Beta · Independent · Not affiliated with Google
YouTube on your desktopReproduction first. Optional guides.
- Beta channel
- Windows x64
- Player-focused
- Light
- No subscription
- Free
Beta · Windows builds ship in waves · Best on Windows 10 or later (64-bit)
Why a desktop player
Most people still watch YouTube within the browser – which means tabs, notifications from every other site, and increased memory usage. YT Desktop is built around one task: smooth playback in a dedicated window, with shortcuts and tray behavior that feel closer to a native app.
Creators searching for YouTube Studio Desktop often want Studio in the browser; This product does not replace Studio. If you meant a YouTube Music desktop app, that's a different product category. See YTM Desktop for music.
We keep this page honest: YT Desktop is third-party software in beta. Trademark credits apply to Google where mentioned.
Why use YT Desktop?
Designed for people who thrive on long sessions—tutorials, live streams, or background listening—without turning their entire browser into a video surface.
Media Keys
Play, pause, skip and increase volume on the keyboard - without searching for the right tab.
Tray and notifications
Minimize to tray, resume quickly, and keep playback alerts out of your Chrome browser.
Complementary control
Roadmap: Remote playback control from another device on your network – similar to desktop music apps.
Lower overhead
A focused rendering surface instead of many browser profiles competing for RAM.
Custom shortcuts
Bind search, full screen, and Picture-in-Picture to keys that match your workflow.
Privacy conscious
No Google logins are collected on this site. Optional analysis only helps us prioritize engineering work.
Download
Windows launches first in our beta program; macOS and Linux follow based on demand.
Windows
x64 · Beta channel
macOS
In the script
Linux
In the script
FAQ
Is this an official YouTube client?+
No. YT Desktop is independent software and is not affiliated with, endorsed, or sponsored by Google LLC or YouTube.
What happens when I click Download?+
We prepare your request for the Windows beta queue and can log an anonymous download_click event (surface + locale) when Firebase Analytics is configured - never passwords or watch history. Installers are deployed in batches; nothing is written to your Downloads folder until a build is assigned to your wave.
Do you collect my Google password?+
No. This site never asks for Google or YouTube credentials.
More questions
Plain language answers that also align with structured data for search.
What is YouTube Desktop in this context?+
It refers to watching YouTube within a desktop application window rather than a browser tab – the YT Desktop experience is targeted at PC users.
Is this the official website for YouTube Studio for desktop?+
No. The Official Studio remains at studio.youtube.com. This page describes a playback-focused desktop client concept.
How does this relate to a YouTube Music desktop app?+
Music-focused apps serve the YouTube Music catalog. YT Desktop focuses on general YouTube video playback.
Does this page address misspellings like “you tube destop”?+
Yes – we use the correct spelling while addressing the same goal: a cleaner desktop viewing experience.