve got several tools to crack this puzzle by downloading YouTube videos to MP4, whether you’re using a YouTube Free or Premium account. Afterwards, you can transfer the YouTube videos to USB drive! Let’s explore!

Why Download YouTube Videos to a USB Flash Drive?

Portability: Play YouTube videos on smart TVs, car stereos, or other devices with USB ports, without Internet connection.

Backup: Store your favorite YouTube videos on a flash drive worrying about them getting deleted.

Sharing: Easily share large YouTube video files with without relying on internet uploads.

How to Download YouTube Videos to a Flash Drive?

If you want to transfer YouTube videos to flash drive for viewing or backup, you’ll need to download and save YouTube videos as local MP4 files. Below are 4 workable ways to help you get YouTube videos downloaded in MP4 files, read the detailed introduction and guide.

Way 1. Download YouTube Videos to a Flash Drive via Professional Tool

There are lots of YouTube video downloader or YouTube to MP4 converter software on the market, but the game-changer should be 4kFinder YouTube Video Downloader. It has embedded the official web browser, so you can directly search for the video you want to download to a flash drive. Even if you are using a YouTube Free account, you can access and download any video content hassle-free.

Better still, there’s no limit to how many YouTube videos you can download with this software – you can download as many YouTube videos as you want! The software can download and save YouTube content to high-definition MP4/MKV videos (up to 1080P), and preserve subtitles and audio tracks. Then you can easily put YouTube videos on flash drive, SD card, external drive, smartphone, tablet and more devices.

Tips: In addition to downloading videos from YouTube, this tool also supports downloading movies and shows from other popular sites such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV+, Paramount+, TikTok, Twiter, Facebook, Instagram, etc.

More Features of 4kFinder YouTube Video Downloader:

Built-in Web Browser: Embedded official web browser to access the full video library and download all videos, movies, shows as you desire.

Popular Formats: Download YouTube videos to universal MP4 or MKV format.

High Quality: Download YouTube videos in 720p or 1080p resolution.

Subtitles & Audio: Supports multiple languages and audio tracks.

Batch Downloads: Save entire seasons or movies in one click, up to 50X faster speed.

Metadata Retention: Keeps titles, episode names, cast, cover, date, duration, etc.

How to Download YouTube Video to USB Drive Directly?

Step 1. Install 4kFinder YouTube Video Downloader
First thing, download and install the 4kFinder YouTube Video Downloader on your computer (Windows or Mac).

Next, launch the software and select YouTube service in the main interface.

open youtube video downloader

Then, sign in to your YouTube Free/Premium account to enter the YouTube video downloader.

login youtube account

Step 2. Choose YouTube Video to Download
Browse or search for the YouTube video, movie or series you want to download. You can either type the video name or paste the video URL to locate it.

search for youtube vidoe

Step 3. Customize Download Settings
Click “Gear” icon to navigate to the settings window. Choose MP4 as the output format for USB flash drive. Select High video quality option, and pick your preferred subtitle and audio language.

output settings

⚠️ You can insert a USB flash drive to your computer, and change the output path the the software’s settings to USB flash drive.

Step 4. Start Downloading YouTube Video to USB
Click “Download” button to download video from YouTube to USB directly.

download youtube video to usb

Once the downloading is done, go to “History” to find downloaded YouTube videos in the drive.

find downloaded youtube videos

Way 2. Download YouTube Video to USB Drive with Desktop Tool

4kFinder Video Downloader is another tool that can help you save YouTube videos to USB drive. It is the best video downloader for Windows and MacOS, supports 1000+ popular websites, including YouTube, Vevo, Facebook, Vimeo, etc. Better still, it also gives you advanced features such as downloading entire channels, playlists, gaming streams, subtitles, etc. With using it, you can easily download YouTube videos up to 8K resolution in MP4, or save them in MP3 format in 320kbps with high quality. After which, you can put the downloaded YouTube MP4 or MP3 file to your USB flash drive.

Highlights of 4kFinder YouTube to USB Drive Downloader:

  • Download videos and music from 1000+ popular sites.
  • Download videos, playlist, channels, subtitle from YouTube.
  • Save online videos in MP4 and MP3 format with high quality.
  • Supports HD, 2K, 4K, 8K quality, and 3D, 180°or 360 VR video.
  • Easy to use; Batch download; 5X faster download speed.
  • Lets you Extract MP3 audios from YouTube videos in 320kbps.
  • Save YouTube videos to computer for moving to USB flash drive.
  • Enjoy YouTube videos on any device without Internet connection.

Tutorial: How to Download and Transfer YouTube Videos to Flash Drive?

The following part is a complete guide about using 4kFinder Video Downloader to save YouTube videos to computer, and then transfer them to your USB flash drive. Please hit the “Download” button bellow to get it on your Mac or Windows before you start.

Step 1. Launch 4kFinder and Copy YouTube Video URL
First, run the tool on your desktop to access its main interface. You will see its simple interface. Next, go to YouTube on your web browser. Open the video you want to download, and then copy the video URL in the address bar.

copy youtube video link on youtube

Tips: To download and save YouTube videos to USB drive directly, you can set USB as download destination folder. Just insert a USB flash drive into your PC, and click the “Output:” to change the output folder.

save youtube videos to flash drive

Step 2. Paste Video URL to 4kFinder Video Downloader
Now turn back to the interface of the program, then paste the video URL into the blank field of 4kFinder, and click “Analyze” to let it analyze the video source.

paste youtube video link to the software

Step 3. Select Output Format and Resolution
As you can see, it will pop up a small window and let you select between MP4 or MP3 format. Yes, it supports supports HD, 2K, UHD 4K and 8K quality. You can select whichever format and quality you prefer.

select format

Step 4. Download Videos from YouTube to Computer
Simply hit on the “Download” button to save YouTube videos as MP4 or MP3 files to your hard drive. This powerful tool supports batch download, during the process, you can add more video link to the bar.

download youtube video to computer

Once done, you can find the downloaded YouTube videos in “Finished” section, tab “Open Folder” to view it.

view downloaded youtube videos

Step 5. Put Downloaded YouTube Videos to Flash Drive
Now, it is time to copy YouTube videos to flash drive. Plug your USB flash drive to your computer, then it will recognize your flash drive. Directly drag and drop the downloaded YouTube video files to the flash drive. When finished, eject your USB drive.

Way 3. Download YouTube Videos to USB Stick via Recorder

Besides YouTube downloader tools, you can also use a YouTube recorder. UkeySoft Screen Recorder enables you to record and save YouTube videos to computer in MP4 HD quality. Afterward, you could transfer and save these YouTube videos to your USB flash drive. Moreover, UkeySoft program allows you to record everything on computer, such as YouTube videos, gameplay, online meetings, music, etc.

Compared to dedicated YouTube video downloaders, UkeySoft Screen Recorder allows you to record a specific part of a YouTube video, but the recording speed is only 1:1, so it will be more time-consuming. Therefore, you can choose the right tool you want according to your needs.

How to Record and Save YouTube Videos to a Flash Drive?

Step 1. Install and launch UkeySoft Screen Recorder on Mac or Windows. Select “Full Screen” or “App Window”.

YouTube recorder

Step 2. Select “HD Quality” and “System Audio” under the icon.

set system sound

Step 3. Click “Gear” icon, a setting window pops up. In General tab, choose “MP4” format.

output format

Step 4. On YouTube website, play the video you like and press on “REC” button.

record YouTube Video

Step 5. Once done, insert the USB flash drive to computer, and put YouTube videos on a flash drive.

Way 4. Download a YouTube Video to USB Flash Drive via Online Tool

To download YouTube videos to a flash drive, you can also use an Online YouTube Downloader. There are some free online YouTube downloader services that help you download YouTube videos to MP4 for free. It works not only on computer browsers but also on mobile and tablet browsers, making it extremely easy to download YouTube videos without needing extra software – simply paste the URL. And then you may copy YouTube videos to USB drive. Here’s how it works:

Note: There are many pop-up ads on the homepage. If you’re particular care about video quality, this online tool might not be your best pick, as it offers a maximum resolution of only SD 480p. Additionally, it doesn’t support batch download.

If you prefer a tool that works fast and produces high-quality output, 4kFinder YouTube Video Downloader and 4kFinder Video Downloader are your best choices, which are developed and maintained by a professional team.

How to Download and Copy YouTube Videos to USB?

Step 1. Search and open an online YouTube downloader on browser.

download YouTube Video to a USB online

Step 2. Paste the video URL of YouTube to the box and click “Download” button.

Step 3. Pick MP4 format and select the resolution as you like, and click “Download” again.

Step 4. After the download is complete, insert a USB flash drive to computer, and copy the downloaded video files to it.

The disadvantages of online YouTube video downloader tools:

* While downloading YouTube videos, you may be interrupted by annoying ads.
* It redirects you to another unsafe website or webpage.
* Sometimes, it fails to grab YouTube videos successfully.

How to Transfer Downloaded YouTube Videos to USB Flash Drive?

Now, follow below steps on how to transfer YouTube videos to USB flash drive after downloading them as MP4 files offline. You can either use Windows File Explorer or Mac Finder.

Preparation Before Transferring YouTube Videos to USB Flash Drive
Check USB Drive Capacity:
Ensure your USB drive has enough space storage for the YouTube video files.

Format the USB Drive to exFAT (if needed)
○ For Windows: Connect the drive, open “File Explorer”, right-click on the drive, and choose “Format”. Select “exFAT” as the file system and hit on “Start”.

○ For Mac: Insert the drive, open Disk Utility, select the drive, select “exFAT” > “Erase”.

1# Transfer Downloaded YouTube Videos to USB Drive from PC

Step 1. Plug the USB drive into an available USB port on your Windows PC.

Step 2. Open File Explorer (press Windows + E), Navigate to the output folder containing the downloaded YouTube videos.

Step 3. Copy these YouTube videos (press Ctrl + C).

Step 4. Then paste the YouTube videos to the USB folder.

Step 5. Finally, safely eject the USB drive from PC.

transfer youtube videos to flash drive

2# Transfer Downloaded YouTube Videos to USB Drive from Mac

Step 1. Insert the USB drive into your Mac’s USB port. If your Mac only has Type-C ports, you’ll need an adapter to connect it. The USB drive will appear in Finder > Locations.

Step 2. Open Finder and go to the folder where your YouTube videos are stored.

Step 3. Drag and drop the YouTube videos or entire folder to the USB drive icon on the desktop or in Finder.

Step 4. Wait until it completes. Then right-click the USB drive and select “Eject”.

transfer youtube videos to flash drive on mac

Conclusion

In conclusion, getting your desired YouTube videos to a USB flash drive isn’t that hard if you have the right YouTube video downloader. While screen recorder and online tool have certain limits, the powerful desktop software like 4kFinder YouTube Video Downloader and 4kFinder Video Downloader emerge as a perfect choice. With it, you can effortlessly download videos from YouTube and other sites to HD MP4 files to high speed. Once all the YouTube videos are successfully downloaded, you can easily move them to a USB flash drive or other portable devices without limits.

Try 4kFinder YouTube Downloader for free:

Try 4kFinder Video Downloader for free:

Download YouTube Videos to Flash Drive