How to Download Facebook Videos and Reels

Facebook doesn't let you download other people's videos. Its Save option only adds a video to your Saved list inside Facebook. To keep a copy you can watch offline, you need the video's link and a browser. The steps are the same for videos and Reels. The only real difference between devices is where the file ends up.

What you need

• A public Facebook video or Reel. Private and Friends-only videos can't be downloaded.
• The link to that video.
• A browser: Safari on iPhone, Chrome on Android, or any browser on a computer. No app and no Facebook login.

Step 1: Copy the video or Reel link

In the Facebook app (iPhone or Android): tap Share on the video or Reel, then Copy link.

On a computer: open the video so it plays on its own page and copy the address from the address bar. Or click the three dots on the post and choose Copy link.

These link formats all work:

• facebook.com/reel/… (Reels)
• facebook.com/page-name/videos/… and facebook.com/watch/?v=… (regular videos)
• fb.watch/… and facebook.com/share/r/… or /share/v/… (short and shared links)

Step 2: Paste it into the right downloader

• For a Reel, use the Facebook Reel Downloader.
• For a regular video (a feed post, a Page video, or a Watch video), use the Facebook Video Downloader.
• For a Story, use the Facebook Story Downloader.

Paste the link and tap Download. You get an MP4 file in the best quality Facebook serves for that video, which is usually HD when the uploader posted in HD.

Step 3: Save the file on your device

iPhone and iPad (Safari)

If Safari asks whether to download the file, tap Download. The video goes to the Files app, in the Downloads folder, and you can also open it from Safari's Downloads list. To move it into Photos, open the video in Files, tap Share, and choose Save Video.

Android (Chrome)

Chrome saves the video to your Downloads folder. Open it from the download notification, from the Files app, or from Google Photos or your Gallery app, where it appears under the Download folder.

Windows and Mac

The video goes to your browser's Downloads folder. MP4 plays in the Photos or Media Player app on Windows, QuickTime on Mac, or VLC on either.

Why a Facebook video won't download

1. Check that the video is public. Facebook only serves a video to people allowed to see it. Videos shared with Friends, posted in a private group, or on a locked profile can't be fetched by any downloader. Open the link in a private or incognito window while logged out. If Facebook asks you to log in, the video isn't public.
2. Copy the link to the video itself. A link to a Page, a profile, or a group can't be downloaded, because it doesn't point to one video. Open the video or Reel, tap Share and then Copy link, and paste the whole link.
3. Make sure the video still exists. Deleted videos, and videos the uploader limited by age or country, won't load without a logged-in account that meets those limits. If the video won't play in a logged-out browser, there is nothing to download.
4. Look in the right folder. The download often worked and the file is just somewhere unexpected. On iPhone it goes to the Files app first, not Photos. The device steps above show where to look.
5. Pause blockers and retry. Content blockers, some VPNs, and private-relay settings can interrupt a download. Pause them, or try another browser or mobile data. If a public link fails once, wait a minute, copy the link again, and retry.

Saving videos you posted yourself

You don't need a downloader for your own uploads. Facebook's Download your information tool, in Accounts Center under Your information and permissions, exports the videos and photos you posted as a file you can save.

Can you reuse a Facebook video you downloaded?

Saving a public video to watch offline is different from reposting it. Videos belong to the people who made them, so ask before you re-upload, edit, or monetize one, and credit the creator. This is general information, not legal advice. Our copyright and fair-use guide covers the basics.

Frequently asked questions