How to download a Vimeo video

Vimeo is where many filmmakers, agencies and teachers host their work, and some of them switch on a download button for their viewers. Many do not. This guide explains how to save a public or unlisted Vimeo video as a normal MP4, which links work, and why some Vimeo videos cannot be saved by any outside tool.

What can be saved

The Vimeo video downloader works with:

• public videos, which anyone can find and watch on vimeo.com,
• unlisted videos, which are not listed anywhere but can be watched by anyone who has the complete link,
• embed links on player.vimeo.com, which point at the same videos.

It does not work with password-protected or private videos, or with videos whose owner restricted where they may be played. More on that below.

Step 1: copy the full address

Open the video on vimeo.com and copy the address from your browser's address bar, or click Share and copy the link from there.

For unlisted videos the link has two parts: the video number and a second code, for example vimeo.com/123456789/abcdef1234. That second part acts like a key. Without it, Vimeo does not reveal the video, so always copy the complete link.

If you only have the video embedded on another website, you can use the player.vimeo.com/video/… address of the embed, including any h= parameter it carries for unlisted videos.

Step 2: paste and save

Paste the link into the field on the downloader page. When the Vimeo chip appears, tap Save. The result card lists the resolutions Vimeo's player offers for the video, each with an estimated size.

Step 3: choose a resolution

Vimeo usually offers a range, from a small SD version up to the highest resolution the uploader provided. Pick the top row for the best picture, or a lower one for a smaller file. Tap its Save button; after a short countdown the download starts by itself.

The file is not re-encoded. Vimeo streams the picture and the sound as separate tracks, and Videospeichern combines the two into a single MP4 as the download runs, copying both without changing them. The result plays in any player and has its sound. The guide on HLS and DASH explains why streaming sites split video this way.

Audio only

Vimeo hosts many talks, lectures, music videos and interviews. If the sound is what you need, choose MP3 · audio only. The soundtrack is converted to MP3 on request and streamed to you. The guide on extracting audio as MP3 explains how that conversion works and what quality to expect.

Why some Vimeo videos will not load

Vimeo gives uploaders fine control over who may watch their videos and where. Several of these settings stop any outside tool, Videospeichern included:

• Password protection. The video only plays after entering a password on Vimeo.
• Private videos. Only specific Vimeo accounts may watch them.
• Domain restrictions. The owner allowed playback only on certain websites, for example their own course platform. Requests from anywhere else are refused.
• Paid or rental videos. Vimeo On Demand content is sold, not freely shared, and is never offered for download.

In all of these cases the owner has decided who gets access. Videospeichern does not try to get around those decisions. If you have access to such a video because you bought a course or were given a password, check whether the owner offers a download button on Vimeo itself.

If the uploader already allows downloads

Some Vimeo videos show a Download button below the player. When that button is there, using it is the most direct way to get the original upload, which can be of even higher quality than the versions the player streams. Videospeichern is for the videos where no such button exists but the video itself is public.

Where the file lands

On a computer, the MP4 goes into your browser's download folder, usually Downloads. On an iPhone, Safari saves it to the Downloads folder in the Files app; on Android, Chrome saves it to the Download folder. The guide on finding downloaded videos on iPhone and Android explains how to move a video into your photo library.

Rights and reuse

Vimeo creators often earn a living from their work. A public video is shared for watching, not for re-uploading. Saving a talk to watch on a train is a different thing from cutting it into your own video. When in doubt, ask the creator. For the general rules, see whether downloading social media videos is legal.