How to Download YouTube Videos in 4K (2025 Guide)
May 25, 2025
Downloading YouTube videos in 4K used to require technical know-how. With AvenorDownloader, it takes three steps and under a minute. This guide walks you through the whole process.
What You'll Need
- AvenorDownloader installed on your Windows or macOS computer
- A YouTube video URL (any video available in 4K resolution)
- Sufficient disk space — 4K video at 10 minutes is roughly 1–2 GB in H.264
Step 1 — Find Your YouTube Video
Open YouTube in your browser and navigate to the video you want to download. Make sure the video supports 4K playback — click the gear icon in the player and check if 2160p appears in the quality list.
Copy the URL from the browser address bar (e.g., https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXXXXXXXXXX).
Step 2 — Paste Into AvenorDownloader
Open AvenorDownloader on your computer. You'll see the URL input field at the top of the interface.
- Paste the YouTube URL into the input field
- Press Enter or click the Fetch button
- The app will load the video metadata — title, thumbnail, and available quality options
Step 3 — Select 4K Quality and Download
In the quality dropdown, select 2160p (4K) or 4320p (8K) if available. You can also choose the codec:
- H.264 (AVC) — best compatibility, plays on any device
- H.265 (HEVC) — 50% smaller file size, same visual quality
- VP9 — YouTube's default codec for 4K, excellent quality
Click Download. The file will be saved to your selected output folder.
Tips for 4K Downloads
Choose H.265 for storage savings. A 4K H.265 file is roughly half the size of H.264 at identical quality. If you have an Apple Silicon Mac or a modern Windows PC, H.265 playback is hardware-accelerated.
Check your storage first. 4K downloads are large. A 20-minute 4K video in H.264 can be 3–5 GB. Use AvenorDownloader's compression settings to reduce file size if needed.
Download playlists in 4K. Paste a YouTube playlist URL and set the default quality to 4K. AvenorDownloader will queue all videos and download them sequentially.
PRO users get parallel downloads. With the PRO plan, you can run two 4K downloads simultaneously — cutting total wait time significantly for large batches.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I download 4K videos for free?
Yes. The free plan supports 4K downloads up to 10 videos per day. PRO removes all daily limits.
Why is the 4K quality option missing?
Not all YouTube videos are uploaded in 4K. If 2160p doesn't appear in the quality list, the creator only uploaded the video in 1080p or lower.
Does AvenorDownloader support HDR 4K?
Yes. AvenorDownloader preserves HDR10 metadata when downloading HDR content from YouTube.
Summary
Downloading YouTube videos in 4K with AvenorDownloader is a three-step process: copy the URL, paste it into the app, and select your quality. No browser extensions, no technical setup, and no quality compression.
Download AvenorDownloader and try it free today.