Why there's no download button on Shorts
YouTube's app is built to keep you scrolling, not to hand you files, so Shorts have no Save-to-device option for most viewers. Even the offline feature inside YouTube Premium only caches the clip for playback in the app — you can't open, trim or repost it elsewhere. A downloader gives you the actual MP4, so the Short becomes a normal video file you fully control.
Step by step: save a YouTube Short
1) Open the Short, tap Share and choose Copy link (the URL looks like youtube.com/shorts/…). 2) Paste that link into the downloader below. 3) Choose MP4 and download. It fetches the best available resolution and saves the clip straight to your phone or computer — no app, no account, no watermark added.
MP4 for editing, MP3 for the audio
Keep the MP4 when you plan to re-edit, caption or repost the clip. When it's the music, a voiceover or a sound bite you're after, convert the Short to MP3 instead and drop the audio straight into your editor or music library. Grabbing the original vertical upload keeps the framing intact for reuse in other short-form feeds.
Download responsibly
This works for public Shorts; unlisted or private videos and anything you lack permission to reuse are off-limits. Only download content you have the right to reuse, credit the creator, and follow YouTube's terms of service.