Guides
How to Download TikTok Videos, Sounds and Photo Carousels
Updated October 2, 20268 min read
On this page
- How to download a TikTok video in 3 steps
- How to copy the link of a TikTok video
- TikTok's own Save video option
- How to download TikTok photo carousels
- How to download the sound of a TikTok video
- TikTok quality and formats
- Saving TikTok videos on a phone or a computer
- Why a TikTok video will not download
- Website or desktop app for TikTok
- Download TikTok videos responsibly
- Frequently asked questions
Key takeaways
- To download a TikTok video, tap the Share arrow, choose Copy link, paste the link on SocialDownload and tick Video, Audio or Cover.
- Short links such as
vm.tiktok.comandvt.tiktok.comwork as they are, with no need to open them first. - The file you get is the one TikTok serves for that video. Free downloads go up to 720p, without an account.
- Photo carousels give their images when TikTok exposes them, and the sound can be saved separately as M4A or MP3.
- Videos from private accounts cannot be downloaded. When a creator turns downloads off, respect that choice and ask before you save their video.
How to download a TikTok video in 3 steps
To download TikTok videos, you only need the link of the video, copied from the app or from a browser. With SocialDownload, the method takes three steps and works on a phone, a tablet or a computer.
- 01
Copy the link
In the TikTok app, tap the Share arrow on the right side of the video, then Copy link. On a computer, copy the address of the video from your browser.
- 02
Paste it and choose what to keep
Paste the link on the SocialDownload home page. The TikTok logo appears when the link is recognized. Tick Video, Audio or Cover. For a photo carousel, the images are offered when TikTok exposes them.
- 03
Download
Press Download. The files go straight to your device, and everything you ticked for this link counts as one download.
The sections below cover the details: the different kinds of TikTok links, the app's own Save video option, photo carousels, the audio, the quality you can expect, and the reasons a download can fail. The TikTok video downloader page offers a quicker summary.
How to copy the link of a TikTok video
TikTok gives each video its own address. Depending on where you copy it, the link can take several forms, and SocialDownload recognizes all of them.
| Where you are | How to copy the link | What the link looks like |
|---|---|---|
| TikTok app | Tap the Share arrow on the right, then Copy link | A short link such as vm.tiktok.com/ or vt.tiktok.com/ |
| A browser on a computer | Open the video and copy the address bar | tiktok.com/@username/video/ followed by a number |
| A link sent in a message | Copy it as it is | Either of the forms above |
| A profile page | Copy the address of the profile | tiktok.com/@username |
Short links redirect to the full address of the video, so there is no need to open them first: paste them directly. A profile link, on the other hand, points at every video of an account. Downloading a whole profile is a feature of the desktop app; on the website, paste the link of one video.
TikTok's own Save video option
TikTok has a built in way to keep a video: in the share menu, a Save video option appears when the creator allows downloads. Each creator decides, in their own settings, whether other people can download their videos.
- Save video is offered: the creator allows downloads. You can use the app's option, or SocialDownload if you also want the sound alone, the cover or a specific quality.
- Save video is missing: downloads are turned off for that video. Take it as a clear sign of the creator's wishes, and ask them before you keep their video.
For your own videos, the simplest route is your own copy: the original file on your phone, or the Save video option on your own posts.
How to download TikTok photo carousels
Some TikTok posts are not videos but photo carousels, often called photo mode: a series of images you swipe through, usually with a sound playing in the background. The link is copied the same way, with the Share arrow and Copy link.
When you paste the link of a carousel, SocialDownload offers its images when TikTok exposes them. You can also tick Audio to keep the sound that plays with the photos. As always, the whole link counts as a single download.
How to download the sound of a TikTok video
To keep only the sound, paste the link, untick Video and tick Audio. Two formats are offered.
| Format | What you get | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|
| M4A | The original audio stream, without re-encoding | You want the sound exactly as TikTok delivers it |
| MP3 | A version converted for compatibility | A device or an app does not read M4A |
On TikTok, sounds travel from video to video. The song or voice you hear may belong to someone other than the person who posted the video: an artist, a label or another creator. Keep the sound for personal listening, and check the rights before you reuse it in your own content.
TikTok quality and formats
The file you download is the one TikTok serves for that video. Its quality depends on how the creator filmed and uploaded it, and the quality list after pasting shows exactly what is available. Most TikTok videos are vertical, and the format is kept as it is.
| What you can save | Format | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Video | Video file in the quality you choose | Free up to 720p; higher qualities with credits or in the desktop app |
| Audio | M4A or MP3 | The sound may belong to another creator or an artist |
| Cover | JPG, PNG or WEBP | The image shown before the video plays |
| Images | As published | For photo carousels, when TikTok exposes them |
| Transcript | Text, Text with timestamps, SRT, VTT, Word or PDF | Only when the video has captions |
The free download on the website needs no account: one link per day, with video up to 720p, 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 a download that fails on the server side returns its credit automatically.
A transcript is offered only when the video has captions that can be read. Our guide on how to get a video transcript explains the formats and when each one is useful.
Saving TikTok videos on a phone or a computer
On a phone, there is nothing to install. Open SocialDownload in the browser you already use, paste the link copied from the TikTok app, and the file is saved like any other download from that browser. Where it lands depends on your browser and your phone settings; the downloads list of your browser shows where it went.
On a computer, the TikTok website works like the app: open the video, then copy the address bar or use the share options next to the video. The larger screen makes it easier to compare the qualities on offer and to tick several things at once, such as the video, its sound and its cover.
Keeping the cover
The cover is the image shown in the feed before a video starts. Creators often choose it with care, sometimes with text on it, which makes it a handy thumbnail when you archive your own videos or list them in a portfolio. Tick Cover and choose JPG for small files, PNG for an image editor, or WEBP for a website.
Several videos in a row
Each link is a separate download on the website. If you regularly save a series of videos from the same account, the desktop app is more comfortable: paste the profile link, keep the videos you want and let them download together.
Why a TikTok video will not download
Most public TikTok videos download without trouble. When one does not, check these points.
- The account is private. Only approved followers can watch its videos, and they cannot be downloaded.
- The video was deleted or made private after the link was shared.
- The video is not available in your region, which happens for some content.
- The link is a profile, not a video. Paste the link of one video, or use the desktop app for a whole profile.
- The pasted text is not a complete link. Copy it again from the Share arrow.
Website or desktop app for TikTok
The website is the right tool for a video now and then. If you save TikTok content regularly, the desktop app for Windows and macOS removes the limits: unlimited downloads, whole profiles in one go, the best quality the source offers, and your files stay on your computer.
The lifetime license costs 47.99 EUR in a single payment, works on up to 3 devices at a time and includes updates.
Download TikTok videos responsibly
Save your own videos, videos whose creator allows it, and content you have permission to reuse. Reposting someone else's video as your own, or using a sound you have no rights to, can break copyright and TikTok's rules. Our responsible use page explains what we expect from users.
The same approach works elsewhere: read how to download YouTube videos or how to download Instagram Reels, posts and stories.
Save a TikTok video
Paste a TikTok link, tick what you need and get your files. One download a day is free, with no account.
Frequently asked questions
Can I download TikTok videos without an account?
Yes. On the SocialDownload website, one download per day is free and needs no account, on TikTok or elsewhere. You do not need a TikTok account either for public videos.
How do I convert a TikTok video to MP3?
Paste the link, untick Video, tick Audio and choose MP3. If your device reads M4A, choose it instead: it keeps the original audio stream without re-encoding.
How do I download a TikTok photo carousel?
Copy the link of the post with the Share arrow and paste it on SocialDownload. The images are offered when TikTok exposes them, and you can add the sound with the Audio option.
Why is there no Save video button on some TikTok videos?
Downloads are turned off for that video, a setting that depends on the creator's account. Take it as a statement of their wishes and ask the creator before you keep the video.
Can I download videos from a private TikTok account?
No. Videos from private accounts are reserved for approved followers and cannot be downloaded. Private content of others should never be saved without their consent.
Can I download every video of a TikTok profile at once?
Yes, with the desktop app, which downloads whole profiles. The website handles one video per link.
Sources
Try it now
Paste a link, tick what you want, done. One free download every day.