Facebook Videos Are Everywhere, But There Is No Download Button
Facebook does not offer a real download button. You can save a video to your "Saved" collection within the app, but that only bookmarks it. You still need an internet connection to watch it, and if the creator deletes the post, the video disappears from your saved list too.
This guide covers how to download any public Facebook video to your device. Whether you are on an iPhone, Android phone, or computer, you will have the video file saved locally in minutes.
How to Download Facebook Videos with SaveThat.video
The fastest method works on any device with a browser. No app installs, no account creation, and no payment required.
Step 1: Copy the Facebook video URL
Open Facebook and find the video you want to save. Tap the three dots (or the share button) on the post and select Copy link. On desktop, you can also click the timestamp on the post to open it in a new tab, then copy the URL from your browser's address bar.
Step 2: Paste the link into SaveThat.video
Go to the Facebook video downloader and paste the copied URL into the input field. Click Save it. The tool processes the link and detects the video within a few seconds.
Step 3: Download your video
Once processing is complete, click the download button. The video saves as an MP4 file directly to your device. You get the highest available quality automatically, with no watermarks or overlays added.
That is the entire process. Three steps, under a minute, and your video is saved locally for offline viewing.
Facebook Video Types Explained
Facebook hosts several different types of video content, and they all work slightly differently when it comes to downloading.
Feed post videos
These are standard videos shared in your news feed by friends, pages, or groups. They are the most common type and the easiest to download. Just copy the post link and paste it into SaveThat.video.
Facebook Reels
Short-form vertical videos similar to TikTok and Instagram Reels. Facebook Reels have their own URLs and are fully supported. For a step-by-step walkthrough focused specifically on Reels, see our Facebook Reels download guide.
Facebook Watch videos
Longer-form content from creators and publishers, found in the Watch tab. These videos tend to be higher quality and longer in duration. Copy the Watch video URL from your browser and download it the same way as any other Facebook video.
Facebook Live replays
After a Live stream ends, the replay stays on the creator's page (if they choose to keep it). These replays can be downloaded using the same method. Copy the replay URL and paste it into the downloader. Keep in mind that Live replays can be lengthy, so the file size may be larger than typical videos.
Facebook Stories expire after 24 hours and rarely have shareable URLs, so they are generally not downloadable with external tools.
Download Facebook Videos on iPhone
Downloading Facebook videos on iPhone requires one extra step because Safari and iOS handle file downloads differently than desktop browsers.
Open the Facebook app, find the video, and tap Share then Copy link. Open Safari and go to SaveThat.video. Paste the link and tap Save it.
When the download button appears, tap and hold it, then select Download Linked File. The file saves to your Files app under the Downloads folder. From there, you can move it to your Photos app by opening the file and tapping the share icon, then selecting Save Video.
If you are running iOS 16 or later, Safari handles downloads more smoothly. You should see a small download arrow in the address bar showing the progress. Tap it to access your downloaded file directly.
Download Facebook Videos on Android
Android makes downloading files straightforward since the operating system handles file management more openly than iOS.
Open the Facebook app, navigate to the video, and tap the three dots on the post. Select Copy link. Open Chrome (or your preferred browser) and go to SaveThat.video. Paste the URL and tap Save it.
Tap the download button when it appears. Chrome will download the MP4 file directly to your Downloads folder. You can find it in your file manager or in the Google Photos app, depending on your device settings.
Some Android browsers like Samsung Internet or Firefox also work perfectly. The process is identical. If the video plays in the browser instead of downloading, long-press the download button and select Download link.
Download Facebook Videos on PC
Desktop is the simplest environment for downloading Facebook videos because browsers on Windows and Mac handle file downloads natively.
Open Facebook in your browser, find the video, and click the three dots on the post. Select Copy link. Alternatively, click the video to open it in the theater view, then copy the URL from your address bar.
Open a new tab, go to SaveThat.video, paste the URL, and click Save it. Click the download button when it appears, and the MP4 file goes straight to your Downloads folder.
On PC, you also have the option of using tools like yt-dlp from the command line for batch downloads. If you regularly download videos from multiple platforms, our best video downloaders for 2026 guide compares all the top options.
Facebook Video Quality and HD Downloads
Facebook compresses all uploaded videos for faster streaming. The quality you get when downloading depends on what the original creator uploaded and whether they enabled HD.
SD vs HD uploads. Facebook gives uploaders the option to upload in HD. If this setting is turned off (which is the default on mobile), the video is compressed to a lower resolution, typically 720p or less. If the creator enabled HD, the video may be available in 1080p.
What SaveThat.video fetches. The downloader always grabs the highest quality version available on Facebook's servers. If an HD version exists, you get it automatically. There is no need to toggle any settings on your end.
Typical resolutions. Most Facebook videos download at 720p. Videos from professional pages, news outlets, and creators who enable HD uploads will often be available in 1080p. Facebook does not currently support 4K video, so 1080p is the maximum you can expect from any download tool.
Private Videos and Group Content
Not all Facebook videos can be downloaded with external tools. There are important limitations to understand.
Public videos are downloadable. Any video posted with the "Public" privacy setting can be accessed by external tools like SaveThat.video. This includes videos from public pages, public profiles, and public groups.
Private and friends-only videos cannot be downloaded. If a video is shared with a restricted audience (friends only, specific friends, or only the poster), external tools cannot access it. Facebook's privacy settings block all outside requests for this content.
Private group videos are also restricted. Even if you are a member of a private group, the video URLs are protected and cannot be processed by third-party downloaders. For private group content, you would need to use Facebook's built-in save feature, which bookmarks the video within the app.
If you get an error when trying to download a video, the most likely cause is that the video is not set to public. Ask the creator to check their privacy settings, or use Facebook's own tools to save the video within the platform.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
The link is not recognized
Make sure you copied the full URL. Facebook links can be long and complex, with tracking parameters attached. The link should contain facebook.com in it. If you copied a shortened link or a link from a notification, try opening the video directly on Facebook first, then copy the URL from your browser.
Video not found error
This usually means the video has been deleted by the creator, removed by Facebook for policy violations, or set to a non-public privacy setting. Try opening the original link in your browser to confirm the video is still available.
The download is very slow
Download speed depends on your internet connection and the file size. Facebook Live replays and long Watch videos can be several hundred megabytes. If the download stalls, check your connection and try again. Using a wired connection on PC will typically give you faster, more stable downloads.
The video plays in the browser instead of downloading
Right-click the download button and select Save link as (Chrome and Edge) or Download Linked File (Safari). This forces the browser to save the file rather than trying to play it inline.
The video has no audio
Some Facebook videos are uploaded without sound, particularly GIF-style clips and some meme content. If the original video on Facebook plays without audio, the downloaded version will also be silent. Check the source video first to confirm it has sound.
The downloaded file will not play
Facebook videos download as MP4 files, which are universally supported. If the file will not open, the download may have been interrupted. Delete the file and download it again. Make sure the download finishes completely before trying to play the file.