How to Download YouTube Shorts on iPhone, Android & PC (Free)

YouTube Shorts are everywhere — 60-second clips packed with entertainment, knowledge, and viral moments. But saving them is surprisingly tricky. YouTube doesn't offer a native download button for Shorts, and most downloaders don't even recognize the URL format. Here's the fastest, cleanest way to download any YouTube Short in seconds.

Why Is Downloading YouTube Shorts Different?

YouTube Shorts use a different URL format (youtube.com/shorts/ID) than regular videos (youtube.com/watch?v=ID). Many older download tools only recognize the standard format and fail silently on Shorts URLs. AnyVideoFlow was specifically updated to handle Shorts — including age-restricted ones.

How to Copy a YouTube Shorts Link

On the YouTube App (Mobile)

1. Open the YouTube app and find the Short you want.
2. Tap the Share button (arrow icon on the right side panel).
3. Tap Copy link. The link is now in your clipboard.

On YouTube.com (Desktop or Mobile Browser)

1. Open the Short in your browser. The URL bar will show: youtube.com/shorts/XXXX
2. Select all and copy the URL.

Downloading YouTube Shorts — Step by Step

Downloading YouTube Shorts on iPhone (Detailed)

iPhone users sometimes struggle with video downloads. Here's the exact flow:

1. Open Safari (Chrome on iOS doesn't support direct file downloads as well).
2. Navigate to anyvideoflow.com/youtube-shorts-downloader.
3. Paste the Shorts URL and tap Extract.
4. Tap the Download button. You'll see a download indicator in the top-right of Safari.
5. When it completes, tap the download icon → tap the file name → tap Share → Save Video to add it to Photos.

Downloading YouTube Shorts on Android

On Android, the process is even simpler:

1. Open any browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge).
2. Go to anyvideoflow.com and paste the Shorts URL.
3. Tap Download — the file automatically saves to your Downloads folder.
4. Open your Gallery or Files app to find the Short.

What Format Are YouTube Shorts?

YouTube Shorts are vertical videos in 9:16 aspect ratio (taller than wide — like a phone screen). When downloaded, they come as standard MP4 files that play perfectly on any device, social media platform, or video editor.

Can I Re-upload Downloaded Shorts?

Downloaded Shorts are for personal use. Re-uploading someone else's Short to YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram without permission may constitute copyright infringement. Always credit the original creator if you share their content.