How to download a Facebook video or reel

What you can and cannot save

Public videos and reels posted by pages and by people who set the audience to Public can be saved. Videos in private groups, friends-only posts, stories and anything that asks you to log in are not public, so a web tool cannot see them. This is a privacy feature, and we respect it. We never ask for a login and you should never give yours to a downloader.

To test whether a video is public, open its link in a private browser window. If it plays without a login, you can save it.

Step 1: copy the video link on a phone

In the Facebook app, tap Share under the video and choose Copy link. For reels, the same Share icon gives the same option. The link may look like facebook.com/watch/?v= followed by numbers, facebook.com/reel/ followed by numbers, or a short fb.watch address. All of them work.

If you only see a Share menu with other apps, scroll along the row of options until you find Copy link. In some versions it is under the three dots.

Step 1: copy the video link on a computer

Open the video in your browser. The easiest way to get its link is to click the date and time under the poster's name, which opens the video on its own page, and then copy the address from the browser bar. You can also right-click the date and time and choose Copy link address.

Avoid copying the link of a page or profile. A page has many videos, so a downloader would not know which one you want.

Step 2: paste it and choose a quality

Use the Facebook Video page for normal videos or the Facebook Reels page for reels. Paste the link and wait a few seconds. When Facebook provides two versions you will see an HD button and an SD button. HD is sharper and larger. SD is smaller and faster to save, which helps on slow connections or when storage is tight.

The title comes from the post text. We clean up extra text such as view counts, so the card shows a readable name.

Step 3: save the file

Press the button you want and the MP4 downloads. On iPhone, use Safari and then the Downloads list, Share and Save Video to place it in Photos. On Android the file goes to Downloads and shows up in Gallery. On a computer it goes to your Downloads folder and plays in any video player.

A five minute HD video can be well over 100 MB, so use Wi-Fi when you can.

HD or SD: which one should you pick?

Choose HD when you want to watch on a large screen, edit the clip, or keep it for the long term. Choose SD when you only need to watch on a phone, share quickly, or save space. If both look the same on your phone, SD saves you storage without any visible loss.

Remember that the quality is set by the uploader. A video uploaded in low resolution has no sharper version, and we never enlarge or re-encode files.

Respecting rights and privacy

Videos belong to the people who made them. Saving a copy for personal viewing is common. Re-uploading it, removing credits or using it commercially without permission is not, and can lead to takedown requests. Be extra careful with videos of private individuals and children, and do not share them without consent.

Troubleshooting

If you see an error, first check that the video opens without logging in. Some videos are limited by country or age, which a public tool cannot get around. Make sure the link is for the video and not a page, and that the video still exists. Facebook also limits automated requests, so wait a minute and try again.

If the preview works but the download button does nothing, reload the page and allow downloads in your browser. If the problem continues, contact us with the link so we can look at how the post is built.

Quick answers

Can I save a video from a private group? No. Group posts need a login, so a public tool cannot read them. The same is true for friends-only posts and for stories.

Why do I see only one quality button? Some videos exist in only one version. When Facebook provides both, you will see HD and SD.

Does the video keep its sound? Yes. The MP4 has the same audio as the post.

Can I save a live stream? Only after it ends and is posted as a normal public video, and only if the page makes it public.

Tips for large videos

Long videos can be hundreds of megabytes. Before saving, check how much space your phone has and whether you are on Wi-Fi. If the download stops halfway, do not worry. Press Download again and it starts from the beginning.

For video meetings, talks and courses, HD is worth the space. For funny clips you only watch once, SD is plenty. If you plan to share the clip in a chat app, SD is also smaller to send.

Common mistakes to avoid

The most common mistake is copying the link of a page or a profile instead of the video, which gives the tool nothing to fetch. The second is trying to save a video that is not public. If the video plays only when you are logged in, a public tool will never reach it, and no amount of retrying will change that. The third is sharing your Facebook password with a site that promises private downloads. Those promises are traps, and your account can be stolen. The fourth is judging quality from the preview. Open the saved file and look at its details instead. Finally, do not delete the original post link. You will need it if you want to credit the creator or find the video again.