X has no download button for videos. A bookmark doesn’t help once a post is deleted, the account goes private or you’re offline. Saving your own copy means getting the video file out of the post, and on a phone that means a detour through a browser.
This guide covers the whole process with Xholic’s free Twitter Video Downloader: how to copy a post link in each X app, how to save the MP4 on iPhone, Android and desktop, what quality you get, and why some videos can’t be saved. The example throughout is a public-domain video from @NASA.
What the downloader gives you
You paste the link to a post. The tool reads the post’s public media and lists every file it finds as a card. Here is what you get, as the tool works today:
| What | How it works |
|---|---|
| Links it accepts | x.com, twitter.com, mobile.x.com and mobile.twitter.com post links, fxtwitter, vxtwitter, fixupx and fixvx links, t.co short links, and a bare post ID |
| Videos per post | Every video in the post, plus videos in a quoted or reposted post, labeled “From the quoted post” or “From the reposted post” |
| Format | MP4, the file X itself stores, so nothing is re-encoded |
| Quality | The highest-bitrate MP4 X has for each video, picked automatically |
| File details shown | Resolution, format and bitrate of the file you’ll get |
| File name | author-postID-number.mp4, for example NASA-1491475671058681863-1.mp4 |
| Several videos | A Download all button appears when a post has more than one file |
| Cost | Free, no signup, no watermark |
If the post holds photos or a GIF instead, use the Twitter Image Downloader or the Twitter GIF Downloader. The video tool tells you when that’s the case and links to the right one.
How to download a Twitter video, step by step
The steps are the same on every device. Only copying the link and finding the saved file differ, and the device sections below cover those. The numbers in the screenshot match the steps.
Step 1: Paste the post link
Copy the link to the post (see how to copy a post link if you’re unsure) and paste it into X post link (1). Tracking parameters on the end, such as ?s=20, don’t matter.
Step 2: Get the videos
Press Get videos (2). The tool looks up the post. If the same post was fetched in the last few minutes, the result comes back almost instantly.
Step 3: Check it’s the right post
The author, handle and post text appear above the results (3). View post opens the original on X in a new tab, which is a quick way to confirm you pasted the right link.
Step 4: Read the file details
Each video gets a card with a preview frame and its details (4): the video’s number, plus the resolution, format and bitrate of the file. Good to know (6) below the cards notes anything specific to the post.
Step 5: Download the MP4
Press Download video (5). The button shows “Downloading…” while the file transfers and “Downloaded” when it’s saved.
How to copy a post link on X
The tool needs the link to the post itself, the one containing /status/ followed by a number. A profile link or a link to a Space won’t work.
- X app on iPhone or Android: tap the share icon under the post, then Copy link. Some app versions and X’s own help pages call it “Copy link to post”. X has moved this option around in the share menu before, so if you don’t see it straight away, look for it next to “Send via Chat”.
- x.com on a computer: open the post so it fills the page and copy the URL from the address bar. The share icon under the post also has Copy link.
- From a video playing full screen: links that end in
/video/1work too.
How to save a Twitter video on iPhone
- In the X app, tap the share icon on the post and choose Copy link.
- Open Safari and go to the Twitter Video Downloader.
- Tap the link field, paste, and tap Get videos.
- Tap Download video. If Safari asks whether to download the file, confirm.
- Open the Files app and go to Downloads. Safari saves there by default, either in iCloud Drive or On My iPhone depending on your Safari settings.
- Open the video, tap the share button and choose Save Video to move it into Photos.
If the download doesn’t start, the tool shows “The download didn’t start.” with an Open the file link. Tap it, then use the share button and choose Save to Files, or long-press the video.
How to save a Twitter video on Android
- In the X app, tap the share icon on the post and choose Copy link.
- Open Chrome (or your usual browser) and go to the downloader.
- Paste the link into the field and tap Get videos.
- Tap Download video. Chrome saves it to your Downloads folder and shows a notification when it’s done.
- Open it from the notification, the Files app or Chrome’s Downloads list.
Android phones differ a lot between manufacturers, so folder names may vary. Our Android download guide goes into browser choices and Android-specific fixes in more detail.
How to save a Twitter video on a computer
- Open the post on x.com and copy the URL from the address bar.
- Paste it into the downloader and click Get videos.
- Click Download video. The MP4 lands in your browser’s download folder, usually Downloads on Windows and macOS.
- For a post with several videos, click Download all to save them one after another. The tool shows “Saved all N files” when it’s finished.
Twitter to MP4: is there anything to convert?
No. Searches like “convert Twitter video to MP4” suggest a conversion step, but X already stores each upload as MP4 files, in several sizes. X’s player streams the video in pieces, which is why you can’t right-click and save it. The downloader skips that streaming version and hands you one of the stored MP4 files directly.
Here is the real file from the NASA post above, checked after download:
H.264 video with AAC audio is the most widely supported combination there is, so you can drop the file straight into Premiere, CapCut, iMovie, Keynote, PowerPoint or a WhatsApp chat. Convert only if you need a different format, such as a GIF, since every re-encode costs some quality.
What quality you get, and why there’s no resolution menu
When a video is uploaded, X stores several MP4 versions at different bitrates, typically from a small mobile size up to the full upload size. Some downloaders list them all and let you choose. Xholic’s picks the highest-bitrate version for you and returns only that one, because for saving a copy the best one is almost always what you want.
A few things follow from that:
- The ceiling is the upload. If a video was posted in 720p, no tool can give you 1080p. X stores what it received, sometimes scaled down. Our HD download guide explains how to check a video’s source quality.
- Need a smaller file? Download the best version and compress it with your editor or phone’s share options. Starting from the best copy gives a better result than downloading a low-bitrate one.
Length limits are set by X at upload, not by the tool. See how long a Twitter video can be for the current caps.
Why some videos won’t download
Most failures come from the post, not the tool. These are the cases you’ll run into, with the exact message you’ll see.
Protected accounts. If the author has protected their posts, you’ll see “This post is from a protected account, so its media isn’t public.” The tool only reads public posts and never signs in to X, so there’s no way around this, and there shouldn’t be.
Deleted posts, wrong IDs and private posts. “We couldn’t find that post. It may have been deleted, or it’s from a private account.” Check the link still opens on x.com.
Sensitive, age-restricted or withheld media. Posts that X marks as sensitive, age-restricted or withheld in some countries may not include their media in the public data the tool receives. The tool’s own note puts it plainly: rights-restricted media may not be returned.
Spaces and links that aren’t posts. A Space, a profile, a List or a Community link has no post ID, so you’ll see this:
Live broadcasts and link cards. A post that shares a live stream or a YouTube link plays video on X, but the video isn’t attached to the post as media. The tool finds the post and tells you there’s nothing to save:
If a post has photos or a GIF but no video, the notice changes to say so and links you to the matching downloader with the same post already filled in.
Use downloaded videos responsibly
Being able to download a video doesn’t mean you can reuse it. Copyright belongs to whoever made the video, and posting it on X doesn’t change that.
- Generally fine: saving your own videos, keeping a copy to watch offline, and archiving public video for research or reporting with the source link noted.
- Needs permission: reposting someone else’s video on your own accounts, using it in ads or paid work, or editing it into your own content. Ask the creator and credit them.
- Fair use is narrow. In the US, commentary, criticism, news reporting and teaching can qualify, but it’s judged case by case on how much you use and whether it replaces the original. Other countries have their own, often stricter, rules. When in doubt, link to the post instead of re-uploading it.
- Public domain is the exception. Most NASA-produced video isn’t copyrighted, which is why we use it here, though NASA’s logo can’t be used to imply endorsement and partner footage can carry its own rights.
The downloader is not affiliated with X, and saving a video doesn’t change the rules of the platform you post it on.
Troubleshooting
“Paste a link to an X post, like https://x.com/name/status/123.” The field was empty. Paste the link and try again.
“That doesn’t look like a link to an X post.” The link has no post ID. Copy it again from the post’s share menu, or open the post and copy the address bar. A t.co link that doesn’t lead to a post shows the same message.
“The download didn’t start.” Some browsers, especially in private mode or with strict content blockers, stop the direct save. Use the Open the file link in the message and save the video from there.
“You’ve run a lot of checks in a short time.” The tool limits how many posts one visitor can look up in a short time. Wait a few minutes; the message usually says how long.
“This tool is at capacity right now” or “X didn’t respond in time.” A temporary problem on X’s side or ours. Try again in a minute.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Twitter Video Downloader free?
Yes. There’s no signup, no download limit beyond basic rate limits, and no watermark added to the file.
Can I choose 1080p, 720p or a smaller size?
Not in the tool. It always returns the highest-bitrate MP4 X stores for each video, which is the best quality available. If you need a smaller file, compress the download afterwards.
Can I download a video from a private or protected account?
No. Only public posts work. A protected account’s media isn’t public, and the tool never signs in to X.
Can I download a video from a quoted post or a repost?
Yes. Paste the link to the outer post and videos from the quoted or reposted post are listed too, each marked with where it came from.
How do I save a Twitter video to my iPhone camera roll?
Download it in Safari, open it from Files, then Downloads, tap share and choose Save Video. It then appears in Photos.
Can I download a Space or a live stream?
No. Spaces are audio and have no post media, and live broadcasts shared in a post aren’t attached as a video file. The tool tells you when a post has nothing to download.
Related guides and tools
- How to download anything from Twitter: which downloader to use for videos, GIFs and photos.
- Twitter GIF Downloader guide: why X GIFs save as MP4 and how to get a real .gif.
- Twitter Image Downloader guide: save photos at original size, plus profile photos and banners.
- Download Twitter videos on Android: browser and app options for Android phones.
- Twitter video downloader HD: how to check source quality and keep videos sharp.
