How to download and save videos from Twitter (X)

Twitter (or rather X, as Elon Musk would like you to call it), aside from all the pointless drama and discussions, also has a lot of fun stuff to scroll through. Sometimes you see a nice meme, or maybe an important video that you want to remember, or maybe share somewhere else. Unfortunately, even though downloading images from the platform is easy, the same cannot be said about videos.

For the longest time, getting your hands on a video file from Twitter was a real pain, and to some degree, it still is. However, there are ways to download videos from the platform, but most of them are not readily available through Twitter itself – you need to have access to third-party software to do it.

Fortunately, lately things have been changing, and you might even have the opportunity to download your favorite videos straight from the app. Even here, there is a catch though – you’ll need to get caught in Twitter’s new subscription model, as the feature is a part of Twitter’s (or rather Musk’s) push to turn the platform into a subscription-based service.

Whether you want to remain a free user of the social media, or you’re into paying a monthly fee for some benefits – here’s how you can download videos from Twitter (or X), no matter if you’re on a computer, iPhone, iPad or an Android device.

How to save Twitter (X) videos on desktop

What you need:

When trying to download a video from Twitter on your desktop, you’ll have to use third-party software. Fortunately, on your PC or Mac, you don’t really have to download any additional apps – you can just do it by using a website that specializes in downloading Twitter videos. There are plenty of such websites, and the one we’re proposing is just one of many – if you don’t want to use that particular one, you can easily find a replacement on the internet, and most of them work exactly the same.

1. Open Twitter and find the video that you want to download.
2. Copy a link to the video by right-clicking the video and selecting Copy video address.
3. In another tab, open a tool like Twitter Video Downloader.
4. Paste the URL in the text box by right-clicking and selecting paste, using a keyboard shortcut CTRL+V or clicking on the Paste button.
5. When the link appears in the text box, click Download.
6. You’ll be presented with some quality options, so you can save a high-quality or low-resolution version.
7. Click on the one that you want to save, and the download should start automatically.
8. CWait for the download to finish, and you’re done! The video should now be available in your Downloads folder.

How to save Twitter (X) videos on iOS

What you need:

If you want to download a Twitter (X) video on your phone – be it iOS or Android – the process is a bit more involved. You need to get yourself a specialized app to do the job for you, as the Twitter mobile app does not give you the ability to download videos directly (unless you’re one of the very few Premium subscribers). Fortunately, not much else is involved, so the process is relatively easy nonetheless.

1. Make sure the Shortcuts app is installed, you can find it on the App Store here.
2. Go to Settings and then Shortcuts.
3. Switch the slider to Allow Untrusted Shortcuts.
4. Visit this link on your device to add Twitter Video Downloader to your Shortcuts.
5. Clicking Get Shortcut will open the Shortcuts app, scroll down and tap Add Untrusted Shortcut.
6. Open the Twitter app and find the Tweet with the video you want.
7. Tap on Share and you’ll see the option for Twitter Video Downloader – tap on it.
8. You’ll be asked if you want your download to be high, medium or low quality.
9. Choose an option and let the shortcut do its thing.
10. After the download is finished, you will find the video in your Gallery.

How to save Twitter (X) videos on Android

What you need:

Downloading Twitter videos on Android is even easier than on iOS – you don’t have to deal with the pesky shortcut app here. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open the Twitter app.
2. Find the Tweet with the video you want to save.
3. Hit the share button to copy a link to the Tweet.
4. Open the Download Twitter Videos app.
5. Paste the URL into the empty text field at the top of the screen.
6. Hit the circular blue download button at the bottom right.
7. You can then access your saved video in the app, or move it to your gallery if you prefer.

Related

What are the differences between Threads and Twitter?

They start with the same letter, but our compare-and-contrast exercise doesn’t take that into account.

Bonus: How to save Twitter (X) videos if you are a Premium subscriber.

For years, Twitter users had to find inventive ways to download videos from the platform – but not anymore. In August, Elon Musk announced that the ability to download video files would be added to X (or Twitter), so you don’t have to deal with third-party software anymore.

Of course, there is a catch – this feature is locked behind Twitter’s new subscription service. As the monthly fee itself does not really give you a lot of benefits, not many people will be able to make use of this feature, but if you’re one of the few paying subscribers – here’s how to download videos directly from Twitter:

1. Find the video that you want to download.
2. Open the video in fullscreen mode.
3. In the upper-right corner of the fullscreen video you’ll see a three dots icon. Click it
4. Select Download video from the pop-up menu. The download should start automatically.