You copied a Facebook video link, pasted it into a downloader, and got an error, or nothing happened at all. Facebook is one of the trickiest platforms to download from, mostly because of privacy settings and the many different kinds of links it uses. Here are the eight most common reasons a Facebook video won't download, and what to do about each.

1. The video isn't public

This is the reason in most cases. A downloader can only see what someone who isn't logged in can see. If the video was shared with Friends, Friends of friends or a custom list, it's private, even if you can watch it in your own feed.

How to check: look at the small icon next to the post's date. A globe means public. A two-person or lock icon means it's restricted. Only globe posts can be downloaded.

2. The video is in a private group

Videos posted in private groups are only visible to members, so they can't be downloaded with a link. Videos in public groups usually work. If you're not sure, open the link in a private browser window where you're logged out. If you can't watch it there, it can't be downloaded.

Facebook gives you lots of different URLs, and not all of them point to the video itself:

  • Works: links from Share → Copy link on the video, facebook.com/.../videos/..., facebook.com/watch/?v=..., facebook.com/reel/... and short fb.watch/... links.
  • Doesn't work: links to a whole page or profile, a photo album, or a post that only shares someone else's video.

Fix: tap the video so it opens on its own, then use Share → Copy link. If the post shares another page's video, open the original first.

4. It's a live stream that's still running

A live video can't be downloaded while it's still being broadcast. Wait until the stream ends. Facebook usually turns it into a normal video a little while later, and then the link will work.

5. The video was removed or the page went private

If the uploader deleted the video, made the page private, or Facebook took it down, the link stops working. You'll see a message saying the post is unavailable. There's no way to download a video that no longer exists publicly.

6. Age-restricted or region-locked content

Some pages limit videos by age or country. These videos require a logged-in account that meets the restriction, so they can't be downloaded anonymously.

7. The downloaded file has no sound

Facebook sometimes stores picture and sound in separate streams, a bit like Reddit does. Basic downloaders grab only the picture. Our Facebook video downloader joins the video and audio streams into one MP4 automatically, so if you used another tool and got a silent file, download it again here.

8. Facebook changed something

Facebook updates its website often, and occasionally a change breaks downloaders for a short time. We keep our download engine updated every day, and our system flags it when a platform starts failing. If a public video that worked yesterday fails today, try again a little later.

How to download a public Facebook video

Once you've ruled out the problems above:

  1. Open the video and tap Share → Copy link.
  2. Paste the link into the Facebook video downloader and press Download.
  3. Choose HD or SD and save the file.

On iPhone the video goes to the Files app (open it and tap Share → Save Video to move it to Photos). On Android it goes to your Downloads folder.

Still stuck?

Try the private-window test: open the link in a browser window where you're not logged in to Facebook. If the video plays there, it should download. If it doesn't play, the video isn't public, and the only option is to ask the person who posted it to share the file with you directly.

And remember that videos belong to the people who made them. Save them for personal use, and ask before reposting someone else's work.