PasteAndSave

Learn to save any online video

Plain guides on how video downloading works, which quality and format to pick, what the rules are, and what to do when a download fails. Written by the team behind PasteAndSave.

Start here: the basics in five lessons

About 21 minutes in total

  1. Illustration of a copied link becoming a page and then a downloaded file1How Online Video Downloaders Work, Explained SimplyA video link points to a page, not a file. Here is what a downloader does with that page, step by step, and why some videos stay out of reach.4 min read
  2. Illustration of nested screens showing 720p, 1080p and 4K video sizes2Video Quality Explained: 360p, 720p, 1080p and 4KThe biggest number is not always the best choice. Learn what each quality means, how big the files get, and which one suits the screen you watch on.4 min read
  3. Four file icons labelled MP4, WebM, MOV and MKV3MP4, WebM, MOV or MKV: Which Video Format Should You Use?A video that won't play is rarely broken. It is usually packed in a format your player doesn't open. Here is what each format is and when to use it.4 min read
  4. Shield with a check mark representing the rules for downloading videos4Is It Legal to Download Videos? A Plain Guide to the RulesHaving a file on your phone is not the same as owning it. A plain guide to copyright, permission, Creative Commons and the rules platforms set.4 min read
  5. Green shield with a check mark for safe video downloading5Are Online Video Downloaders Safe? How to Spot a Bad OneA video file can't hurt your phone. A fake installer can. Here is how to tell a good download site from a bad one in thirty seconds.5 min read

How to guides

Step by step instructions for the apps and devices people use most.

Phone showing a music note and a download button for saving TikTok videosHow to Download TikTok Videos Without a WatermarkTikTok's own Save button stamps a moving logo on every video. Here is how to get the clean version on any phone or computer, in under a minute.3 min readPhone showing a photo icon and a download button for saving Instagram ReelsHow to Download Instagram Reels, Stories and PhotosInstagram's bookmark only saves a post inside the app. Here is how to keep Reels, Stories and photos as real files on your phone or computer.3 min readPhone showing a play button and a download button for saving YouTube videosHow to Download YouTube Videos on Any Phone or ComputerCopy the link, paste it, pick a quality. Here is the full walk through for every device, and why the 1080p version takes a few seconds longer than 720p.4 min readA list of videos with one selected, for downloading from a playlistHow to Download Videos From a YouTube PlaylistA playlist link opens as a list you can pick from. The trick is copying the playlist's own link, not the link of the video playing inside it.3 min readPhone showing a film strip and a download button for saving Facebook videosHow to Download Facebook Videos and Reels in HDFacebook has no Save to phone button for most videos. Here is how to keep a public video or Reel as a normal MP4, and why private ones stay private.4 min readPhone showing a post bubble with a play button for saving videos from XHow to Download Videos, GIFs and Photos From X (Twitter)Every video, GIF and photo on X is one copied link away from your camera roll. Here is how, and why a few posts refuse.3 min readA video track and a sound track joined into one fileHow to Download Reddit Videos With SoundSaved a Reddit video and got silence? Reddit stores the sound in a separate file. Here is how to get both in one MP4.3 min readTwo phones showing the Files app and the photo galleryHow to Save Online Videos to Your iPhone or Android PhoneThe download worked, but where did the video go? Where files land on iPhone and Android, how to get them into your gallery, and what to do when one won't play.3 min readLarge music note above the letters MP3How to Convert a Video to MP3, and Which Bitrate to ChooseGetting the MP3 is the easy part. Picking the bitrate is where most people waste space. Here is how to do both, and when M4A is the better choice.3 min read

Fix a problem

What download errors mean and what you can do about them.

Warning sign representing a video that will not downloadWhy a Video Won't Download: 9 Common Reasons and FixesMost failed downloads come down to nine reasons that repeat every day. Find the message you saw, learn what it means, and try the fix.4 min read

Have a link already?

Paste it into the downloader and pick a quality. Free, with nothing to install.

Open the downloader