How to Get YouTube Music Desktop App

Part 1. Does YouTube Music Have a Desktop App

No, YouTube has not officially launched a standalone desktop application for its music streaming service yet. Historically, Google has focused its development resources on optimizing its mobile apps and its comprehensive web player. Because of this, you will not find a traditional executable file to download directly from their official homepage.

However, you are not out of luck if you prefer a standalone listening experience. Even without a native YouTube Music desktop app, there are highly effective, user-friendly workarounds that provide the exact same functionality. For example, you can easily use web browsers like Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge to install a web-based shortcut directly to your computer. This gives you a dedicated window for your playlists without forcing you to keep a heavy browser tab open all day.

Part 2. How to Install the YouTube Music App on Windows & Mac (Official)

With no official YouTube Music for desktop app, you can still install and download it on your Windows PC. The only requirement is to use a web browser for listening to songs and watching music videos on YouTube Music. The process to download and install YouTube Music player for desktop through a web browser is easy. Please follow the given steps below.

Install the YouTube Music Web App via Google Chrome

Step 1. Open a web browser on your Mac or Windows. In the browser's search bar, type https://music.youtube.com. Press the Enter key to open the web application of YouTube Music.

Step 2. You will see an "Install YouTube" icon at the end of the address bar, and then click on it. Then a small pop-up window will appear. Just choose the "Install" option for confirmation.

Step 3. The other way is to click on the three dots at the screen's top right corner. Scroll down to the options and select "Install YouTube Music". Then, click the "Install" option on the pop-up window to confirm. A desktop version of YouTube Music will be installed and downloaded on your computer.

Create a YouTube Music Desktop Shortcut Using Microsoft Edge

Step 1. Click on the "Install app or add" icon in the browser's address bar. Now in the pop-up window, choose the "Install" option to confirm the installation.

Step 2. After some minutes, the desktop app of YouTube Music will be downloaded on your PC through Microsoft Edge. A pop-up window with some options will appear on your screen. You can select 'Pin to taskbar', 'Create Desktop shortcut', and other options. Choose your required option and click "Allow" for confirmation.

Step 3. You have successfully installed the YouTube Music desktop application on your Windows PC. You can access the app shortcut from your desktop, Windows Start menu, or taskbar. Any option to access the app has the same features and interface.

Part 3. How to Download the GitHub YouTube Music App on Desktop

For users seeking a more robust and highly customizable interface, this open-source tool provides a brilliant alternative to the standard web player. Acting as a fully functional YouTube Music desktop ****app for Mac and Windows PC, the community-driven ytmdesktop project is a standalone player designed to expand upon Google's basic tools. This client has gained massive popularity because it unlocks advanced capabilities that are normally restricted.

How to Get Open-Source YouTube Music Desktop App from Github

Step 1. Open your preferred web browser and navigate directly to the ytmdesktop repository on GitHub.

Step 2. Locate the "Releases" menu on the right side of the page to initiate the youtube music desktop app download by grabbing the specific file built for your operating system.

Step 3. Run the setup wizard, sign in using your standard Google credentials, and click the gear icon in the top corner to begin tweaking the advanced customization features.

Part 4. How to Save Music from YouTube to Desktop

While the Progressive Web App and unofficial GitHub releases are excellent for streaming, they both still require an active internet connection. If your goal is truly uninterrupted, offline listening without paying for a monthly subscription, saving your YouTube Music tracks locally is the ultimate solution. By utilizing a dedicated audio downloader like DRmare Streaming Audio Recorder, you can bypass the limitations of not having a native youtube music desktop app. The software allows you to effortlessly capture high-quality audio, giving you complete ownership of your playlists from YouTube Music.

Step 1. Launch the DRmare software on your computer and begin by configuring your output settings for optimal sound quality. Navigate to the menu in the top-right corner, select "Preferences", and click on the "Conversion" tab. This menu gives you granular control over your audio profile, allowing you to choose to convert YouTube to lossless FLAC or high-bitrate MP3 for your local files.

Step 2. Return to the main dashboard and click the built-in YouTube Music icon to open the integrated web player. You can securely log into your account to access your personal library and browse for your favorite albums or playlists. Once you find the tracks you want, click "Add" followed by "Add to List" to queue up multiple songs for batch downloading, entirely avoiding the tedious process of copying and pasting web links.

Step 3. Press the "Convert" button to initiate the lossless download process, which operates at impressive speeds up to 30X. As it downloads, the software automatically filters out all intrusive audio and video advertisements, even if you are using a free tier account. After the process finishes in just a few minutes, head over to the "Converted" history tab to find your fully organized, ID3-tagged tracks permanently saved to your computer.

Part 5. FAQs About YouTube Music on Desktop

Part 6. Conclusion

While the official YouTube Music desktop app does not currently exist, achieving a seamless desktop listening experience is incredibly simple. You can easily set up the secure, Google-backed PWA shortcut for a lightweight player, or explore the open-source GitHub release to unlock advanced community-built customization.

However, these online-only players still leave you restricted by internet connectivity and platform limitations. If you face any difficulty or want to listen to YouTube Music offline without paying for a monthly Premium subscription, the DRmare Streaming Audio Recorder is your ultimate solution.