Workflow
Build a YouTube reference archive for creative research
YouTube is where most visual research starts — and where it disappears when a video is taken down or your tab history resets. This workflow turns the clips you rely on into a permanent, organized reference archive on your own Mac.
How the workflow works
Collect your links
Gather the YouTube URLs you want to keep — a single video, a research playlist, or a channel's uploads. Paste them into Cromoteca one per line; playlists expand automatically.
Choose a destination
Point the download at a project folder like ~/Movies/Cromoteca/References. Everything lands named and sorted, so the archive stays browsable in Finder.
Download at the best available quality
Cromoteca pulls video at the highest quality available for each source, so your reference holds up when you scrub frame by frame.
Transcribe what you need to search
For talks, lectures, and interviews, run local transcription so the spoken content becomes searchable text alongside the video.
Revisit anytime — offline
Your references live on disk with site badges, titles, and file sizes. No account, no cloud, no expiry, even when the original goes private.
FAQ
Is it legal to download YouTube videos for reference?
Use Cromoteca only for media you own, created, licensed, or are otherwise authorized to save — for example your own uploads, Creative Commons material, or content you have permission to archive. Cromoteca does not bypass paywalls or access controls, and you are responsible for respecting each platform's terms and applicable copyright.
Can I archive an entire playlist at once?
Yes. Paste a playlist URL and Cromoteca expands it into its individual videos, then downloads them one at a time into your destination folder.
Where are the files stored?
Locally, in the folder you choose. There is no account and no cloud sync — the archive is yours and works fully offline.