Facebook Reels share a name with Instagram Reels, but they're a separate product with separate files and, most importantly, separate privacy rules. That last part explains most failed downloads. This guide covers how to get the right link, how to choose a quality, and how to tell in advance whether a Reel will download.
If you want to save regular Facebook feed videos or Stories, our general Facebook video guide covers those. This one is about Reels only.
How to download a Facebook Reel
- Copy the Reel's link (details for the app and the website are below).
- Open the Facebook Reels downloader and paste the link into the box.
- Tap Download. After a few seconds you'll see a preview and a list of the versions Facebook offers.
- Tap Download next to the version you want.
- The MP4 saves to your Downloads folder on Android or a computer, or to the Files app on iPhone.
No Facebook login is needed, and the tool never asks for one.
Copying the link from the Facebook app
- Open the Reel so it plays full screen.
- Tap the Share button on the right side of the screen.
- Tap Copy link in the sheet that opens.
The link you get often starts with fb.watch. That's Facebook's short link format. It redirects to the full Reel address, and the tool follows that redirect, so paste it as it is. You don't need to open it in a browser first.
If you don't see Copy link, scroll the row of share options sideways. Facebook moves its buttons around between app versions, and the option is sometimes hidden at the end of the list.
Copying the link from facebook.com
On a computer, click the Reel so it opens on its own page. Copy the address from the browser bar. A Reel's address usually looks like facebook.com/reel/ followed by a long number.
Avoid copying the address while you're scrolling the main feed or a Page's timeline. That URL points at the feed, not the Reel, and gives you nothing to download.
HD or SD: which version to pick
Facebook usually stores more than one version of each Reel. ReelsDownloader shows each one as its own row, labelled by quality or resolution, with the default version listed first.
Here's how I choose:
- Pick the highest quality for anything you want to keep, edit, or watch on a TV or laptop. The difference on a big screen is obvious.
- Pick the lower quality if you're on limited mobile data, your phone storage is nearly full, or you just want to send the clip in a chat app that will compress it anyway. The file is a fraction of the size.
If only one version appears, that's all Facebook has for that Reel. Older uploads and Reels posted from low-end phones sometimes only exist in one quality.
Public, friends-only, and why some Reels fail
This is the biggest difference from Instagram. On Instagram, an account is either public or private. On Facebook, every post has its own audience: Public, Friends, specific friends, Only me, or a custom list. The same person can post one Reel publicly and the next one to friends only.
ReelsDownloader can only download Reels set to Public. Friends-only Reels are visible to the people Facebook has approved, and the tool never logs in as you, so there's no way to reach them.
Some quick ways to judge before you paste:
- Reels from Pages (businesses, creators, brands) are almost always public, because Pages exist to be seen.
- Reels from personal profiles depend on the setting for that one post. On regular posts, a globe icon next to the date means Public, and a two-person icon means Friends.
- Reels inside groups usually fail. Most groups are private, and even public groups can limit who sees individual posts.
The surest test: open the link in a private or incognito browser window where you're not logged in to Facebook. If the Reel plays, it will download.
A note on sound
Facebook plays videos muted in the feed by default. Some creators know this and post Reels with captions burned in and little or no real audio. If your downloaded Reel seems quiet, play it in Facebook with the sound on. It may simply have been posted that way.
If you only want the audio, the tool can also save sound on its own when the source offers it. Our video to MP3 guide explains the options.
Facebook copy versus Instagram copy
Creators often post the same clip to Facebook Reels and Instagram Reels. These are two separate uploads, and each platform processes its own copy, so quality can differ between them. If a clip matters to you, try both links and keep the better one. For the Instagram side, see how to download Instagram Reels.
Troubleshooting
- "No downloadable media found." The Reel is probably friends-only, in a private group, or deleted. Use the incognito test above.
- You pasted a link and got the wrong video. You probably copied the feed or Page address instead of the Reel itself. Open the Reel on its own page and copy again.
- The download finished but you can't find it. On iPhone, check Files → Downloads. On Android, check the Download folder. Our guide on where downloaded videos go covers every device.
- The Reel was there yesterday and fails today. The owner may have changed its audience or removed it. Once that happens, it can't be downloaded.
The help center has a full list of error messages and what they mean.
Pages often post Reels as marketing they want shared, which makes saving them for yourself low-risk. Reposting someone else's Reel as your own is a different matter, wherever it came from.