Kate Mills 
Mar 31, 2024
To come at par with the features offered on the mobile app, the web version of the YouTube Music has rolled out offline downloads for songs and podcasts.
The feature was first released in February this year, but was only available to select users. However, this new rollout expands the offline downloads on YouTube Music website globally, making it available to a wider audience than before.
While the expansion comes a month after its original disclosure, once visited by users, the website displays a message next to the Library tab in the sidebar, stating "you’ll see a “New! Download music to listen offline.”
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Activation of offline downloads on the YouTube Music website will be counted against users' 10-device limit, which is less likely to be a problem considering that most users barely manage to use their accounts on 3-4 devices.
Regardless of downloading a single track or an entire album, the feature shows an existing download button between “Save to library” and the three-dot overflow menu at the top, whereas a “Downloading…” indicator will appear in the bottom-left corner, showing the download is in progress. Additionally, users get a new Downloads tab on the Library page.
Exploring Playlists, Podcasts, Songs, and Albums can be done by using filters, with the platform saying “No internet connection” on a banner below the Now Playing bar.
“Downloads remain available as long as your device has an active internet connection at least once every 30 days,” YouTube Music states. This 30-day validity for the offline content has become common among all sort of streaming services.
It should be noted that saving songs offline will require a YouTube Premium subscription; however, it is yet to be witnessed whether policy will encompass offline podcasts. Browsers that are compatible to redirect to youtube.com include Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Opera.
