Paste a YouTube URL,
edit the video.
Paste a link, the video lands in your project — downloaded and analyzed server-side. No extension to install. No MP4 to re-upload.
7 days · 30 AI minutes · No credit card
The problem
Getting your own
video back is friction.
Your content already lives on YouTube — your own uploads, licensed content, a podcast channel you co-host. Pulling it back into an editor used to be four steps.
Sapari cuts that to one.
How it works
Three steps.
YouTube URL
Paste a link into Sapari's URL input.
Server-side
Sapari pulls up to 1080p MP4 with merged video and audio (H.264 + AAC preferred; transcoded if the source uses codecs browsers don't play).
Standard pipeline
The clip enters your project. Transcribe, silence, false starts, captions, audio, B-roll.
Availability
Viral plan only.
YouTube import is included on the Viral tier alongside 1,800 AI minutes, 100 GB storage, and 4K exports (once available).
Other tiers: upload from your device. See full pricing →
Always: only import content you have rights to re-edit.
Web compatibility
Codecs handled.
If the source uses HEVC, VP9, or AV1 (codecs that don't play natively in browsers), Sapari transcodes to H.264 480p proxy for editor playback and keeps a 1080p source for the final render.
Faststart MP4 so playback starts instantly on mobile.
Scrub previews
10×20 sprite grid.
Every imported clip gets a 10×20 grid of 160×90 thumbnails, density-scaled to video duration.
Scrubbing the timeline shows a preview without decoding the full video.
In the pipeline
One source option.
YouTube import sits alongside direct upload and S3 presigned uploads. Once the video is in a project, the rest is identical — silence, false starts, captions, audio, B-roll.
See the full pipeline →Before you ask
Common questions.
Can I import a private or members-only video? +
Not today. Sapari downloads via public-facing YouTube, so private, paid, and DRM-protected videos don't work.
What resolution does it pull? +
Up to 1080p if the source has it. We don't pull 4K from YouTube today.
How long does import take? +
Roughly real-time on modern connections. A 45-minute video arrives in 2–5 minutes depending on upstream availability.
Is this legal? +
Only import content you have rights to re-edit — your own uploads, content you've licensed, Creative Commons material with proper attribution. Re-editing someone else's video without permission isn't the use case we're built for.
What about Vimeo, TikTok, etc.? +
YouTube today. Other platforms on the roadmap based on demand.
Does import count toward storage? +
Yes. The imported video is stored on your project storage just like a direct upload.
Can I import a private or members-only video?
Not today. Sapari downloads via public-facing YouTube, so private, paid, and DRM-protected videos don't work.
What resolution does it pull?
Up to 1080p if the source has it. We don't pull 4K from YouTube today.
How long does import take?
Roughly real-time on modern connections. A 45-minute video arrives in 2–5 minutes depending on upstream availability.
Is this legal?
Only import content you have rights to re-edit — your own uploads, content you've licensed, Creative Commons material with proper attribution. Re-editing someone else's video without permission isn't the use case we're built for.
What about Vimeo, TikTok, etc.?
YouTube today. Other platforms on the roadmap based on demand.
Does import count toward storage?
Yes. The imported video is stored on your project storage just like a direct upload.
Pull your uploads
back into an editor.
YouTube import on Viral. Upload from device on every plan.
Start free trial