ffmpeg -i "https://example.com/path/to/playlist.m3u8" -c copy output.mp4
ffmpeg: Calls the program.
-i "URL": Specifies the input, which is your M3U8 playlist URL.
-c copy: This is crucial. It tells FFmpeg to copy the video and audio streams without re-encoding them, which is fast and preserves original quality.
output.mp4: The name of your final downloaded file.
TL;DR:
Tired of screen recorders that give you glitchy, low-quality videos? Frustrated that most online downloaders fail on sites like Netflix or Hulu? That’s because of DRM protection. For grabbing unprotected clips, free browser extensions or online sites work fine. But to reliably save high-quality, DRM-protected videos from streaming services, you'll need specialized PC software. This guide breaks down the best options for every scenario.
Hey, Steve Collins here. As a tech blogger and admitted binge-watcher, one of my biggest pet peeves is not being able to save videos for offline viewing. You know the drill. You find the perfect documentary or an old movie you love, but you can't download it to watch on a flight or during your commute.
In a world where we're always connected, wanting to save a video to watch offline feels like it should be simple. Yet, as streaming services have grown—with market revenue projected by some analysts to surpass $115 billion by the end of 2025—so have the technical barriers designed to stop you.
The real problem is something called Digital Rights Management, or DRM. It's a layer of encryption that services like Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime use to prevent unauthorized copying.
But what if you just want to save a show you already pay for to watch it offline? After a lot of digging and testing, I’ve found that there are a few robust solutions out there. I’m going to walk you through the pros and cons of the main types of tools—PC software, browser extensions, and online sites—so you can find the right one for you.
- Dedicated Desktop Software
- Command-Line Tools
- Browser Extensions
- Mobile Apps
Is Downloading Streaming Video Legal?
U.S. Copyright Act (DMCA) § 1201 prohibits the circumvention of copyright protection measures. It means the moment you share, distribute, or publicly perform that content, you are likely infringing on copyright, which is illegal. In most regions, downloading a video you have legal access to for your own personal, private backup is often considered acceptable under "Fair Use" or similar doctrines.
Disclaimer:
This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Always respect copyright laws and the terms of service of the platforms you use.
The Power Players: Dedicated Downloader Software (The GUI Route)
For most people tackling DRM-protected videos, a dedicated desktop application with a graphical user interface (GUI) is the most straightforward solution. These applications are designed for ease of use and handle the complex technical work behind the scenes.
KeepStreams M3U8 Downloader
This is a powerful tool with a clean, user-friendly client.
The pricing and the quality of the services provided are reasonable and there’s a free 30-day trial to see if it works for you.
|
Monthly Plan |
US$ 23.90 |
|
Yearly Plan |
US$ 59.90 |
|
Lifetime Plan |
US$ 119.99 |
The only real downside is a weekly download limit of 700 files to prevent abuse. But fundamentally, it is to protect the downloading behavior of our personal accounts from being officially recognized by streaming media as abusive downloading. It also avoids the risk of account bans.
Y2Mate M3U8 Downloader
Y2Mate is another strong contender:
It focuses on fast, direct downloads rather than recording and also supports batch processing, which is a huge time-saver.
|
Monthly Plan |
US$ 35.90 |
|
Yearly Plan |
US$ 69.90 |
|
Lifetime Plan |
US$ 139.90 |
StreamGaGa Video Downloader
StreamGaGa comes from a well-established brand and is known for being safe and speedy.
|
Monthly Plan |
US$ 34.90 |
|
Yearly Plan |
US$ 69.90 |
|
Lifetime Plan |
US$ 99.90 |
StreamGaGa's monthly and lifetime subscriptions are still a bit cheaper than Y2Mate. If you have long or constant download activity needs, StreamGaga's lifetime subscription is indeed a good choice. But I have already bought a one-year subscription to KeppStreams and put my new subscription on hold for now.
For the Coders & Power Users: Command-Line (CLI) Tools
If you're a technologist with a bit of programming, comfortable with the command prompt, and want a powerful, free, and highly flexible solution for handling unprotected streams, then command-line tools are unbeatable.
FFmpeg and yt-dlp are two giants in this space. They are open-source projects that form the backbone of many commercial video tools. They don't handle DRM, but for everything else, they offer unparalleled control.
How to Download M3U8 with FFmpeg
Quick Tutorial：
Open your command prompt or terminal and type the following command, replacing the URL with your own:
But generally speaking, it takes a lot of courage to work with open-source code to save M3U8 streams. God knows what "devilish symbols" someone with no background in computers might end up with.
If you run into any errors while things are running, you can head over to the GitHub community to ask questions. There are tons of tech-savvy folks there who help each other out. Who knows, maybe you'll run into me too.
The Lightweight Options: Browser Extensions
The usual advice you find online is to either use a browser extension or a screen recorder. I've tried dozens. They are lightweight and integrate directly into Chrome or Firefox, and also free to use.
ALTStream Recorder
A popular option that can detect M3U8 streams on a page and, importantly, merge the downloaded segments into a single MP4 file automatically.
CocoCut Video Downloader
A free and ad-free extension with many quality options. However, it cannot download from YouTube or handle encrypted videos.
Related Articles: How to use CocoCut Video Downloader
Stream Recorder
Offers both direct download and a backup screen recording function. It's free but can't download encrypted streams like CocoCut and sometimes results in a black screen when recording.
Online Sites: The No-Install Solution Offliberty
Offliberty is a simple and straightforward online tool. The user interface is a bit weird，as does the usage. Because there are always some pop - up ads during the use process, and I always accidentally touch the ad interface when trying to close them. At the same time, my computer will pop up a danger prompt for accessing an unknown website.
It's perfect for a one-off download, but it shares the same limitations as browser extensions-cannot process encrypted videos, leading to download errors, and doesn't allow you to save multiple files at once. This is the last method I'd recommend anyone to try.
Why ALTStream Recorder can grab an M3U8 video like a champ, while Stream Recorder and the others sometimes gives you the dreaded Black Screen of Doom. The short answer? They're using completely different playbooks. It's the difference between being a subtle spy and a clumsy photographer.
Think of ALTStream Recorder as a spy who's been sent to steal a recipe. Its entire mission is direct downloading.
It doesn't care about the final, beautifully plated dish (the video playing on your screen). Instead, it goes straight to the kitchen. It finds the M3U8 playlist file—which is basically the recipe card listing all the ingredients (the little video chunks) and where to find them. Then, it quietly downloads every single one of those video chunks from the server. Once it has all the pieces, it stitches them together into a perfect MP4 file for you, a process that happens right inside the extension.
Because it never tries to "photograph" what's on your screen, the video's DRM security system doesn't even know it's there. It's just data being transferred, which is perfectly normal. No alarms, no black screens.
Now, Stream Recorder is a bit different. It’s got a Plan A and a Plan B.
- Plan A: Direct Download. Its first move is to try the same sneaky "direct download" method as ALTStream Recorder. If the video isn't protected, this works great. No issues.
- Plan B: Screen Recording. But when Plan A fails (usually because of DRM), it offers you a backup plan: screen recording. This is where the trouble starts.
Why Screen Recording Gets You the Black Screen
The moment you hit "record," you're no longer a spy stealing data; you're a photographer trying to take a picture of a protected masterpiece. This is what happens:
DRM (Digital Rights Management) is basically the museum's security guard. It sees you trying to film the screen and immediately alerts the system. Your own computer's operating system or browser then enforces the rule: "This content is protected, you are not allowed to capture the screen".
The result? The recording captures a whole lot of nothing—a black screen where the picture should be, though you can usually still hear the audio. It's not a bug in Stream Recorder; it's the DRM's security system working exactly as designed.
| Approach | ALTStream Recorder (The Spy) | CocoCut/Stream Recorder/Offliberty (The Photographer) |
| Method | Always uses Direct Download to grab the source files. | Tries Direct Download first, but uses Screen Recording as a backup. |
| Why No Black Screen | It never triggers the screen capture alarm because it's not looking at the screen. | Its Direct Download mode doesn't cause a black screen. |
| Why It Gets a Black Screen | / | Its Screen Recording mode is blocked by DRM protection, resulting in a black video. |
So, there you have it. ALTStream Recorder succeeds because it's smart and subtle. The last 3 gets caught when its backup plan involves pulling out a camera in a high-security zone.
The most annoying thing is that online tools also pop up unknown ads. What's the point of being free if they do that? It's like joking with the security of your own private information. As they say, the free ones are always the most expensive.
The Best Android & iOS Apps for M3U8 Downloads
If you've ever tried to save a streaming video from a website on your phone's browser, you've probably been met with... well, failure. That's because mobile browsers aren't built to handle modern M3U8 streams. For that, you need a specialist app.
After spending way too much time testing dozens of them, here are my top picks that actually get the job done.
For Android: The Land of Freedom and Power
On Android, we're spoiled for choice. ADM (Advanced Download Manager) is less of a simple downloader and more of a complete download command center. It's built for power and speed.
Key Features:
- A built-in browser that’s great at sniffing out M3U8 links.
- Multi-threaded downloading.
- A scheduler, speed limiter, and a seriously impressive download queue.
Bottom Line: For the tech enthusiast who loves to customize and control every aspect of their downloads.
For iOS: The Walled Garden's Finest Tools
Apple's rules are stricter, so you have to be a bit more clever on iPhone. Aloha Browser isn't just a web browser; it's a privacy-focused multitool with a killer video download feature. It’s my primary recommendation for iOS users because downloading is a core part of its identity.
Key Features:
- Just play a video, and the download option appears.
- A built-in, password-protected file manager to keep your downloads secure.
- Includes a free, if basic, VPN for extra privacy.
Bottom Line: The all-in-one solution. It's your browser, downloader, and secure file vault rolled into one.
Quick Reply
Q. Can I Use Desktop Extensions on Phone?
A. Nope, you absolutely cannot use desktop browser extensions like ALTStream Recorder, CocoCut, or Stream Recorder on your standard mobile browser (Chrome on Android or Safari on iOS).
It's not that the developers are lazy. The reason is fundamental to how your phone works. Think of it this way:
Your desktop browser is like your own house. You own it. If you want to knock down a wall, add a new window, or install some crazy new smart-home gadget (an extension), you can. You have the keys, and you have permission to modify it however you want.
Your mobile browser, on the other hand, is like a high-end hotel room.
- On iOS (The Luxury Suite): Apple is the hotel manager, and they are very strict. They dictate the architecture, the furniture, and the rules. All browsers, even Chrome, must use Apple's underlying WebKit engine. You simply are not allowed to start drilling holes in the walls to install your own gadgets. It's a closed, secure system by design.
- On Android (The Global Hotel Chain): The rules are a little more relaxed, but you're still in a hotel. Google's own Chrome for Android does not support extensions from the Chrome Web Store. They've sealed that door for security, performance, and usability reasons. Now, are there some third-party Android browsers (like Kiwi) that have tried to "pick the lock" and allow some desktop extensions? Yes. But it's an unofficial hack, and it's often unstable, buggy, and not a great experience.
So, the golden rule is simple: On your PC, you enhance your browser with extensions. On your phone, you use dedicated apps to get the job done. That's why you need to head to the App Store or Google Play for your mobile downloading needs.
Hope that clears things up!
Where to Finding My Downloads
Most desktop software allows you to set a custom download location in the settings which is useful for organizing your offline library. Take KeepStreams for M3U8 as an example, check this:
As for Android, it Often in Internal Storage/Download or Internal Storage/Movies. Many downloader apps create their own folder.
Troubleshooting Common Download Errors (FAQ)
Q1. Why did I get a "403 Forbidden" error?
A1. This usually means you don't have permission. For M3U8 streams, the URLs for the video segments are often temporary and expire quickly. You may need to grab the playlist URL again. It can also mean the site requires authentication cookies that your tool isn't sending.
Q2. My downloaded video is missing parts or is too short.
A2. This is common with unstable network connections. One of the video segments may have failed to download. The best solution is to try the download again on a more stable connection.
Q3. The audio and video are out of sync.
A3. This can happen if the tool has to re-encode the streams. When using a tool like FFmpeg, always try to use the -c copy command first, as this avoids re-encoding and preserves the original timing. If you must re-encode, the issue might be with the source stream itself.
Conclusion: The Right Tool for the Right Job
After all this testing, one thing is crystal clear: there is no single "best" video downloader. The right choice depends entirely on your needs.
- For the most user-friendly and reliable experience, especially with DRM-protected services, a paid desktop software is worth the investment.
- For power users who want ultimate control over unprotected streams and don't mind a learning curve, CLI tools like FFmpeg are unbeatable.
- For quick, one-off downloads of simple clips, a browser extension is the fastest and most convenient option.
- For saving content on the go, a dedicated mobile app is your best friend.
Hopefully, this guide has armed you with the knowledge to pick the perfect tool for your offline viewing library.
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