Why a video won’t download (and what to do)
Most failed downloads come down to a few causes: the post isn’t public, the link is incomplete, or the platform or your connection had a temporary problem. SaveArrow usually shows a message that tells you which one it is. Here is what each case means and what you can try.
The post isn’t public
SaveArrow can only save public posts, the ones anyone can open without following the creator or paying. These can’t be saved:
- Private posts, and posts from private or protected accounts.
- Posts that have been deleted.
- Age-restricted posts and posts that only followers can see.
- Members-only, premium or other paid content.
In these cases the video can only be watched on the platform itself. Use a link to a public post instead.
Live streams, stories and other post types
Live streams and premieres can’t be saved while they are running. Try again after the stream has ended.
Some kinds of posts aren’t supported:
- Instagram Stories and highlights.
- Private videos and group videos on Facebook.
- Profile pages, hashtag pages and search results. Paste a link to one specific video, reel or photo post instead.
If an Instagram post has several items, only the first video is saved.
The link is wrong or incomplete
If SaveArrow says the text doesn’t look like a link, or that the post isn’t available anymore, the link may have been cut off when you copied it. Copy it again from the app instead of typing it by hand:
- Open the post in the app.
- Tap Share, then Copy link.
- Paste it into the box on SaveArrow.
SaveArrow accepts links from TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X and YouTube, including short links such as vm.tiktok.com and fb.watch. Links from other sites aren’t supported.
Very long YouTube videos
YouTube videos longer than about 2 hours can’t be processed. If you get this message, the length of the video is the limit, so copying the link again won’t change anything. Shorter public videos and Shorts work as usual.
The download link expired
The files SaveArrow shows come with download links that expire after 10 minutes. If you leave the results open and come back later, saving fails with a message that the links have expired. Tap Try again, or paste the video link again, to get fresh links. Nothing is lost: SaveArrow doesn’t store videos, so new links are always created from the original post.
The platform or SaveArrow is busy
Sometimes the problem is only temporary:
- The platform may be slow or may temporarily block requests. YouTube does this from time to time. Wait a while and try again later.
- If SaveArrow says there have been too many requests, wait a minute before trying again.
- If the security check doesn’t load or fails, refresh the page and check your connection.
If a link that worked before suddenly fails, trying again later is usually the first thing to do.
Your browser or connection
If you opened SaveArrow inside another app, such as TikTok, Instagram or a chat app, its built-in browser may not be able to save files. Open the page in Safari or Chrome and try again.
On a slow or unstable connection, large HD files take longer and can stop partway. Some higher-quality YouTube files are assembled from separate video and audio while they download, so they can’t be resumed after an interruption. Keep the page open until the download finishes. If it stops, start it again on a steadier connection such as Wi-Fi, or choose a lower quality, which is a smaller file.