Everything you might want to know about Vidownloader — supported platforms, Instagram cookies, self-hosting, privacy, and the occasional quirk worth flagging.
Vidownloader is a free online tool that lets you download videos, photos, and audio from 1000+ websites including YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, X, Reddit, and more. Paste a link, pick a format, and the file downloads to your device.
Yes — Vidownloader is completely free, with no signup, no subscription, and no usage limits. The site is supported by non-intrusive ads, which lets us keep the service open to everyone at no cost.
No. Vidownloader runs entirely in your browser at vidownloader.net. You don't need to install software, browser extensions, or mobile apps. Works on any device with a modern browser — Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS.
Vidownloader supports over 1,000 websites. The most popular include YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter/X, Reddit, Vimeo, Twitch, SoundCloud, Facebook, Dailymotion, Bilibili, Bandcamp, Pinterest, and Tumblr. See the Platforms page for the full list.
Whatever the source provides. YouTube and Vimeo often expose 4K (2160p) or even 8K when available. TikTok and Instagram typically max out at 1080p. Vidownloader automatically picks the best available quality.
Yes. Vidownloader handles multi-item Instagram posts (carousels with mixed photos and videos) — every item displays in a grid, and you select which ones to download. Videos save as MP4, photos as their original JPG.
Instagram blocks anonymous access to almost all posts — even public ones — by redirecting non-logged-in requests to a login page. This is Instagram's policy, not a Vidownloader limitation. Supplying your browser cookies once authenticates the request so Vidownloader can fetch the post.
1) Install the "Get cookies.txt LOCALLY" extension in Chrome or Firefox. 2) Log into instagram.com in that browser. 3) Click the extension while on an Instagram page → Export. 4) On Vidownloader, click the Cookies button (top-right), drop the file or paste its contents, then Save. Cookies persist until you clear them or until Instagram's session expires.
Vidownloader stores cookies on our server only to authenticate requests to Instagram's CDN — they're never shared, sold, or used for anything else. You can clear them at any time from the Cookies modal.
Typically 30 to 90 days, depending on Instagram's session policy. When they expire, downloads start returning "auth required" — re-export from a freshly-logged-in browser and re-paste into the Cookies modal.
TikTok's video streams sometimes ship without audio. Vidownloader detects this and automatically picks the version of the video that includes sound. If you're getting silent files, try again — and contact support if it persists.
Yes. Vidownloader handles short-form video from every major platform — YouTube Shorts, TikTok feed videos, Instagram Reels, and Facebook Reels all work the same way as regular videos.
Sometimes. Age-restricted YouTube content requires a logged-in Google session. Like Instagram, you can paste YouTube cookies via the Cookies modal — same flow.
No. The version of TikTok videos that includes audio also includes TikTok's watermark — they're served together. Vidownloader chooses audio over no-watermark when forced to pick one.
No. Downloaded files are processed on our server only long enough for you to download them — they're auto-deleted 10 minutes after completion. We don't keep a copy.
The URL you paste is processed in memory to extract the media. It's not written to a database or shared with third parties. Vidownloader uses Google Analytics for aggregate usage measurement (anonymised IP) and AdSense for ads, both standard for free ad-supported services.
No. Vidownloader has no user accounts, no email signup, no password. Open the page, paste a link, download.
Whether downloading a specific piece of content is legal depends on your local copyright law and the source site's terms of service. Most jurisdictions allow downloading content you have rights to (your own uploads, Creative Commons material, personal-use copies) but not redistributing copyrighted material. You're responsible for using the tool within the law that applies to you.
Still have questions? See the How it works guide for a full walkthrough, or try a download with a URL from one of the supported platforms.