UbuntuHandbook

Want to install the ClipGrab YouTube video downloader via classic deb package? Here’s a PPA available for Ubuntu 20.04, Ubuntu 20.10, and Linux Mint 20.

ClipGrab is a free and open-source downloading and converting application for YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, and many other video sites.

Thanks to Youtube-DL and Qt framework, it provides a simple UI with ability to search videos via keywords. By clicking a video from the search result, it automatically inputs the video URL to “Downloads” tab.

You can also copy & paste the video URL directly from YouTube web page, and then select downloads format, MPEG4, MP3, etc, and choose the quality.

Finally click on “Grab this clip!” to start downloading process.

Install ClipGrab via Ubuntu PPA:

The software offers official Linux binary via non-install Appimage package in its website.

If you prefer the classic .deb package with better integration, the “xtradeb packaging” team maintains the software package in an unofficial PPA, which so far supports for Ubuntu 20.04 and Ubuntu 20.10.

1.) Open terminal from system app launcher. When it opens, run command to add the PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:xtradeb/apps

Type user password (no asterisk feedback) when it asks and hit Enter to continue.

2.) After adding the PPA, run command to install the tool:

sudo apt install clipgrab

And it will install the most recent YouTube-DL package, if you don’t have it or have an older version, from the PPA repository.

Uninstall ClipGrab:

To remove the Ubuntu PPA, either go to Software & Updates -> Other Software or run command in terminal:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:xtradeb/apps

To remove the video downloader software, run command:

sudo apt remove --auto-remove clipgrab

Looking for a graphical interface for the command line youtube-dl video downloader? Tartube is a GTK+ 3 front-end written in Python 3.

Tartube is partly based on youtube-dl-gui and runs on Windows, Linux, Mac OS, and BSD. It’s a free and open-source software that can download individual videos, and even whole channels and playlists, from YouTube and all youtube-dl supported websites.

Besides downloading videos, Tartube can also organize your videos into convenient folders, alert you when livestreams are starting, and more.

How to Get Tartube:

Note it’s illegal to download any content from YouTube or any other site unless you see a “download” or get permission from the publisher. Use the software at your own risk!

The Ubuntu deb, Windows exe, Fedora rpm, and source code are available for download at the link below:

Download Tartube

For Ubuntu users, grab the .deb package and click install either via “Software Install” or “Gdebi” (if installed).

NOTE: To make the software work, you have to install youtube-dl, and in Tartube’s “system preferences” set the path to youtube-dl executable.