Download YouTube Videos to Bitcut in 4 Steps

If you have content already published on YouTube, Bitcut lets you import it directly by URL. Paste a link, choose your quality, and the video is downloaded to your device ready for editing. This is especially useful for repurposing long-form videos into short clips.

How to Import a YouTube Video

1

Copy the YouTube URL

Open YouTube (app or browser) and copy the video URL. Standard links, short links (youtu.be), and links with timestamps all work.

2

Open Bitcut

When you open the media picker, Bitcut detects the URL on your clipboard and offers to import it. You can also switch to the URL tab and paste the link manually.

3

Choose quality

Bitcut shows available quality options for the video. Higher quality means a larger download. For short-form repurposing, 1080p is usually the best balance of quality and size.

4

Wait for download

A progress bar shows the download status. Once complete, the video appears in your import list and you can add it to a project.

Best Practices for Repurposing YouTube Content to Shorts

Repurpose with AI: After importing a long YouTube video, use Generate Shorts to let AI find the best clips and create multiple short-form videos automatically.
Your own content: This feature is designed for importing your own published videos. The downloaded file is saved locally on your device for offline editing.