How can I download 4k video from youtube on my computer?

For 4k youtube video download, a desktop app is the best option currently.

Windows Game Bar DVR is primarily designed for capturing gameplay and screen recordings, not for downloading videos from streaming services like YouTube. It allows you to record your screen or gameplay directly, but it doesn't support downloading YouTube videos 4K directly or other streaming platforms.

1. Open the YouTube video in your web browser.
2. Press Win + G to open the Windows Game Bar overlay.
3. If prompted, confirm the "Yes, this is a game" prompt (it might appear even if you're not gaming).
4. Click the "Record" button (circle icon) or press Win + Alt + R to start recording.
5. Play the YouTube video. The Game Bar will record everything on your screen, including the video.
6. When finished, press Win + Alt + R again to stop recording.
7. The video will be saved in your Videos/Captures folder.

This method is recording, not downloading YouTube videos 4K, and results in a video file of your screen recording. The recording quality depends on your display resolution and recording settings.

Windows Sandbox is a lightweight, isolated environment designed mainly for testing applications safely. It is not built for capturing or downloading videos, including from YouTube. 

1. Using Windows' built-in VM:

2. Enable Windows Sandbox (Windows Features)

3. Open Sandbox, play YouTube 4K video in Edge

4. Use Remote Desktop Connection to Sandbox

5. Remote Desktop can save remote files locally

Alternative: Use Hyper-V quick create VM, similar method.

My honest recommendation: If you want to download YouTube videos 4k on your computer, use Streamlink via PowerShell or the Edge DevTools manual extraction method. Both are free, built into Windows, and actually work with modern YouTube.

Streamlink is a command-line utility that extracts streams from various streaming services and plays them in a media player or saves them to disk. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to download YouTube videos 4K:

1. Install Streamlink
2. Open PowerShell
Press Win + X and select Windows PowerShell or Windows Terminal.

3. Use Streamlink to Download YouTube Video in 4K
Find the YouTube video URL.
Run the following command to download the highest quality (including 4K if available):

streamlink --output "C:\Path\To\Save\video.mp4" --default-stream best https//youtube/watch?v=VIDEO_ID

Replace:
C:\Path\To\Save\video.mp4 with your desired save path and filename.
https//youtube/watch?v=VIDEO_ID with the actual YouTube URL.

Note:  
--default-stream best attempts to get the highest quality stream available, which may include 4K.

4. Verify the Download
After the process completes, check the specified folder for your saved video.

you-get command line tool for downloading youtube video in 4k. Unlike online downloaders, you-get runs locally and avoids ads, pop-ups, and upload limits. While it doesn’t expose as many advanced format-selection options, it can still handle high-resolution videos (including 4K when available) and is easy to install via Python’s package manager.

Steps to download a youtube video 4k with you-get:

Make sure Python 3 is installed on your system.

Install you-get using:

pip install you-get

Open Terminal or Command Prompt. Check available formats and resolutions:

you-get -i VIDEO_ID

Download the video (you-get will choose the best quality by default):

you-get VIDEO_ID

Specify a stream ID from the format list to target higher resolutions.

you-get is a solid choice for downloading 4k videos from youtube if you want a minimal, no-frills command-line 4k downloader. It's completely free, easy to install, and suitable for users who prefer simplicity over advanced customization. While it offers fewer fine-tuning options than more complex tools, it remains a dependable solution for quick, local video downloads without paid software or online services.

TubeSync, isn't a typical single video YouTube downloader like Stacher. Instead, it's a self-hosted YouTube synchronization tool that automatically downloads 4k videos from youtube channels and playlists you subscribe to and saves them to a local folder or media server.

Think of it like a personal YouTube recorder (PVR): you tell it which channels/playlists you want to sync, and it periodically checks for new content and downloads videos automatically, keeping your local library up to date.

How TubeSync Works

Install the server: Usually by running TubeSync in Docker or Podman on your computer or NAS (network attached storage).

Open the web UI: Access it in your browser (often at http://localhost:4848 after setup).

Add sources: Paste YouTube channel URLs or playlist links you want to keep synced.

Configure options: Set quality preferences and where downloaded files should be stored.

Let it run: TubeSync periodically checks for new uploads and downloads them automatically to your designated folder.

Cons of TubeSync for downloading 4k youtube videos

• Requires Docker / server-style setup, not beginner-friendly
• No simple “paste URL → download” workflow
• Best suited for channels/playlists, not single videos
• Initial configuration takes more time than desktop apps
• Overkill if you only need occasional 4K downloads
• Runs continuously, which may consume system resources

Using Internet Explorer Developer Tools (or similar browser developer tools) to download YouTube videos 4K, is technically complex and often unreliable. Additionally, it may violate YouTube's terms of service and copyright laws.

General Steps for downloading YouTube video 4K:

1. Open Internet Explorer and navigate to the YouTube video you want to download.

2. Open Developer Tools:
Press F12 or go to Tools > F12 Developer Tools.

3. Go to the Network Tab:
Switch to the "Network" tab to monitor network requests.

4. Play the Video:
Start playing the YouTube video. The network tab will show numerous requests.

5. Filter Requests:
Look for requests with media content types or URLs that might point to video streams (these often end with .mp4, .webm, or similar).

6. Identify the Video URL:
Right-click on the request and select "Copy" > "Copy link address."

7. Download the Video:
Paste the URL into a download manager or browser address bar for saving the video.

It depends on the source video. If it is in 4k video quality, then you can download youtube video 4k using a app like Stacher, which is a completely free, open-source desktop application for downloading youtube video in 4K.

Instead of typing commands in a terminal, you can download YouTube videos in high quality, including 4K (2160p), using a simple, modern interface on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Because Stacher relies on yt---dlp in the background, it inherits the same strong compatibility with YouTube updates, adaptive streams, and high-resolution formats. This makes it far more reliable than most browser extensions or online downloaders, especially when dealing with 4K videos that use separate video and audio streams.

Steps to Download YouTube Videos in 4K with Stacher

1. Download and install Stacher from its official website or GitHub page.

2. Launch Stacher on your PC or Mac.

3. Copy the YouTube video URL and paste it into the Stacher input box.

4. Open Settings → Quality / Format.

5. Select Best Video + Best Audio or explicitly choose 2160p (4K).

6. Choose the output format (MP4 or MKV is recommended for 4K).

7. Click Download and wait for Stacher to merge video and audio automatically.