Youtube App for Windows 10, 11: Download & Install Guide

Unlike Netflix, there is no official YouTube app for Windows 10 or Windows 11. Google was never interested in developing an app for Microsoft Store.

Watching Youtube videos inside a UWP app has several advantages over watching inside a browser. The app can use Windows advanced graphics and performance features to enhance video and audio quality.

There have recently been rumors that Google might be working on a dedicated application for Windows, but it has not been confirmed, nor has Google made any comment on the matter. They had earlier also declined to make an app for Windows phones. Nevertheless, you can still get an app for YouTube on your Windows PC with a neat trick.

Let’s continue to see how you can install the YouTube application on your Windows PC.

Install YouTube App on Windows 10, 11

Google did not specifically make an app to run on Windows. However, they did make one to run on Xbox, which is readily available to download on Microsoft App Store for Xbox.

Since a portion of Xbox’s operating system is a modified version of Windows 8, which has the same backbone as Windows 10, the YouTube app designed for Xbox can also run on any PC with a Windows 10 or Windows 11 OS.

The installation is relatively easy and requires an additional step to download the application package through a third website. Follow the steps below to install the YouTube app on your Windows computer:

1. Open the YouTube link on Microsoft Store and copy the URL from the address bar.

   Copy the URL

   The copied URL is required for the next step, where we download the installation files from the Microsoft Store. If prompted to log in, enter your Microsoft account credentials.

2. Open the AdGuard website and paste the URL.

   Paste the URL in AdGuard

   The Adguard website offers a tool to download apps from the Microsoft Store.

3. Select “Retail” from the drop-down menu on the right, select “URL (link)” from the drop-down menu on the left, and then click on the checkbox.

   Set drop-down menus

   A list of downloads will now be available.

4. Copy the download link for the following file to the clipboard:

   Note: The version number may be different for you.

   GoogleInc.YouTube_1.4.156.70_x64_yfg5n0ztvskxp.appx

   Copy link to clipboard

   Right-click the link ending with .appx for your respective Windows platforms (32-bit or 64-bit), and then click Copy link address from the context menu. This will download the .appx file to your computer. .appx files act like installer files for the Microsoft Store.

5. Download the Youtube app installation file to your computer.

   Download the YouTube application package

   Open a new tab in the web browser, paste the copied address, and press Enter. Your download should now begin.

6. Run the downloaded appx file to install Youtube app on your system.

   Install the YouTube app

   Once downloaded, execute the package. The installation wizard will now run. Click on the Install button to start the installation.

7. Close the wizard once the installation is complete.

   YouTube app successfully installed

   The installation should take about 30 seconds. The wizard will automatically close, and the YouTube app will now launch if the “Launch when ready” box is initially checked.

You can now enjoy the YouTube application on your Windows computer without any hassle. As mentioned before, you will need to navigate through the app using only your keyboard, just as you would on an Xbox.

Uninstall YouTube app from your computer

If you want to remove/delete the app, navigate to the following:

Start Menu -> Settings -> Apps

Now scroll down, click on the YouTube app, and then click Uninstall.

Alternatively, you can also remove it from the Programs and Features applet, which can be accessed by typing in “appwiz.cpl” in the Run Command box.

Install YouTube Web App on Microsoft Edge

Although web apps don’t provide as much flexibility as the actual UWP Windows app, they are better than opening YouTube in a browser. They follow Youtube’s official web interface.

A Youtube progressive web app will have the same functionality as Youtube for the web but when you click on the YouTube icon on the desktop, it will open the YouTube web app directly without opening the browser first.

Check out how to Create a Progressive Web App (PWA) for any website on Windows 10 (Including Youtube and Facebook)

Youtube web app also supports picture-in-picture mode so you can easily keep the video on top of all other windows.

Let’s go through the process of creating a web app for YouTube on Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome separately.

1. Open Microsoft Edge and go to https://youtube.com.

2. Open Edge settings, expand Apps, and then click “Install YouTube.”

   Install YouTube using Microsoft Edge

   This will create a Youtube shortcut on the Desktop. You can open Youtube directly by double-clicking the shortcut without opening the browser first.

Alternatively, you can also click on the Web app icon in the address bar of Edge to install the YouTube app automatically. The web app icon will only appear on websites that support creating progressive web apps.

Install the YouTube app using the web app icon on Edge

Install YouTube App on Google Chrome

Google Chrome also supports creating an app for YouTube. Follow the steps below to install the YouTube app using Google Chrome:

1. Open Google Chrome and go to https://youtube.com.

2. Open Chrome settings and click “Install YouTube.”

   Install YouTube web app using Chrome

   This will create a Youtube shortcut on the Desktop. You can open YouTube directly by double-clicking the shortcut without opening the browser first.

You can also click on the Web app icon in the address bar to install the YouTube app automatically. The web app icon will only appear on websites that support creating progressive web apps.

Install YouTube app using the web app icon in Chrome

YouTube App Keyboard Shortcuts

One of the advantages of the YouTube app is that you can use your keyboard to control most aspects of Youtube. Here are some keyboard shortcuts that you can use to control the Youtube web app:

FunctionShortcutToggle play/pausekRewind 10 secondsjForward 10 secondslPrevious videopNext videonKeyboard shortcut keys for the YouTube web app

Here is the complete list of YouTube keyboard shortcuts. Click on the image to enlarge it.

Keyboard shortcuts for YouTube app

Best Alternative YouTube Apps for Windows

If Google doesn’t provide a YouTube app for Windows, it’s not the end of the world. Below you’ll find a list of alternative apps that stream YouTube videos.

Minitube Youtube App

Download Minitube

Minitube is one of the best YouTube apps for viewing YouTube videos on a desktop computer. It is available for Windows, Mac OS, and Linux (Debian and Ubuntu). It is a very small application that runs almost instantly on a Windows PC. It is free to use but does not provide automatic updates or support. You will receive lifetime support and automatic updates once you purchase the app.

Minitube YouTube app

Minitube has a very simple user interface consisting of three tabs: Search, Browse, and Subscriptions. Using the Browse tab, you can browse YouTube using a specific country or worldwide. The browse and subscriptions tabs did not function correctly, but the search tab worked perfectly for me.

Once the application has been downloaded and installed, you will see a screen with three options: Use Demo, Enter License, and Buy License. You can use the app for free by selecting Use Demo.

FreeTube

Download FreeTube

FreeTube

FreeTube Player is one of the best desktop players for YouTube that is open source and free. The primary advantage of FreeTube is that it plays YouTube videos without advertisements and prevents Google from tracking your device.

FreeTube Player is extremely fast and can also be used to download YouTube videos for offline viewing. A mini-window mode is also available, which operates similarly to the Picture-in-Picture mode of a browser.

FreeTube’s only disadvantage is the quality of the videos. This application can only play or download video files up to 720p resolution.

FreeTube is available for MacOS, Windows, and Linux.

Echoes Player

Install Echoes Player from Chrome Web Store

ECHOES

Echoes Player is another free and open-source YouTube media player that focuses on privacy. It has a very sleek interface that enhances the user experience. Echoes Player blocks all YouTube advertisements, so you can watch your videos without distractions.

Echoes Player is available as a Google Chrome extension. You can install the extension in any of your Chromium-based browsers including Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Vivaldi, or Opera.

Echoes Player gives the user the option to create playlists easily and play videos and music without any interruption.

MotionBox

Download MotionBox

Motion Box

If you are looking for a video browser that can browse videos not only from YouTube, but also from other video streaming services like Dailymotion, Vimeo, SoundCloud, etc., MotionBox is the perfect fit.

MotionBox is available for Windows, MacOS, and Linux.

Conclusion

YouTube is a popular platform to share your candid and professional videos with the entire world. The YouTube application makes that experience pleasant with its better interface and controls. However, the application does not continue to play audio when it is minimized. Hence, it would not be possible to listen to music while the application runs in the background.

Will you switch to the app version of YouTube or continue to use it via a browser?

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