What Are Smart Mode and Manual Mode?

4K Video Downloader Plus offers two primary modes for downloading videos: Smart Mode and Manual Mode. Each mode serves different user needs and preferences.

Smart Mode

Smart Mode is designed for quick and effortless downloads. When you enable it, you can set your preferred download parameters, such as the type of content (video or audio), the quality (e.g., 720p, 1080p), the format (e.g., MP4, MKV), the operating system you're using (Windows, macOS, etc.), and where you want the files to be saved. After setting these options, all you need to do is paste a video link, and the application will automatically download it based on your saved preferences. If you frequently download similar types of content and want to skip the preferences selection for each video, this mode is for you.

Manual Mode

Manual Mode provides more flexibility and control over each download. In this mode, you can choose specific quality options for individual videos and select available subtitle and audio track languages when downloading single video links. Manual Mode is best for users who need different settings for various videos or want more customization for their downloads.

How Are They Different?

The main differences between the two modes lie in setup and functionality. Smart Mode requires initial configuration but applies those settings to all videos in a playlist or channel. In contrast, Manual Mode allows you to make choices for each download, showing available quality options for single videos.

Things to Keep in Mind

There are some technical details to consider when downloading high-resolution videos (above 1080p). Many high-quality videos use advanced codecs like VP9 or AV1, which may not work well with certain formats or media players on macOS or Windows.

For example, MP4 files with VP9 might not play correctly on macOS without additional software. In order to avoid issues, the application disables some codec-container combinations by default, but Manual Mode still allows users to download these formats if needed.

If you want to download the highest possible resolution (like 4K or 8K), you may need to use the MKV format instead of MP4 because certain codecs required for these resolutions might only be available with MKV.