How to save X (Twitter) videos on a computer

On a computer, saving a video from X is the easiest case there is: the post's address is already in your browser's address bar, and the file goes straight into your Downloads folder. This guide covers ordinary videos, GIFs and the replays of live broadcasts, and explains which quality to choose.

What you need

A public post on X that contains a video, a GIF or a broadcast replay, and any current browser: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari or a browser built on one of them. There is nothing to install and no need to be logged in to X. In fact Videospeichern never uses an X login at all, which also means that posts from protected accounts cannot be saved.

Step 1: get the post's address

Open the post itself, not the timeline. Clicking the post's timestamp opens it on its own page; the address then looks like x.com/username/status/1234567890. Copy it from the address bar with Ctrl+C (Windows, Linux) or Cmd+C (macOS).

Alternatively, click the Share icon under the post and choose Copy link. Older links on twitter.com or mobile.twitter.com work too; they lead to the same post.

Step 2: paste it into Videospeichern

Open the X video downloader in a new tab and paste the link into the field with Ctrl+V or Cmd+V, or click Paste. When the X chip appears, the link has been recognised. Press Enter or click Save.

Step 3: choose a quality

X stores several versions of every video, and the result card lists all of them. Each row names the resolution and shows an estimated file size; the top row is the sharpest version X holds, typically 720p or 1080p for recent uploads.

On a computer with a normal connection the top row is almost always the right choice. The lower rows are the same clip at a smaller size, which matters on a phone with little storage but rarely on a desktop. If you want to understand what the numbers mean, read 720p vs 1080p.

Nothing is re-encoded on the way to you. The file you receive is the one X published, bit for bit, just in a normal MP4 container.

Step 4: save the file

Click the Save button next to the quality you want. A short countdown appears while the download is prepared; when it runs out, the browser starts the download by itself. If the browser does not show a download, click Didn't start? Download again.

Where the file goes depends on your browser settings:

• Chrome and Edge save to your Downloads folder by default. Press Ctrl+J (Windows, Linux) or Cmd+Shift+J (macOS, Chrome) to open the download list.
• Firefox shows downloads under the arrow icon in the toolbar; Ctrl+Shift+Y opens the library.
• Safari on the Mac saves to Downloads as well; Option+Cmd+L shows the list.

If your browser is set to ask where to save each file, it opens a save dialog instead. The file name includes the platform and the post id, so several downloads from the same account stay apart.

GIFs from X

X never stores GIFs as GIF files. When someone posts a GIF, X converts it into a short, silent MP4 that loops. That MP4 is what you receive, and it is usually smaller and sharper than a real GIF would be. Every modern player loops it on request, and most chat apps accept it directly.

If you need an actual .gif file, for example for an old forum, convert the MP4 with an image editor or a converter of your choice. Keep in mind that the GIF will be larger.

Broadcast replays

X broadcasts (formerly Periscope) can be saved once they have ended, as long as the person who streamed kept the recording. Paste the post that contains the broadcast or its x.com/i/broadcasts/… link. The replay is offered like any other video.

A stream that is still live has no replay yet, and Videospeichern tells you so instead of loading forever. Long broadcasts take longer to prepare because the stream has to be put together from many small pieces first; the guide on HLS and DASH explains why.

Keeping only the sound

Interviews, podcasts recorded on camera and music clips are often more useful as audio. Choose MP3 · audio only on the result card and the soundtrack arrives as a standard MP3. The conversion happens on request and nothing is stored afterwards.

Troubleshooting

"That post belongs to a protected account." The author only shares posts with approved followers. Videospeichern sees what a logged-out visitor sees, so the post cannot be saved.

"That post has no video or GIF attached." The media may be a photo, or the video sits in a quoted post. Open the quoted post on its own and copy that address instead.

The post could not be found. It was deleted, or the address was copied incompletely. The long number at the end of the link must be complete.

Too many requests. Each connection has a small budget per minute. Wait until the message says you can try again.

Before you reuse a clip

Downloading a video does not transfer any rights to it. Keeping a copy of your own post, archiving a public statement or saving a clip to watch later are common reasons to download; republishing someone else's video is a different matter. The guide on whether downloading social media videos is legal sets out the basics.