Freemake Video Downloader Not Working: Reasons & How to Fix
Summary: Freemake Video Downloader is a user-friendly and powerful video downloading software. However, you may encounter limitations when trying to download videos from YouTube using this program. In this instance, we shall elucidate why you may face challenges in utilizing Freemake for video downloads, what alternative steps can be taken, and propose complimentary YouTube download tools.
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Imagine you're about to save a favorite video, open the familiar Freemake Video Downloader, paste the link, and start downloading—only to have the progress bar freeze and a cold message pop up: "Unable to obtain video information." This kind of failure, it's not really uncommon. It might be because of a platform changing its policies, maybe a bug in the software, or just that your trial period is up. No matter what the reason is, it's definitely confusing and pretty frustrating.
In this article, I'll try to break down the common errors Freemake has, give you some practical fixes, and also show you a few alternatives that are, frankly, more stable. This should help you avoid getting stuck the next time you run into this problem.
Why Freemake Cannot Download Videos?
1. YouTube Download is Prohibited
When you go to the Freemake Video Downloader homepage, a window just pops up. It flat out says, "Attention: Downloading from YouTube is prohibited". This rule is there simply because downloading violates the service terms of both YouTube and Google.
But, the funny thing is, the official Freemake website clearly says that it "downloads videos from YouTube and over 10,000 other websites".
In reality, Freemake simply informs users that downloading YouTube videos is illegal. You can use Freemake to download YouTube videos, but only the ones that are not protected by copyright. Copyrighted videos are not available for download.
2. You Are Using the Trial Version of Freemake
Although the name of Freemake Video Downloader contains the word "free," it is not actually a free downloading software. The only thing you can do for free is convert videos with their watermark. Paying 0.95 USD will allow you to try it for a week. The annual package (69.95 USD) is more expensive than the lifetime version (on sale for 59.95 USD, original price 99 USD). If you decide to purchase it, having a lifetime license may be a better option.
The reason you may not be able to download Freemake Video Downloader is because you have not paid the 0.95 USD.
3. Changes in Streaming Websites
This may be one of the most common reasons users will experience download failures in 2025. For example, YouTube regularly updates the cryptographic signatures used to play videos (e.g., the nsig parameter). Once this parameter changes, all downloaders relying on the old parsing logic will become inoperable until the development team releases a new version with a fix.
According to the yt-dlp community update log, YouTube released at least three player updates in the first half of 2025, each of which caused most third-party download tools to fail to properly parse videos for a short period of time.
4. Freemake Video Downloader Errors
The actual analytical capability of Freemake Video Downloader is relatively weak, and many websites are not supported. You may also encounter issues such as connection errors or download problems. Any software can experience errors and malfunctions, but the rate and frequency of errors can impact the reputation of the software.
The chart below shows the main reasons why Freemake Video Downloader fails, based on community discussions and recent search data.
How to Fix Freemake Video Downloader Not Working?
1. Check If the Video is DRM Protected
You are unable to utilize the Freemake Video Downloader to download copyrighted videos, so please ensure that the video is not protected by copyright before downloading it.
2. Upgrade to the Paid Version of Freemake Video Downloader
Once the trial period of Freemake Video Downloader expires, it becomes completely unusable. Therefore, the only way to continue using Freemake is to purchase a one-week trial version or a lifetime license. Alternatively, one could opt for a free Youtube downloader, such as Streamfab.
3. Contact Support of Freemake
If you encounter any issues while using the Freemake Video Downloader software, we recommend that you reach out to their technical support for more effective issue resolution. Simply contact support.freemake.com.
4. Use Alternatives
Freemake Video Downloader is not the sole video downloading software available, and it is not provided free of charge. If you are unable to utilize Freemake for video downloads, why not consider exploring alternatives such as StreamFab?
Recommend: Use StreamFab to Download Videos
If you are unable to utilize Freemake Video Downloader for video downloads, consider using StreamFab YouTube Downloader.
Save videos from various popular video websites (including Youtube, Vimeo, Niconico, Bilibili, Dailymotion, NBC, etc.) in up to original lossless 8k resolution and save in MP4/MKV/MP3 format.
1. Comparison: Freemake vs StreamFab
2. Why StreamFab is Recommended to Replace Freemake
- Free YouTube downloads for good: StreamFab lets you download from YouTube for free, forever. Freemake makes you pay for a subscription.
- Cheaper: StreamFab's yearly and lifetime plans cost less than Freemake's, but you seem to get more features.
- Works with more sites: It covers YouTube, X, Facebook, Instagram, PBS, ABC, Bilibili, Dailymotion, NBC... the list goes on.
- All the features: It can do batch downloads, automatically grab new videos from a channel, save subtitles, and let you pick audio tracks.
- It has its own browser: You can just open websites right in the software and download. Even for sites that don't have a special icon, you can just type in the address.
3. How to Use StreamFab YouTube Downloader
FAQs
This is almost always because the video sites (looking at you, YouTube) updated something on their end. They change how videos play or how they're encrypted, like the nsig signatures. When that happens, all the downloaders that used the old method just stop working. They're basically broken until the developers can put out a new version that fixes it.
Nope. Right now, Freemake is just for Windows. They don't have a Mac version or an app for iPhone/iPad. If you're on a Mac or iPhone and need to download videos, you might want to look at StreamFab instead.
Always try to get the software from the official websites or places you trust. This is how you avoid grabbing some cracked version... you know the kind, they're usually just packed with adware or malware. Obtain videos from legitimate, trusted video sites to avoid downloading unknown files or files containing malicious code. Once downloaded, use the videos for personal use only.
Conclusion
In the preceding discussion, we have delineated the reasons why Freemake Video Downloader may fail to download, along with potential solutions and alternative software options. So if you're just trying to find a free method for downloading YouTube videos, maybe give StreamFab a look. It's a pretty decent alternative.
