Published: March 2026
We've been hearing the same request for months: can I just download videos without opening my browser? Today, we're making that happen. Say hello to BlackHole Desktop — a native desktop video downloader for Windows and Mac.
What is BlackHole Desktop?
BlackHole Desktop is a lightweight app that lets you download videos from YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter/X, and 10+ other platforms directly to your computer. No browser tabs, no web interface, no daily download limits. Just paste a URL and go. Under the hood, it runs on yt-dlp — the same open-source download engine trusted by millions of users worldwide. We've wrapped it in a clean interface that handles updates, quality selection, and file management for you.
Why We Built a Desktop App
The web app is great for quick downloads. You paste a link, pick a quality, and you're done. But if you're downloading more than a handful of videos a day, the browser starts getting in the way.
Power users kept running into the same friction points. You have to keep a tab open while the download processes. Long videos sometimes hit timeout limits. And if you're on the free tier, you're capped at 1 download per day. For people who need to archive channels, save research material, or build content libraries, that's not enough.
BlackHole Desktop removes all of those constraints. Downloads go straight to whatever folder you pick on your machine. You can queue up as many videos as you want, and the app handles them one by one with real-time progress bars showing speed and ETA. There's even clipboard monitoring — copy a video URL from anywhere, and the app detects it automatically and asks if you want to download it. No switching windows, no pasting.
How It Works
Getting started takes about two minutes:
- Subscribe to Pro — grab a plan at $26/year or $69 lifetime
- Get your license key — it's on your dashboard as soon as you subscribe
- Download the app — grab the installer for Windows or Mac
- Paste your key and start downloading — that's it, you're set
The app authenticates once with your license key and then works offline. No need to stay logged in or keep a browser open.
What You Get
Here's the full feature list for BlackHole Desktop:
- Unlimited downloads — no daily cap, download as many videos as you want
- 360p to 4K quality — choose your resolution for every download
- Multiple formats — MP4, WebM, or MP3 for audio extraction
- 10+ platforms — YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter/X, Reddit, Facebook, Twitch, and more
- Auto-updating download engine — yt-dlp updates itself so you always have the latest platform support
- Clipboard URL detection — copy a link anywhere, the app picks it up
- Download queue — line up multiple videos with speed and ETA tracking for each one
- Custom download folder — save files wherever you want on your machine
If you've ever used a video downloader for Windows or a video downloader for Mac, you know most of them are bloated with ads or bundled with sketchy software. BlackHole Desktop is none of that. It's clean, fast, and does exactly one thing well.
Pricing
BlackHole Desktop is included free with every Pro subscription. There's no separate purchase. If you're already paying for Pro, you already have access.
Pro costs $26/year or $69 for lifetime access. One license key works on one device at a time — but you can switch devices whenever you want from your dashboard. Deactivate one machine, activate another. No limits on how often you switch.
If you're already on Pro, head to your dashboard right now. Your license key is sitting there waiting for you.
What's Next
This is version 1.0, and we have a lot more planned:
- Linux support — it's coming. We're targeting Q2 2026.
- Playlist batch downloading — paste a playlist URL and download every video in it at once. This is the most requested feature and it's actively in development.
- Scheduled downloads — set up recurring downloads for channels you follow.
Got a feature request or running into an issue? Hit us up on Discord or open a thread in our community. We're building this based on what you actually need.
Ready to ditch the browser and download YouTube videos the easy way? Get BlackHole Desktop now.
Related Posts
- How to Download YouTube Videos in 2026 — Our complete guide to downloading from YouTube
- Download TikTok Videos Without Watermark
- Best Video Quality Settings — How to pick the right resolution for your needs
Download Pages
BlackHole Desktop requires an active Pro subscription. Please respect copyright laws and only download content you have permission to save.