# How to Download Facebook Videos and Reels (the Right Way)

> How to download your own Facebook videos and Reels, export them with Download your information, save others' videos to watch later, and ask creators first.

Canonical: https://scheduleforyou.com/blog/download-facebook-videos-and-reels
Last updated: 2026-10-23

Category: Facebook. 

You can download Facebook videos and Reels that you uploaded yourself, either from the video's menu on your profile or Page, or in bulk through **Download your information** in Meta's Accounts Center. For videos posted by other people, Facebook's built-in option is to save them to your **Saved** list. If you want a copy of someone else's video file, ask the creator for permission and the original file.

This guide walks through each official method and explains why third-party downloader sites are worth avoiding.

## Your options at a glance

| What you want | Method | Gives you a file? |
| --- | --- | --- |
| One video or Reel you posted on your profile | Video menu > Download (where available) | Yes |
| A video or Reel posted on a Page you manage | Your Page or Meta Business Suite | Yes, for roles with access |
| All your videos, or an archive | Download your information in Accounts Center | Yes |
| Someone else's video, to watch later | Save to your Saved list | No, it's a bookmark |
| Someone else's video, to use or repost | Ask the creator for permission and the original file | Yes, with permission |
| Someone else's video, to show your followers | Use Facebook's Share button | No, it links to the original |

Meta updates its menus often, so the labels below may be slightly different in your app. The underlying options have stayed fairly consistent.

## How to download your own Facebook video

If you uploaded the video yourself, Facebook usually lets you download it directly.

### On desktop

1. Go to your profile and open the post that contains the video, or find it under the **Videos** or **Reels** section of your profile.
2. Click the three-dot menu (**…**) on the post or video.
3. Choose **Download video** (or a similarly labeled option).
4. Your browser saves the file, usually as an MP4, to your downloads folder.

### In the Facebook app

1. Open the video or Reel you posted.
2. Tap the three-dot menu.
3. Look for **Download** or **Save video**. The video is saved to your phone's camera roll or gallery.

If you don't see a download option, try desktop. Download options have historically been more complete there than in the app.

### A note on music

If your Reel uses licensed music from Facebook's audio library, the downloaded file may not include that track, or the download option may be limited. That's a licensing restriction. Keep your original edit, with any audio you have the rights to use, so you always have a full-quality master.

## How to download videos from a Facebook Page you manage

If you manage a Facebook Page for a business or creator, you can usually download the Page's videos too, as long as your role on the Page includes content access.

### From the Page itself

1. Switch into your Page (use your profile picture menu to switch profiles if needed).
2. Open the video or Reel on the Page.
3. Click the three-dot menu and choose **Download video**, if it's offered.

### From Meta Business Suite

1. Open Meta Business Suite and select your Page.
2. Go to **Content** and find the **Posts & reels** list.
3. Open the video post or Reel you want.
4. Look for a download option in the post's menu or details panel.

Meta's older tool for this, Creator Studio, has been retired. Its features moved into Meta Business Suite and the Professional dashboard, so if you followed an old tutorial, that's why the screens don't match.

## How to download all your videos with Download your information

When you want an archive of everything, such as before closing an account, changing jobs or backing up years of content, use Meta's **Download your information** tool. It packages your posts, photos, videos and more into files you can download.

1. Open **Settings & privacy > Settings** in Facebook.
2. Go to **Accounts Center**.
3. Select **Your information and permissions**, then **Download your information**.
4. Choose **Download or transfer information**.
5. Pick the profile (or Page, where offered) you want to export.
6. Choose **Some of your information** and select the categories you need, such as posts, photos and videos. Choosing only what you need makes the download smaller and faster.
7. Select **Download to device**.
8. Set the **date range**, choose a **format** (HTML is easiest to browse, JSON is better for importing into other tools), and set **media quality** to high.
9. Submit the request.

Facebook prepares the file in the background, which can take anywhere from minutes to days for large accounts. You'll get a notification when it's ready. The download link is available for a limited time, so grab it promptly. You'll be asked to enter your password before downloading.

Inside the archive, your videos are stored as media files in folders, alongside HTML or JSON files that show which post each one belongs to.

## Saving other people's videos to watch later

Facebook doesn't offer a download button for videos and Reels posted by other people. What it does offer is **Save**, which bookmarks the video so you can find it again.

1. On the video or Reel, tap the three-dot menu or the bookmark icon.
2. Choose **Save video** (or **Save**). You can add it to a collection to keep things organized.
3. To find it later, open the menu and go to **Saved**.

Saved items stay available as long as the creator keeps the video up and its privacy settings allow you to see it. If the creator deletes it or makes it private, it disappears from your Saved list.

To show a video to your own followers, use **Share** rather than re-uploading. Sharing credits the original creator, keeps their view counts and comments in one place, and keeps you on the right side of Facebook's rules.

## Asking a creator for permission

If you want to use someone's video in your own content, such as a customer testimonial, a user-generated clip or a collaboration, ask first.

1. **Message the creator directly.** Explain what you want to use, where it will appear and for how long.
2. **Ask for the original file.** Their original will be higher quality than anything pulled from Facebook, and it will include the full audio they have rights to.
3. **Get the permission in writing.** A clear message thread is the minimum. For commercial use, a simple written agreement is better.
4. **Credit them** the way they ask, such as by tagging their profile or Page.

This takes a little longer than copying a link into a downloader, but it protects you and builds goodwill with the people who make content in your community.

## Why to avoid third-party downloader sites

Plenty of websites and apps promise to grab any Facebook video from a link. We don't recommend them, for a few reasons:

- **Copyright.** Downloading and reposting someone else's video without permission can infringe their copyright. Facebook removes reported content, and repeated infringement can lead to restrictions on your account or Page.
- **Facebook's terms.** Meta's terms don't allow collecting content from its services through automated means without permission.
- **Security risks.** Downloader sites often carry aggressive ads, misleading "download" buttons, and sometimes malware. Some ask you to log in with your Facebook account, which you should never do on a third-party site.
- **Quality.** Files pulled this way are often low resolution or missing audio.

If the video is yours, the official methods above give you the original quality. If it isn't, saving, sharing or asking permission are the right options.

## Reusing your own videos on other platforms

Once you have your own videos downloaded, you can repurpose them. A vertical Reel at 1080×1920 also fits TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts. Our guides on [saving Instagram Reels](https://scheduleforyou.com/blog/how-to-save-instagram-reels) and [posting a YouTube video on Instagram](https://scheduleforyou.com/blog/post-a-youtube-video-on-instagram) cover the other side of cross-posting.

Schedule For You can help here: upload your video once, write a caption for each platform, and schedule it to Facebook Pages, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and more from one calendar. If you haven't connected your Page yet, see [how to connect a Facebook Page](https://scheduleforyou.com/blog/connect-facebook-page).

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I download a Facebook video that someone else posted?

Facebook doesn't provide a download button for other people's videos. You can save the video to your Saved list or share it. If you need the file itself, ask the creator for permission and the original copy.

### Why can't I see a download option on my own video?

Download options vary by device, video type and account. Try the desktop site, check that the video was uploaded by you or your Page, and remember that Reels with licensed music may have limited download options. Download your information is a reliable fallback.

### How long does Download your information take?

It depends on how much you request. A small date range with only videos can be ready quickly, while a full account history with high-quality media can take much longer. Facebook notifies you when the file is ready.

### Are Facebook video downloader sites legal?

Using them to copy and reupload other people's videos without permission can infringe copyright and goes against Meta's terms. They also carry security risks. Use Facebook's own tools for your content and ask creators for permission for theirs.

### Does saving a video to Saved keep it forever?

No. Saved is a bookmark, not a copy. If the creator deletes the video or changes who can see it, it will no longer be available in your Saved list.

## Related

- [All guides](https://scheduleforyou.com/blog)
- [Pricing](https://scheduleforyou.com/pricing)