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Save your YouTube Videos to Google Drive

YouTube is one of the most powerful video platforms on the internet. But sometimes, you may want to save YouTube videos directly to your Google Drive for personal archiving, offline access, presentations, research, or cloud-based sharing. However, YouTube does not provide a native “Save to Drive” button—even for your own uploaded videos.

In this in-depth guide, we’ll walk you through all the legitimate methods to save YouTube videos to your Google Drive, discuss important copyright considerations, and introduce tools that help bridge the gap between YouTube and your cloud storage.

Why Save YouTube Videos to Google Drive?

There are several practical reasons why you might want to store videos on your Google Drive:

  • Access videos offline from multiple devices.

  • Backup your own YouTube content (e.g., vlog, tutorial).

  • Organize educational content for personal or institutional use.

  • Share curated content without relying on YouTube links.

  • Add videos to Google Docs, Slides, or Classroom.

Google Drive offers 15GB of free cloud storage, and paid plans go up to several terabytes—making it a convenient place to keep your video library safe and organized.

Important Disclaimer on Copyright

Before we proceed, it’s important to understand:

You cannot legally download videos from YouTube that you do not own unless the video is explicitly marked for free reuse or download.

If you're saving:

  • Your own uploaded videos (via YouTube Studio): Totally fine.

  • Creative Commons videos: Usually allowed (check the license).

  • Other videos: Not allowed without permission from the owner.

Always respect creators’ rights and YouTube’s Terms of Service.

Method 1: Save Your Own YouTube Videos to Google Drive

If you’re a content creator and want to archive your videos, YouTube provides an easy way to download your uploads.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

  1. Go to YouTube Studio
    Visit: https://studio.youtube.com
    Sign in with your account.

  2. Click "Content" on the left panel.
    You’ll see a list of your uploaded videos.

  3. Download Your Video

    • Hover over the video.

    • Click the three dots (options menu).

    • Choose Download.

  4. Upload to Google Drive

    • Visit: https://drive.google.com

    • Click + New > File Upload.

    • Select your downloaded video.

    • Wait for the upload to complete.

You’ve now archived your YouTube video in Drive.

Method 2: Use YouTube Video Downloaders + Google Drive Upload

If you're working with Creative Commons videos or your own content, you can use third-party video downloaders to first save the video locally, then upload to Drive.

Recommended Workflow:

  1. Copy the YouTube Video URL

  2. Use a Video Downloader Website or App
    Trusted examples include:

    • yt1s.ltd

    • savefrom.net

    • y2mate.is
      (Note: Use only if the content allows downloading.)

  3. Download the Video to Your Device
    Choose MP4 format for best compatibility.

  4. Upload to Google Drive
    Go to https://drive.google.com
    Drag the video file or use the "New > File Upload" option.

Optional: Use Google Drive’s “Backup and Sync” App

If you often do this, install Google Drive for Desktop, and set a folder to automatically sync downloaded videos to Drive.

Method 3: Use Google Takeout to Export YouTube Videos to Drive

This is ideal if you want to back up your entire YouTube account to Google Drive—including all your uploads, metadata, playlists, etc.

Steps:

  1. Go to: https://takeout.google.com/

  2. Deselect all and scroll to YouTube and YouTube Music.

  3. Click the dropdown and choose the data you want (videos, comments, likes, etc.).

  4. Click Next Step.

  5. Under "Delivery Method," choose Add to Google Drive.

  6. Click Create Export.

Google will compile your data and add a zip file directly to your Google Drive. It may take a few hours depending on the size.

Method 4: Use Zapier to Automate Saving Videos to Google Drive

Zapier is an automation tool that can watch for specific triggers—like when you upload a video or save a video to a playlist—and then automatically download it or save data to Drive.

How to Use It:

  1. Create an account at https://zapier.com/

  2. Choose a workflow:

    • Trigger: New YouTube Video Uploaded

    • Action: Upload File to Google Drive

  3. Connect your YouTube and Google Drive accounts.

  4. Customize folder locations and naming conventions.

  5. Turn on the automation.

Now, every time a new video is uploaded (yours or on a playlist you follow), Zapier can capture that info and save it to Drive.

Note: This works best for your own channel or public content with metadata—not necessarily the video file unless paired with another downloader API.

Method 5: Use a Chrome Extension (Carefully)

There are Chrome extensions that let you download YouTube videos and save them to Google Drive, but use caution:

  • Many violate Chrome Web Store policies.

  • Some inject ads, trackers, or malware.

If you must use one:

  • Choose a well-reviewed, open-source extension.

  • Avoid any that require excessive permissions.

A safer bet is to download manually, then upload to Drive.

Method 6: Mobile Method (Android/iOS)

If you're on mobile and want to save a video to Google Drive:

  1. Download the Video
    Use an app like NewPipe (Android) or Documents by Readdle (iOS) that supports video downloads.
    (Again, only if allowed.)

  2. Open the Google Drive App
    Tap "+" > Upload > Choose File from internal storage.

  3. Select the downloaded video file and wait for the upload to complete.

  4. Now the video is safely stored and accessible from all devices via your Google Drive.

Organizing Your Google Drive Video Archive

Once your videos are uploaded, keeping them well-organized helps a lot. Here are some tips:

  • Create folders by category: Tutorials, Music, Educational, etc.

  • Use video thumbnails as folder preview images.

  • Add descriptive file names for easy search.

  • Share folders with permissions: View-only, comment, or edit.

  • Use Google Drive's built-in video player to stream videos directly from Drive without needing to download them again.

Alternatives to Google Drive

If you’re saving YouTube videos frequently and need more flexibility, here are some alternatives:

Platform Free Storage Max File Size Notable Feature
Dropbox 2 GB 2 GB (Free) Fast sync & mobile app
Mega.nz 20 GB+ 5 GB per file Strong encryption
pCloud 10 GB 10 GB Built-in media player
OneDrive 5 GB 15 GB MS Office integration

Still, Google Drive remains a top choice due to its integration with other Google tools like Docs, Slides, and Gmail.

Final Thoughts

Saving YouTube videos to Google Drive isn’t something YouTube lets you do natively—especially not for videos you don’t own. But if you’re working with your own uploads, Creative Commons content, or legal educational material, there are multiple ways to get it done:

  • Download and upload manually.

  • Use YouTube Studio or Google Takeout.

  • Automate workflows with Zapier.

  • Use mobile apps or browser tools.

  • Organize your video library within Google Drive for easy access and sharing.

With the right approach and respect for content rights, you can build a powerful cloud-based video archive that serves your personal, educational, or professional needs.