Forum Discussion
How do I save a Facebook video to my computer?
Hi everyone,
I hope you're all doing well! I‘m relatively new to navigating Facebook beyond just scrolling and interacting with posts. Recently, I came across a video that I’d love to save to my computer for offline viewing. It’s a tutorial that I think could be really helpful for a project I’m working on, but I'm not sure how to download it.
From what I've read, Facebook doesn't make it easy to download videos directly, and I'm a bit hesitant to use random third-party tools without knowing if they’re safe or trustworthy. I’ve tried a couple of things, like checking the video settings and right-clicking, but no luck so far.
Does anyone here have experience on how to save facebook video to my computer? Could you share a step-by-step guide or recommend a safe method or tool to download Facebook videos? I'd really appreciate any help or advice you can offer!
Thanks in advance,
Scott
There are so many facebook video downloader options out there and I spent hours to find a working one in 2025. In fact, many of them are not working anymore. AllClipDown is my favorite app for bulk download facebook videos in HD formats.
I followed this guide (works great)
https://www.sandeski.com/download-facebook-videos-to-computer
And already downloaded more than 200 facebook videos on my Windows PC.
14 Replies
- KlausSchreiberCopper Contributor
You don't need to stress just go to https://socialsave.org and paste your link and download the video and it's very fast
- QuinnQuinnBronze Contributor
There are so many facebook video downloader options out there and I spent hours to find a working one in 2025. In fact, many of them are not working anymore. AllClipDown is my favorite app for bulk download facebook videos in HD formats.
I followed this guide (works great)
https://www.sandeski.com/download-facebook-videos-to-computer
And already downloaded more than 200 facebook videos on my Windows PC.
- AngeliqueIron Contributor
I have also encountered the problem of saving Facebook videos to computer before. I tried various methods and found that Facebook itself does not provide a download function. Right-clicking it is useless. Online tools on the Internet have many advertisements and slow speeds. Some even require logging in to an account, which is too risky. Later, after a lot of trouble, I found several stable methods that I can share with you.
Method 1: Use the browser developer tools
This method does not require software installation, but the operation is slightly more complicated:- Open the Facebook video page and press F12 or Ctrl+Shift+I (Cmd+Option+I for Mac) to open the developer tools.
- Click "Network", then play the video, and you can see the video address in the "Media" tab.
- Copy the address, open it in a new browser tab, and then right-click "Save As" to download.
Method 2: Modify the Facebook video link (suitable for ordinary users)
- Open the Facebook video and change the URL www.facebook.com to mbasic.facebook.com.
- After pressing Enter, you will enter the simplified version page and click to play the video.
- Right click "Save as" to download to computer.
These methods can save Facebook video to computer, it depends on which one you are more used to.
I personally use yt--dlp the most, it is convenient and fast. If you only download occasionally, you can directly change the mbasic URL or use the developer tool, the effect is the same!
- veramocorCopper Contributor
mbasic has not worked for me in some time. And method 1 does not work as stated here for me. Method one worked when I switched emulator to mobile. then the media showed up up the pane and I was able then to right click and open in new tab and download the video. At least it worked for me today.
- TabithadeRuseCopper Contributor
What is the emulator and where is it? I am having the same problem you were. It does not give me the URL under the media tab.
- DakotaWolfIron Contributor
For tech savvy, you can use fbvid command line tool to easily save facebook videos to computers with Windows 11 or Windows 10.
fbvid is an open source PHP-based command-line tool designed specifically for downloading videos from Facebook. It provides an easy way to extract and save videos directly from Facebook without needing a web browser or third-party extensions. By simply entering a Facebook video URL, fbvid fetches and save facebook video to computer at the preferred high quality.
git clone https://github.com/Tuhinshubhra/fbvid.git cd fbvid php fb.php
After running the script, you'll be prompted to enter the Facebook video URL and a desired filename for saving the video.
Whether you're saving videos for offline viewing or archiving important content, fbvid offers a straightforward and efficient method. It works on most operating systems that support PHP and requires minimal setup, making it a convenient choice for tech-savvy users.
- VaentinaIron Contributor
I encountered the same problem before. I wanted to save facebook video to computer, but I couldn't find a way to download it directly. Facebook itself does not provide a download option, and right-clicking does not work. Online tools have many ads, slow speed, and may even carry viruses. It's really annoying. Later, I tried many methods and found that the most reliable one is the command line tool yt--dIlp, which is free, safe, and can maintain the original quality.
Install yt--dIlp (if you haven't installed it before):pip install yt--dIlp
Copy the Facebook video link, such as right-clicking the video and "Copy link".
Open the terminal (Windows Terminal / macOS Terminal / Command Prompt), enter:
yt--dIlp "video link"
Press Enter, wait for the download to complete, and the video will be saved directly to your computer!
I have used this method many times. Not only can it easily save Facebook video to computer, but it is also more reliable than web download tools, with fast download speed and no compression of image quality. If you are also looking for a way to save Facebook video to computer, I recommend trying this, it is simple and efficient. Finally, a reminder: saving Facebook videos to computer is only for personal study or backup, do not spread it at will!
- SashaYaoCopper Contributor
I have no idea about it, but I use Stacher, which is free and developed on it, suitable for anyone.
- FsdsdmmdIron Contributor
facebook-dl is a lightweight Python-based command-line tool designed to download videos from Facebook. It is an alternative to yct-dlp and eempeg, focusing specifically on Facebook videos.
Key Features of facebook-dl:
- Downloads public and some private Facebook videos.
- Supports HD (High Definition) and SD (Standard Definition) video quality.
- Works through simple command-line commands.
How to Download Facebook videos to Computer
Installation commands:
git clone https://github.com/sdushantha/facebook-dl.git cd facebook-dl pip3 install -r requirements.txt
How to download Facebook videos with it:
python3 facebook-dl.py [Facebook Video URL] [resolution]
Replace [Facebook Video URL] with the actual URL and [resolution] with hd or sd for high or standard definition. If no resolution is specified, it defaults to HD
For a more hands-on approach, you can create a simple Python script that extracts and downloads Facebook videos. This method involves parsing the video's page source to find the direct video URL. A detailed guide and script are available at Yasoob Khalid's blog
Note: Facebook's platform undergoes frequent updates, which can affect the functionality of third-party tools. Regularly check the tool's repository for updates or issues.
- PerezIron Contributor
First, online downloaders can be hit or miss. Sometimes they just don’t work, especially when Facebook updates their platform or videos are subject to certain restrictions. You might get a “Video Not Available” message, or worse, the download fails. This can be very frustrating when you’re ready to get your video and nothing comes of it.
Then there's the whole privacy and security thing. Some online sites can be sketchy, with pop-ups or ads that feel a little dodgy when you are going to save FaceBook video to Windows pc —almost like they're trying to lure you into clicking something bad. I’ve ended up on sites that look legit, but then my browser starts acting funky, and it just doesn't feel safe. Always good to keep an eye out for that!
As for browser extensions, they can come with their own baggage. Installing too many can slow down your browser or even conflict with other add-ons you’ve got going on. Plus, some extensions might track your activity or have permissions that make you raise an eyebrow. I usually stick to well-reviewed ones, but it still feels like rolling the dice sometimes. Lastly, the video quality can occasionally take a hit. Depending on the downloader you’re using, the quality might not be as good as the original upload, and you could end up with a grainy version of the concert you wanted to save. Not cool if you were hoping to keep those memories sharp!
- DassinkunIron Contributor
As far as I know, Facebook doesn't provide a built-in option to download videos directly. However, you can try these methods.
Method 1: Save Facebook video with View Page Source
- Open the Facebook video you want to save.
- Right-click on the video and select "Show video URL" or copy the video URL from the address bar.
- Open a new tab, paste the URL, and replace "www" or "web" with "mbasic" like this:
- Original: https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=XXXXXXXX
- Modified: https://mbasic.facebook.com/watch?v=XXXXXXXX
- Press Enter to load the mobile version.
- Click on the video to play it in full screen.
- Right-click the video and select "Save Video As" to download it.
Method 2: Download Facebook Video with Developer Tool.
- Open the video on Facebook.
- Press F12 or Ctrl + Shift + I (Windows) or Cmd + Option + I (Mac) to open Developer Tools.
- Go to the Network tab and click Media.
- Play the video, and look for a .mp4 link in the list.
- Right-click the link, select "Open in new tab", then right-click and choose "Save video as...".
Let me know if you need a more specific facebook video downloader method based on your device and browser!
- DelawareShoreIron Contributor
Let's break it down! When you're about to download Facebook video to your computer, there are a few things you definitely want to keep in mind to avoid any headaches. From my own experience, here are those crucial points:
- 1. Safety of the Download Source:
If you’re using online downloaders, be cautious about which sites you choose. Some of them can be sketchy and even have malware or intrusive ads. Stick to well-known sites like fbbown.net or gettvid.com—those have been reliable for me. It might take an extra second to double-check, but it’s worth it to keep your computer safe. - 2. Browser Extensions:
If you’re opting for browser extensions, make sure you download from a reputable source. Check reviews if you can. Some extensions can gather your data or bombard you with ads. I had a bad experience with one that kept popping up annoying notifications, and it took me ages to figure out how to remove it! - 3. Storage Space:
Finally, keep an eye on your computer’s storage space. It would suck to find a cool video and hit download to save FaceBook video, only for it to fail because your hard drive is full. Juggling between files and maybe even cleaning out the junk every so often makes sure you won’t run into that problem.
- 1. Safety of the Download Source:
- AlabamaCypressIron Contributor
If you want to save Facebook videos on your Windows computer, there are a few easy methods to get it done. I've tried a couple of them, and I’ll share what worked best for me.
Method 1: Using Online Downloaders
Find the Video: First, grab the URL of the Facebook video you want to save. Just right-click on the video and select “Show Video URL.” Copy that link.
Go to an Online Downloader: There are tons of sites like fbddown.net or getfviid.com. Open your web browser and go to one of those sites.
Paste the URL: Paste the video link into their designated box and hit that download button to save Facebook videos on Windows computer. Select the quality you want, and you should be good to go!Method 2: Using a Browser Extension
Search for Extensions: If you’re into browser extensions, you can look for one like Video DownloadHelper or Social Video Downloader for Chrome or Firefox.
Install the Extension: Just follow the prompts to add it to your browser.
Download the Video: Now, when you’re on the Facebook video page, the extension will notify you that it’s ready to download. Click it, choose your quality, and save Facebook videos to your computer.Method 3: Using Microsoft Edge's Developer Tools
Open Microsoft Edge: If you're using Edge, this method works particularly well. Just start by playing the video.
Open Developer Tools: Right-click anywhere on the page and select “Inspect” or press F12. This opens the Developer Tools window.
Go to the Network Tab: Click on the “Network” tab, and play the video again. Look for requests that have “video” in them.
Get the Video URL: Right-click on the video stream link and open it in a new tab. Once it plays, you can right-click and save the video directly.