Download YouTube Videos in 4K Ultra HD (Free)
To download a YouTube video in 4K, paste its link above and choose the 2160p option after fetching. YouTubePrint saves the full Ultra HD MP4 free, with no app or sign-up. 4K is only available when the creator uploaded the video in that resolution.
Want to save YouTube videos in stunning 4K Ultra HD quality? This step-by-step guide shows you exactly how to download YouTube videos in 4K for free, no software to install, no sign-up required. Works on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android.
What You Get
A 4K download here is the original 2160p stream as YouTube stores it, merged with its audio track and saved as a standard MP4. Nothing is re-encoded, so there is no second round of compression and no quality lost in conversion.
- Resolution: 3840 x 2160, four times the pixel count of 1080p
- Container: MP4, which opens on Windows, macOS, iPhone, Android and most smart TVs
- Audio: merged in automatically, identical to the 1080p version's audio
- Watermark: none added, ever
- Account: not required, and no download limit
Space You Will Need
4K files are large, and the jump from 1080p surprises people. Rough figures for planning, since actual size depends on how much motion and detail a video contains:
- 5 minute video: around 350 to 700 MB
- 10 minute video: around 700 MB to 1.5 GB
- 30 minute video: around 2 to 4.5 GB
- Feature length: 8 GB and upward
Put next to the other options, the jump is easier to judge. Same ten minute video, every quality we offer:
| Quality | 10 min video | Times bigger than 720p | Worth it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| 360p | 40 - 60 MB | 0.3x | Podcasts and talking heads on a phone |
| 720p | 130 - 200 MB | 1x | Most phone viewing, tight on storage |
| 1080p | 250 - 400 MB | about 2x | Laptops and most TVs - the usual sweet spot |
| 1440p (2K) | 500 - 800 MB | about 4x | Large monitors, gameplay and screen recordings |
| 2160p (4K) | 700 MB - 1.5 GB | about 7x | 4K TVs, detailed footage, editing source |
The figures move with how much motion a video has. A static lecture at 4K can land near the bottom of that range; fast footage with a lot of detail runs past the top of it.
If you are saving to a phone, that is the difference between fitting twenty videos and fitting three. Our comparison of 4K against 1080p covers when the extra size is worth paying.
Playing the File Afterwards
This is the one part of 4K that catches people out, and it is worth knowing before you download rather than after.
Above 1080p, YouTube generally encodes with VP9 or AV1 instead of the older H.264 that almost every device handles natively. Recent phones, computers and TVs decode VP9 and AV1 in hardware and play the file normally. Older hardware cannot, so the video stutters or drops frames even though nothing is wrong with the file.
Two fixes if that happens: play it in VLC, which decodes in software on any machine, or download the 1080p version instead, which is far more likely to arrive as H.264.
When 4K Will Not Be Offered
The quality list only shows what the creator actually uploaded. If 2160p is missing, the video does not exist in 4K and no downloader can produce it. That is common with older uploads, most talking-head content and a lot of music.
You can confirm on YouTube itself before downloading: open the quality settings on the video and look for 2160p. If it is not there, 1080p is the best available. The guide on why a 4K download arrives as 1080p explains the other causes.
Download in 4K now
Paste the link above, pick 2160p, and the full Ultra HD MP4 saves straight to your device. Free, no sign-up.
Frequently Asked Questions
What file format is the 4K download?
An MP4 container with H.265 or VP9 video and AAC audio, depending on what YouTube offers for that video. MP4 is the most widely supported video container, so the file opens on Windows, macOS, iPhone, Android and most smart TVs without conversion.
Does the 4K download include sound?
Yes. YouTube stores video and audio separately at 4K, so the two are merged back together before the file reaches you. The audio is identical to the audio on the 1080p version of the same video, because YouTube pairs the same audio track with every resolution.
Why does my 4K file stutter when I play it?
Above 1080p YouTube generally uses the VP9 or AV1 codec rather than the older H.264. Older phones, TVs and media players cannot decode those in hardware, so playback stutters even though the file is fine. VLC plays them in software, or download the 1080p version instead for wider compatibility.
How much space does a 4K video take?
Roughly four to six times the 1080p version. A ten minute video that is around 150 to 300 MB at 1080p is commonly 700 MB to 1.5 GB at 4K. A feature-length film can exceed 10 GB, so check free space before starting.
Can I get 4K from a video that was uploaded in 1080p?
No. If the creator never uploaded a 4K version there is nothing to download, and no tool can create one. Services claiming to upscale 1080p to real 4K are guessing at extra pixels rather than recovering detail that was never recorded.