How to download almost anything from the web using Safari

quadra 610quadra 610
Posted:
in macOS edited January 2014
Say you want to download a YouTube video.



Open the page. Then hit option-command-A.



This brings up the activity window. Navigate to the desired page in the window. The video should be somewhere in the mb range, usually 5+ mb. Double-click on it. Download will begin.



If it's tough to spot, reload the page and quickly open the activity window. You might catch it in the middle of loading, making it easier to spot.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 7
    s.metcalfs.metcalf Posts: 972member
    Nice tip, will this work with Flash programs?



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Quadra 610 View Post


    Say you want to download a YouTube video.



    Open the page. Then hit option-command-A.



    This brings up the activity window. Navigate to the desired page in the window. The video should be somewhere in the mb range, usually 5+ mb. Double-click on it. Download will begin.



    If it's tough to spot, reload the page and quickly open the activity window. You might catch it in the middle of loading, making it easier to spot.



  • Reply 2 of 7
    quadra 610quadra 610 Posts: 6,757member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by s.metcalf View Post


    Nice tip, will this work with Flash programs?



    Believe so . . . if you mean Flash content on a website. Flash programs through Safari (like some games), not so sure.
  • Reply 3 of 7
    talksense101talksense101 Posts: 1,738member
    Thanks a lot Quadra. I will enjoy it until Apple disables it.
  • Reply 4 of 7
    rokcet scientistrokcet scientist Posts: 962member
    Doesn't work in my Leopard X.5.8. Maybe it's a Snow Leopard only Easter Egg?
  • Reply 5 of 7
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,324moderator
    It should work in Leopard, it worked in most if not all versions of Safari. You can open the activity panel from the Window menu > activity too. I tend to use the websites where you put in a Youtube URL as they often give you the option to download the MP4 version, which is higher quality and plays back in Quicktime without a plugin.



    You have to watch with the activity panel because if you have skipped forward in a Youtube video and it hasn't buffered the first part, it's only downloading a partial file, which may not play back properly offline.



    This option is quite useful:



    http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/200...mp4-files.html



    All you do is add a bookmark somewhere. On that page, right-click and copy the link that says Get Youtube Video. Open the Bookmarks you have and paste that code in the URL box. When you visit youtube and have a video showing, just click on the bookmark and a link saying download mp4 will show under the video description.
  • Reply 6 of 7
    s.metcalfs.metcalf Posts: 972member
    There's always the MacTubes application which is a free YouTube video downloader. Lets you download high quality MP4s when they're available.



    http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/28608/mactubes
  • Reply 7 of 7
    sc_marktsc_markt Posts: 1,402member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Quadra 610 View Post


    Say you want to download a YouTube video.



    Open the page. Then hit option-command-A.



    This brings up the activity window. Navigate to the desired page in the window. The video should be somewhere in the mb range, usually 5+ mb. Double-click on it. Download will begin.



    If it's tough to spot, reload the page and quickly open the activity window. You might catch it in the middle of loading, making it easier to spot.



    This hint has been know for quite some time.
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