How to Download Facebook Videos: Posts, Reels and Live Replays

How to download a Facebook video in 3 steps

To download Facebook videos, you need the link of the post or of the video itself, not the address of your feed. Once you have it, saving the video with SocialDownload takes three steps, on a phone as well as on a computer.

1. 01

   Copy the link of the video

   In the Facebook app, tap Share under the video, then Copy link. On a computer, click the date of the post to open it on its own page, then copy the address bar.

2. 02

   Paste it and choose what to keep

   Paste the link on the SocialDownload home page. The Facebook logo appears when the link is recognized. Tick Video and pick a quality, and add Audio or Cover if you want them.

3. 03

   Download your files

   Press Download. The files go straight to your device, and everything you ticked for this link counts as one download.

Facebook is more closed than most networks: a video can be public, limited to friends, or posted in a group, and that changes what can be downloaded. The next sections explain how to find the right link, what works on the website, and what to do with videos that need a sign in. The Facebook video downloader page gives a shorter overview.

How to find the link of a Facebook video

The most common mistake is to copy the address of the news feed, of a profile or of a group instead of the address of the video. That address points at a whole page, not at one video. Here is where the right link hides.

Links to a single video often contain /videos/, /watch/, /reel/ or /share/, or start with fb.watch. If what you copied is the address of your feed, of a profile or of a group, open the post on its own page and copy again.

Public videos and videos that need a sign in

Every Facebook post has an audience chosen by its author: Public, Friends, a custom list, or the members of a group. Pages, which belong to brands, media and public figures, usually publish in public. This setting decides what a download tool can reach.

• Public videos from Pages and public profiles usually download on the website.
• Videos that Facebook only shows to signed in users may fail on the website, because it is not logged in to any account.
• Friends only posts and private groups are meant for a limited audience. Download them only with the consent of the person who posted them.

For content that needs a sign in, the desktop app can use your own browser session, which is read on your computer. It then sees what you see when you are logged in, and nothing more. When a download fails on the website for this reason, you do not lose anything: a download that fails on the server side returns its credit automatically.

How to download Facebook Reels

Facebook Reels are short vertical videos, much like Instagram Reels. Tap Share on the Reel, then Copy link, and paste it on SocialDownload. The vertical format is kept, and the quality list shows the versions Facebook offers for that Reel.

Reels often use music or a sound taken from another creator. If you only need the sound, tick Audio, but keep in mind that it still belongs to its author.

How to download a Facebook live video

A live video cannot be downloaded while it is still running. Once the broadcast ends, Facebook usually publishes the replay on the page or the profile that hosted it, and that replay works like any other video.

1. 01

   Wait for the replay

   When the live ends, the post shows the recorded video instead of the live player. This can take a little time after a long broadcast.

2. 02

   Copy the link of the replay

   Use Share then Copy link, or click the date of the post on a computer.

3. 03

   Paste and download

   Paste the link on SocialDownload and choose the quality. A long replay makes a large file, so check your free space first.

Facebook video quality and formats

After you paste a link, SocialDownload lists the qualities Facebook provides for that video. A download never goes above what the source offers, so an old video posted in low resolution stays in low resolution.

The free download on the website needs no account and includes one link per day, with video up to 720p. The allowance is counted per browser, device and network. Credit packs need an account: one credit pays for one link with all its files, credits do not expire, and qualities up to 4K become available when the source has them. If a video has captions, our guide on how to get a video transcript explains which format to choose.

Why a Facebook video will not download

When a Facebook link fails, the cause is usually one of the following, in order of frequency.

1. The link is not the link of the video. You copied a feed, a profile or a group. Open the post on its own page and copy again.
2. The video needs a sign in. Facebook only shows it to logged in users. Try the desktop app with your own browser session.
3. The audience is limited. Friends only posts and private groups are not public, and they should not be saved without consent.
4. The live is still running. Wait for the replay to be published.
5. The video was deleted or its author changed its audience since the link was shared.

Saving your own Facebook videos

If the videos you want are your own, Facebook offers an official route: Download your information, available from the settings of your account. You can request a copy of your data, including the photos and videos you posted, and receive it as an archive. It is the best choice to save years of posts at once.

For a single video, pasting its link on SocialDownload is faster. Both approaches can be combined: the archive for everything, the link for the one video you need now in a given quality or as audio only.

Website or desktop app for Facebook

Because so many Facebook videos are only visible to logged in users, the desktop app is often the more reliable choice on this network.

The app runs on Windows and macOS. The lifetime license is a single payment, works on up to 3 devices at a time and includes updates, and your files stay on your computer.

Download Facebook videos responsibly

Save your own videos, videos whose author gave you permission, and content you are allowed to reuse. A post shared with friends or in a private group was not meant to leave that circle. Copyright and Facebook's terms apply to what you download, and our responsible use page explains our approach.

Facebook and Instagram behave in similar ways: see how to download Instagram Reels, posts and stories, or how to download YouTube videos for an open platform.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• Facebook Help Center
• Facebook Terms of Service
• Meta Accounts Center