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Fast Video Download

Guides

Everything worth knowing about video quality, formats, and what to do with a file once you have it — written plainly.

Quality & formats

Quality1080p vs 4K: what you actually gainFour times the pixels, several times the file, and a difference most screens can't show you — plus the bitrate check that tells you which download is really better.3 min read YouTubeYouTube video quality explained: from 144p to 4KWhat YouTube keeps for each upload, why 4K is sometimes missing, and what a downloader can — and can't — give you.3 min read FormatsMP4 vs WebM: which format should you download?MP4 and WebM are both boxes. What matters is the codec inside them — and whether your phone, TV or editing app can open it.3 min read Quality30fps vs 60fps: what frame rate actually changesFrame rate decides how motion looks, not how sharp a still frame is. Here's when 60fps is worth the bigger file and when 30fps is the better pick.3 min read QualityWhy HDR videos look washed out — and how to fix itGrey, flat colours on an HDR video almost always mean the screen or player isn't translating HDR for a normal display. Here's what's happening and what to do.3 min read FormatsVideo aspect ratios explained: 16:9, 9:16, 4:5 and 1:1Why the same video appears with black bars, gets cropped, or fills the screen — and which shape each platform expects.2 min read FormatsH.264 vs H.265 vs AV1: which video codec plays whereNewer codecs make smaller files at the same quality — but only help if your device can play them. A plain comparison of the three you'll see most.2 min read FormatsWhat happens to subtitles when you download a videoCaptions you see on a platform usually aren't in the video file. Which kinds survive a download, which don't, and how to get subtitles when you need them.3 min read

Editing & fixing files

FormatsHow to convert WebM to MP4 without losing qualityThree free ways to turn a WebM into an MP4 that plays everywhere — and why downloading the MP4 in the first place is usually better.3 min read TroubleshootingDownloaded video won't play? 7 causes and fixesAn error, a black screen or a spinning wheel usually comes down to one of seven causes. Work through them in order.3 min read EditingHow to trim a video on iPhone, Android, Windows and MacEvery major device has a free built-in way to cut the start and end off a video. Here's where to find it on each.2 min read EditingHow to extract audio from a video fileTurn a lecture, interview, podcast recording or your own voiceover into an audio file — with free tools, and without losing quality.2 min read EditingHow to make a video file smaller without ruining itThe best way to a smaller video is a lower resolution chosen at download time. When that's not possible, here's how to compress well.2 min read

Your own videos & data

YouTubeHow to download videos you uploaded to YouTubeYouTube Studio gives you a quick copy, Google Takeout gives you your original files. Here's which to use, and when a downloader is quicker.2 min read LoomHow to export your Loom videosLoom's own download depends on your plan. Here are the ways to get your recordings out — one video or a whole library — without losing track of what's what.2 min read InstagramHow to download all your Instagram photos, Reels and videosInstagram can export everything you've posted in one go. Here's how to request it, what arrives, and how long it takes.2 min read FacebookHow to download all your Facebook videos and photosFacebook's export tool packages everything you've uploaded into a download. The steps, the settings that matter, and what to expect.2 min read

For creators

InstagramWhy Instagram videos look worse after downloadingInstagram re-encodes every upload. Here's what survives, why reposts get worse each time, and how to get — or publish — the best copy.2 min read CreatorsVertical video specs for Shorts, Reels and TikTokThe shape, resolution and length each short-form platform expects — in one place, so one export works everywhere.2 min read FacebookWhy Facebook videos look blurry — and how to upload in HDFacebook compresses every upload, and a couple of settings decide whether you get HD. What's happening and how to keep more quality.2 min read

Choosing a tool

SafetyAre online video downloaders safe? What to watch out forThe risks aren't usually the download itself — they're fake buttons, pushy permissions and things you're asked to install. How to tell a safe tool from a risky one.3 min read ComparedBest video downloaders in 2026: 6 options comparedWeb tools, desktop apps, a command-line tool, a browser extension and YouTube's own offline option — compared on what they actually do, including where our own tool falls short.5 min read

Rights & safety

RightsIs it legal to download YouTube videos?Copyright law and platform terms are two different questions. Here's how both apply — the clear cases, the grey middle and the line not to cross.3 min read RightsWhere to find Creative Commons videos you can legally reuseHow to find videos you're allowed to download, remix and share — on YouTube and beyond — and how to credit them properly.2 min read LimitsWhy some videos can't be downloadedDeleted, live, region-limited, age-gated or protected — six reasons a link is refused, which of them clear up on their own, and which never will.3 min read