Youku (优酷) is one of China's top three video streaming platforms, owned by Alibaba Group — the same tech giant behind Taobao, Alipay, and Alibaba Cloud. Alongside iQIYI and Tencent Video, Youku forms the dominant trio of Chinese online video. It hosts a massive library of Chinese TV dramas, movies, animated series, variety shows, and original productions. For international fans of Chinese entertainment, Vid1080 provides an easy way to download free and public Youku content for offline viewing.
Youku's Place in Chinese Streaming
Youku was founded in 2006 and merged with Tudou — another major Chinese video platform — in 2012, consolidating significant market share. After Alibaba's acquisition in 2015, Youku gained access to enormous financial resources and exclusive content deals. The platform is particularly known for airing some of China's most popular historical dramas (古装剧) and investing in high-production original series. Internationally, Youku content is accessible at youku.com, though regional availability varies for premium content.
What Content Can You Download From Youku?
- Free Chinese historical drama episodes (古装剧)
- Modern urban romance and comedy series
- Animated series including Chinese donghua
- Variety show episodes and clip compilations
- Movie trailers, teasers, and promotional videos
- Documentary series available without a VIP subscription
- Short web drama episodes and micro-series
How to Find a Downloadable Youku URL
To download a Youku video, you first need its URL. On desktop, open the Youku video page in your browser and copy the URL from the address bar — it will look something like youku.com/v_show/id_XXXX.html. On mobile, open the Youku app, tap Share on the video you want, and choose Copy Link. Make sure the content plays freely without a VIP prompt before attempting to download; paid content cannot be retrieved by any external tool including Vid1080.
How to Download Youku Videos With Vid1080
- 1Go to Youku and open the free drama episode or video you want.
- 2Copy the full video URL from your browser's address bar or the app share menu.
- 3Visit [Vid1080](/) on your device.
- 4Paste the Youku URL into the download input field.
- 5Click the Download button and allow a few seconds for processing.
- 6Select your preferred video quality from the results.
- 7Click the final download link to save the MP4 to your device.
Understanding Youku's Free vs. VIP Content
Youku operates on a freemium model similar to iQIYI and Tencent Video. Free users can watch a large catalog of content but may experience ads and limited quality options. VIP subscribers get access to exclusive content, higher resolution streams, and ad-free playback. When browsing Youku without a VIP subscription, any video that plays without a paywall prompt is considered public and free content — that's the content Vid1080 can help you save. Attempting to download VIP-locked episodes will result in an error, as that content is protected at the server level.