diff --git a/tubearchivist/home/forms.py b/tubearchivist/home/forms.py
index 6fe5351..aa13f80 100644
--- a/tubearchivist/home/forms.py
+++ b/tubearchivist/home/forms.py
@@ -84,3 +84,17 @@ class ChannelSearchForm(forms.Form):
             }
         ),
     )
+
+
+class AddToQueueForm(forms.Form):
+    """text area form to add to downloads"""
+
+    vid_url = forms.CharField(
+        label=False,
+        widget=forms.Textarea(
+            attrs={
+                "rows": 4,
+                "placeholder": "Enter Video Urls or IDs here...",
+            }
+        ),
+    )
diff --git a/tubearchivist/home/templates/home/downloads.html b/tubearchivist/home/templates/home/downloads.html
index 92f611e..71147f1 100644
--- a/tubearchivist/home/templates/home/downloads.html
+++ b/tubearchivist/home/templates/home/downloads.html
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@
         <div class="show-form">
             <form id='hidden-form' action="/downloads/" method="post">
                 {% csrf_token %}
-                <textarea rows="4" placeholder="Enter Video Urls or IDs here..." id="vid-url" name="vid-url"></textarea>
+                <!-- <textarea rows="4" placeholder="Enter Video Urls or IDs here..." id="vid-url" name="vid-url"></textarea> -->
+                {{ add_form }}
                 <button type="submit">Add to download queue</button>
             </form>
         </div>
diff --git a/tubearchivist/home/views.py b/tubearchivist/home/views.py
index 5722483..275831d 100644
--- a/tubearchivist/home/views.py
+++ b/tubearchivist/home/views.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ from django.shortcuts import redirect, render
 from django.utils.http import urlencode
 from django.views import View
 from home.forms import (
+    AddToQueueForm,
     ApplicationSettingsForm,
     ChannelSearchForm,
     CustomAuthForm,
@@ -242,7 +243,9 @@ class DownloadView(View):
             all_video_hits = False
             pagination = False
 
+        add_form = AddToQueueForm()
         context = {
+            "add_form": add_form,
             "all_video_hits": all_video_hits,
             "max_hits": max_hits,
             "pagination": pagination,
@@ -296,14 +299,15 @@ class DownloadView(View):
     @staticmethod
     def post(request):
         """handle post requests"""
-        download_post = dict(request.POST)
-        if "vid-url" in download_post.keys():
-            url_str = download_post["vid-url"]
+        to_queue = AddToQueueForm(data=request.POST)
+        if to_queue.is_valid():
+            vid_url_list = [request.POST.get("vid_url")]
+            print(vid_url_list)
             try:
-                youtube_ids = process_url_list(url_str)
+                youtube_ids = process_url_list(vid_url_list)
             except ValueError:
                 # failed to process
-                print(f"failed to parse: {url_str}")
+                print(f"failed to parse: {vid_url_list}")
                 mess_dict = {
                     "status": "downloading",
                     "level": "error",