YouTube App for Windows 11/10: How to Download & Install (2026)
If you’ve been searching for a YouTube app for Windows and ended up confused, you’re not alone. Google has never released an official standalone YouTube desktop app for Windows, not for Windows 10, not for Windows 11. But you can still get a native app-like YouTube experience on your PC, and it works really well.
The answer is the Progressive Web App (PWA). Both Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome let you install YouTube as a PWA, which sits in your taskbar, opens in its own window, and behaves almost exactly like a regular Windows app. You also have a few Microsoft Store options if you prefer going that route.
This guide covers every method, which one works best, how to set each one up, and what you can actually do with YouTube on a Windows PC.
Official YouTube on Windows: the PWA method via Microsoft Edge
The best way to get YouTube as a Windows app is through Microsoft Edge. Edge is built into Windows 11 (and available for Windows 10), and its PWA support is solid. When you install YouTube this way, it gets its own entry in the Start menu, shows up in the taskbar, and opens in a separate window without any browser UI around it.
Here’s how to do it:
Step 1: Open Microsoft Edge and go to youtube.com.
Step 2: Click the three-dot menu (Settings and more) in the top-right corner of the browser.
Step 3: Hover over “Apps” in the dropdown menu.
Step 4: Click “Install YouTube.”
Step 5: In the popup that appears, click “Install.”
YouTube will install and launch immediately in its own window. You’ll find it in your Start menu under all apps and pinned to your taskbar, just like any other Windows application.
Edge runs YouTube in a dedicated window without the address bar or tab strip. It genuinely feels like a native app. You can also manage it from Windows Settings under Apps, the same as any installed program.
One thing worth knowing before you start: the PWA is tied to whichever Microsoft account or Edge profile you use when installing it. If you want YouTube with your Google account already signed in, sign in to YouTube in Edge first, then install the PWA.
YouTube PWA via Google Chrome
If Chrome is your main browser, you can install the YouTube PWA from there instead. The end result is basically the same — a standalone YouTube window — though on Windows 11, the Edge method tends to integrate a little more smoothly with the OS.
Step 1: Open Google Chrome and go to youtube.com.
Step 2: Click the three-dot menu (Customize and control Google Chrome) in the top right.
Step 3: Click “Save and share” then select “Install page as app.” In older versions of Chrome, this might appear as “Install YouTube” directly in the menu.
Step 4: Confirm by clicking “Install” in the popup.
Chrome installs YouTube as an app and adds a shortcut to your Desktop and Start menu.
To manage or remove Chrome PWAs, go to chrome://apps in your browser. Right-click the YouTube icon and select “Remove from Chrome” to uninstall it.
The practical difference between the two methods: Edge PWAs tend to get slightly better Windows integration (showing up in Windows search more reliably, for instance), while Chrome PWAs are convenient if Chrome is already your daily browser and you’re signed into Google there.
Microsoft Store YouTube options
The Microsoft Store has YouTube-related apps, but the situation is worth understanding before you download anything.
As of 2026, Google has not published an official YouTube app in the Microsoft Store. There is no “YouTube” app from Google Inc. in the store. What you will find are third-party apps that wrap YouTube’s website in a custom interface. Some are useful; others are ad-heavy or outdated.
Third-party options worth knowing about:
Freetube is an open-source YouTube client for Windows that doesn’t require a Google account and has no ads. It pulls content through YouTube’s unofficial API and is a popular choice for privacy-conscious users. You can download it from freetubeapp.io or GitHub.
Ymusic is a third-party app that lets you play YouTube Music and videos in the background, which is useful if you want background audio without paying for a YouTube Premium subscription.
Neither of these is on the Microsoft Store officially in most cases, but both are freely available from their own sites and widely used.
For most people, the PWA method via Edge or Chrome is the right answer. The Microsoft Store doesn’t offer anything better.
Features of YouTube on PC vs mobile
YouTube through a PWA or browser gives you access to almost everything the mobile app does, with a few differences.
What you get on PC:
- Full video playback at up to 4K (8K on supported hardware)
- Access to all your subscriptions, playlists, and watch history
- YouTube Studio for channel management
- YouTube Premium features: ad-free viewing, background play, and downloads
- Picture-in-Picture support at the browser level
- Chapters, subtitles, and transcript access
- Super Chats and live chat during streams
- Theater mode and full-screen with the
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What’s different from mobile:
- No native offline downloads without YouTube Premium, and even with Premium, desktop downloads are more limited than on the mobile app
- Notifications come through the browser rather than push notifications like on a phone
- The mobile YouTube app has some exclusive UI features, and Shorts in vertical scroll mode works better on a phone
- Background audio play without Premium is harder on desktop — by default, the browser pauses when you switch tabs
For anyone editing videos, running a channel, or doing serious viewing, the PC experience is generally better. Bigger screen, easier navigation, keyboard shortcuts, and YouTube Studio are all more comfortable on a desktop.
Tips: Picture-in-Picture, background audio, keyboard shortcuts
Picture-in-Picture
PiP lets you watch a video in a small floating window while you work in other apps. In Microsoft Edge, right-click a YouTube video twice and select “Picture in Picture.” In Chrome, the same right-click trick works, or you can click the PiP icon that appears in the address bar when a video is playing.
The YouTube PWA also supports PiP. Right-click the video in the app window the same way.
Background audio
If you switch to another tab or minimize the browser, the video pauses by default. A few workarounds:
YouTube Premium includes background play on the desktop PWA. Browser extensions like “Background Play for YouTube” on Chrome can enable this without a Premium subscription. Freetube supports background audio natively without any subscription at all.
Keyboard shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Space or K | Play / Pause |
| F | Fullscreen |
| M | Mute |
| J / L | Skip back / forward 10 seconds |
| , / . | Frame by frame (when paused) |
| > / < | Increase / Decrease playback speed |
| C | Toggle captions |
| T | Theater mode |
| 0-9 | Jump to 0%-90% of video |
These shortcuts work in both the browser and the PWA.
System requirements
YouTube as a PWA doesn’t have demanding requirements. If your PC can run a modern browser, it can run YouTube.
Minimum requirements:
- Windows 10 (version 1903 or later) or Windows 11
- Microsoft Edge 88+ or Google Chrome 73+ (both auto-update on modern Windows)
- 4GB RAM (8GB recommended for smooth 4K playback)
- Stable internet connection (minimum 5 Mbps for HD, 20 Mbps for 4K)
- Any CPU from the last 8-10 years handles YouTube without issues
For 4K or 8K playback:
A dedicated GPU or a CPU with hardware video decode support helps significantly. 4K at 60fps works well on most mid-range PCs from 2018 onwards. Both Chrome and Edge support hardware-accelerated video decode on Windows.
Storage: the PWA itself takes under 1MB. Downloaded videos (with YouTube Premium) are stored in your browser’s app data folder. Plan for a few GB if you use offline downloads frequently.
Frequently asked questions
Does YouTube have an official Windows app?
No. Google has not released a standalone YouTube desktop app for Windows. The recommended method is to install YouTube as a Progressive Web App via Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome, which gives you an app-like experience without a dedicated installer.
How do I install YouTube on Windows 11?
Open Microsoft Edge, go to youtube.com, click the three-dot menu, hover over “Apps,” then click “Install YouTube.” The app will install to your Start menu and taskbar.
Can I use YouTube offline on PC?
With YouTube Premium, you can download videos for offline viewing on mobile devices. On desktop, offline downloads through the browser are more limited. For proper offline use, YouTube Premium’s download feature works best on the YouTube mobile app.
Is YouTube free on Windows PC?
Yes. YouTube is free to access on PC through any browser or PWA. YouTube Premium ($13.99/month) removes ads, adds background play, and lets you download videos for offline viewing on mobile.
Does the YouTube PWA support notifications?
Sort of. The PWA can show browser-level notifications if you allow them, but these aren’t as seamless as mobile push notifications. You’ll get alerts for new videos from subscribed channels if the app is running or Edge/Chrome is open in the background.
What’s the best YouTube app for Windows?
For most users, the Microsoft Edge PWA is the best option. It integrates well with Windows 11, installs in under a minute, and doesn’t require any third-party software. If you prefer Chrome, the Chrome PWA gives you essentially the same result. For an ad-free experience without Premium, Freetube is the top free alternative.
Conclusion
YouTube doesn’t have an official Windows app from Google, but the PWA approach through Microsoft Edge is a solid replacement. It installs in under a minute, sits in your taskbar like any other app, and gives you the full YouTube experience. If you’re on Windows 11, Edge is already there. You just need to visit youtube.com and hit install.
For other apps you might want on your PC, check out our guides on CapCut for PC, TikTok for PC, and Vidmate for PC. If you use Google’s tools regularly, our Google Meet for PC guide is worth a read too. And if you’re into music production on Windows, see our breakdown of Logic Pro for Windows alternatives.
