Facebook video downloader: save public videos in HD
Paste the link of a public Facebook video and get one MP4: the HD copy when Facebook generated one, the SD copy when it didn't, always with sound. The MP3 row under it keeps only the audio. Videos limited to friends or to a private group can't be fetched.
- HD when Facebook has it
- One MP4, with sound
- MP3 row included
Check who can see it, then save the Facebook video
Check the globe icon
Next to the date of the post, a globe means public: it downloads. Two silhouettes, a lock or a private group badge means only signed-in people can watch it, and it won't work here.
Copy the video's own link
Tap Share under the video and Copy link, or open the video on its own on a computer and copy the address bar. /videos/, /watch?v=, /reel/, fb.watch and facebook.com/share/v/ links are all read.
Paste and download
Paste it in the box above, in Safari or Chrome rather than Facebook's in-app browser, and tap Download MP4. The file is facebook_ plus the id or code in your link.
What Facebook keeps for one video
You pasteA public Facebook video link
- HD copyHigher resolution, only if the upload allowed it. Taken first
- SD copyLower resolution, always there. Used when there is no HD
- Friends onlyNothing comes backNot offered
- Only me or a private groupNothing comes backNot offered
HD or SD: the two copies Facebook keeps
Facebook keeps an SD copy of public videos and, when the upload was good enough, an HD copy. The video page lists both addresses, and our engine reads the HD address first. If it is there, that is your file; if it isn't, you get the SD copy, complete and with its sound.
There is no quality menu on purpose. Picking SD when HD exists only gives you a worse file, and there is never anything above the HD copy Facebook made.
Which Facebook links work
Facebook hands out several addresses for the same video: facebook.com/page/videos/ followed by a number, facebook.com/watch/?v= for Watch, facebook.com/reel/ for vertical videos, facebook.com/share/v/ from the app's Share button, and fb.watch short links when a video is sent through Messenger or WhatsApp. All of them lead to a video id, and that id is what we read.
Addresses that end in /posts/ describe the post around the video and sometimes come back empty. On a computer, click the video or its date so it opens on its own, then copy the address.
Public, friends only, groups and lives
The audience icon decides everything. A globe means anyone can watch, including our server. Two silhouettes, a lock, or a closed group means Facebook serves the video only to a signed-in session, and being a member or a friend doesn't change what our server sees. We don't ask you to paste page source or log in to work around it.
A live becomes downloadable when it ends and the replay is published. To keep your own videos, including private ones, look at Download your information in Facebook's settings.
HD, SD and sound in a Facebook download
| Video | One MP4: the HD copy when Facebook generated one, the SD copy otherwise |
|---|---|
| Audio | Included in the MP4; separate MP3 at 128 kbps on the second row |
| Links | facebook.com/.../videos/..., /watch?v=..., /reel/..., /share/v/..., fb.watch/... |
| Who can see it | Public pages, public profiles and public groups |
| Limit | MP3: videos up to 30 minutes; lives only after the replay is published |
SD copies, private groups, lives and stories
Why did I get SD and not HD?
Because Facebook only made an SD copy of that video. Facebook keeps an SD version of every upload and an HD one only when the upload allowed it. We always take HD when it exists, so an SD file means there is nothing sharper on Facebook's servers. Old uploads and videos re-shared from other pages are often SD only.
Can I download a video from a private group I'm in?
No. Our server opens Facebook as a signed-out visitor, so anything inside a private group, or shared with friends only, is invisible to it, even when you can watch it in your app. Public groups work.
Does the downloaded video have a watermark?
No. You get the file Facebook plays, with nothing added by us. A logo inside the picture was put there by whoever uploaded the video.
Can I download a Facebook live?
Yes, once it has ended and the page has published the replay as a normal video. A link copied while the broadcast is still running returns nothing.
Do fb.watch and share links work?
Yes. fb.watch links and facebook.com/share/v/ links redirect to the video page, and we follow them. Paste them as Facebook copied them.
Why does the result come back empty?
In almost every case the video isn't public. Open the link in a private browser window: if Facebook asks you to log in, it can't be downloaded here. The other cause is a link to the post around the video; copy the link from the video itself.
Can I save Facebook stories?
No. Facebook serves stories only to signed-in viewers and removes them after 24 hours, so there is no public file to fetch. If the same clip was posted as a reel or a video, use that link.