3 Tricks to Download Part of a YouTube Video in HD Quality

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Simple tricks to download high-quality YouTube clips

Co-authored by Nicole Levine, MFA Reviewed by Luigi Oppido

Last Updated: December 13, 2025 Fact Checked

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Using Online Tools

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Downloading and Cropping

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Share Clips Without Downloading

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Tips

Do you want to download just one part of a YouTube video in high definition? While many tools exist for downloading YouTube videos, it's harder to find one that lets you trim clips in HD format. But don't worry—we've found several easy options for cropping only the part of the YouTube video you want to keep. Read on to learn how to download and save YouTube video clips in HD (1080p and higher) formats.

Download a YouTube Video Clip: Fast Facts

A quick way to download a YouTube clip in HD is to use a web-based tool like YouTube4kdownloader's cutter, Clideo, or Kapwing's video trimmer.
If you want to download multiple YouTube video clips, try installing a video downloader application like 4K Video Downloader.
Downloading a portion of a YouTube video violates YouTube's terms. To avoid a violation, share the clip straight from YouTube.

Section 1 of 3:

Are there downloaders that can crop or trim?

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There are many web-based downloaders that let you save part of a video. The drawback is that some only allow you to download videos in standard definition, not HD, unless you upgrade to a paid plan. You have several options if you're looking for a fast way to download a video and don't mind standard 480p to 720p quality or are willing to pay for an upgrade.
- YouTube4k's YouTube Cutter is a free website that allows you to download a YouTube video in 1080p (full HD) quality.
- Clideo is a solid option if you're willing to download the YouTube video first and then upload it to the editor. You can cut any quality YouTube video with a free account, though it will contain the Clideo watermark unless you upgrade.
- Kapwing's Video trimmer is easy to use, though it's not free.
- Because YouTube frowns upon video download sites (downloading videos violates YouTube's terms), these websites tend to come and go.^{[1]
  X
  Research source} Try any of these sites or search for "YouTube video cropper" to find an alternative.

Section 2 of 3:

Download and Crop the Video Yourself

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1
Install a free HD YouTube video downloader like 4K Download. While this app won't let you trim part of a video, you can download the entire video and trim it yourself using free tools built into Windows and macOS. This is a great option if the web-based YouTube croppers aren't downloading videos at HD quality.
- 4K Video Downloader is a popular YouTube downloader that's been around for a while and still works. You can use this tool to download 10 videos or video clips every day for free, and you'll have the option to upgrade for more downloads.
  - To download it for your PC, Mac, or Android, visit 4kdownload.com/downloads and click the Download link next to your operating system.
  - Double-click the downloaded file, and follow the on-screen instructions to install.
- As long as the video isn't private, age-restricted, or limited to certain regions, you can download HD videos using 4K Video Downloader without problems.
- Keep in mind that downloading copyrighted content not only violates YouTube's policies but is also illegal in nearly all jurisdictions.
- Important note: This clip method has to be done in a browser and cannot be done with an iPhone mobile app.
2
Copy the URL of the YouTube video you want to download. Open YouTube and search for the video you want to save. Then, highlight the URL in the address bar and press Ctrl + C (PC) or Cmd + C (Mac) to copy it.
- Before you download, click the gear icon at the bottom of the video, select Quality, and make sure there's an HD version of the video available, such as 1080p or 2160p. If the video isn't HD to begin with, you won't be able to download it in high definition.
3
Open 4K Video Downloader. You'll find it in your Windows Start menu or your Mac's Launchpad.
- This app allows you to download 30 videos daily without upgrading to the paid version.
4
Select a video quality. By default, your video will download in the best possible quality (which could be 4K, HD, or even SD, depending on how the creator uploaded the video to YouTube). If you want to specify the quality of your download, click the Quality menu and choose an alternative.
- For example, select 1080p to download a regular full HD video. Or, if you want 4K quality, choose UHD 4K instead.
5
Select a video format. Your video will download in the MP4 format by default. If you'd rather download an MKV video, click the "For" menu, then select that format.
- If you'd rather download the audio as an MP3, you can click the Download menu, select Audio, then choose the MP3 format from the "For" menu.
6
Choose where to save your video. If you don't make any changes, the video will save to the Videos folder in your regular user folder. To choose a different location, click the Save to menu, then choose a folder.
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Click Paste Link. It's the green button at the top-left corner. After a few moments, the HD YouTube video will begin to download.^{[2]
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8
Open the downloaded video for editing. Here's how:
- Windows:
  - Open the folder to which you downloaded the video. Then, right-click the downloaded video, choose Open with, and select Photos.
- macOS:^{[3]
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  - Open the Photos app on your Mac, then double-click the downloaded video.
9
Trim the video. You're almost done! Now you can choose just the part of the video you want to keep. The steps are a little different depending on your operating system:
- Windows 10:^{[4]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  
  Microsoft Support
  Technical support and product information from Microsoft.
  
  Go to source}
  - Click the Video Trim icon, which is a photo icon with a pencil at the top-center.
  - Drag the left guide to where you want your clip to begin, and the right guide to where you want your clip to end.
  - Click Save as at the top.
  - Choose a saving location (and name, if you want) and click Save.
- Windows 11:^{[5]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  
  Microsoft Support
  Technical support and product information from Microsoft.
  
  Go to source}
  - Click Trim at the top-left corner.
  - Use the handles below the video to select the part of the video you want to keep.
  - Click Save as copy.
  - Choose where the save the trimmed video.
- macOS:
  - Click Edit to open the trimmer.
  - Drag the left guide to where you want your clip to begin, and the right guide to where you want your clip to end.
  - Click Done.
  - Click Save Video (to overwrite the long version with the short one) or Save as New Clip (to create a new file for the shortened version without affecting the original.^{[6]
    X
    Research source}

Section 3 of 3:

Share YouTube Clips Without Downloading

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If you just want to share part of a video with a friend, YouTube makes it easy to send an HD clip without downloading any special software. This option doesn't violate YouTube's terms, and you won't have to worry about getting caught.^{[7]
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Research source}
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Click the three-dot menu below the video and select Clip. If the video is clippable, you will see the Clip option, next to a pair of scissors, in the menu. If there is no Clip option, this video cannot be clipped.^{[8]
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- If you're using the YouTube app on your Android, iPhone, or iPad, you will see Clip below videos that are clippable.^{[9]
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Clip the video. You'll see a little timeline of the video you're watching in the Clip window that appears. To create a clip, drag the blue box ends to the beginning and end of the clip you want to share. You'll see the duration of the clip below your selection, and it will loop in the video above so you can see what clip you're sharing.
- Your HD clips can be anywhere from 5 to 60 seconds long.
- You'll also notice the timestamps of your clip's start and end in the video.
This will accompany the social media share of the clip and what people see when they click your link, so make sure it accurately describes the video!
It's clickable after you add the description of the clip.
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Click a sharing method or Copy. If you click a social media icon, like Facebook, a new window will open in a new post creator with a link to your clip.
- Continue by pressing Share or Post to put that clip on your social media.
- If you copied the URL, you can paste it anywhere, like in an email.

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Tips

Download YouTube videos at your own risk, as copyright infringement has legal repercussions.

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Downloading software from the internet may also download malicious files onto your computer, which could damage it.

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