Can't download a SoundCloud track: causes and fix

If a SoundCloud track won't download, it's almost always one of these causes: it's private or unlisted, the artist disabled downloading, it's label or SoundCloud Go+ content with DRM, the track was deleted, it's region-blocked, or you copied the wrong link. Most of these have a fix in seconds. Here they all are, with the fix, so you can download with PullVid.

This guide is SoundCloud-specific. First, a trick that rules out half the cases: check whether the track plays normally on the SoundCloud website without logging in. If it doesn't play for you either without an account, no anonymous tool will be able to get it.

1. The track is private or unlisted

Many artists upload demos or previews as private or unlisted tracks, accessible only with a secret link or to specific followers. That audio isn't public, so an external tool can't process it.

Fix: only public tracks can be downloaded. If the link carries a private access token (a long fragment after the track name), it's restricted content and there's no legitimate way to get it.

2. The artist disabled downloading

SoundCloud lets the author decide whether their public track can be streamed but not downloaded. That's a deliberate choice by the artist, not a glitch, and it's worth respecting.

Fix: the track can still be streamed, but if the author turned off downloading, the honest move is not to force it. To understand which uses are legitimate, see is it safe and legal to download from SoundCloud?.

3. It's label content or SoundCloud Go+ (with DRM)

Commercial tracks from record labels and exclusive SoundCloud Go+ content are DRM-protected: the audio is encrypted and no legitimate tool can extract it. This isn't a limitation of PullVid, it's a technical and legal lock.

Fix: there's nothing you can do on your end; that lock can't be bypassed. Only public, freely accessible tracks can be downloaded, which make up the vast majority of the independent catalog. Any site that promises to bypass the DRM is lying.

4. The track was deleted or the profile no longer exists

If the artist deleted the track, closed the account, or SoundCloud removed the audio over a rights claim, the file is no longer hosted and can't be recovered.

Fix: open the link on SoundCloud. If you see a "track unavailable" error or the page doesn't load the player, the audio no longer exists and no downloader will be able to get it.

5. It's region-blocked

Some tracks, especially label ones, are only available in certain countries due to licensing agreements. If SoundCloud won't play it for you from your location, it won't be downloadable either.

Fix: it's a platform licensing restriction, not a tool failure. If the track isn't available in your country, there's no honest way around it.

6. You copied the wrong link

PullVid needs the link to the specific track, not the artist's profile or an entire playlist. An incomplete link or one from another part of the site won't process.

• Open the track and use Share → Copy Link to copy the exact URL (soundcloud.com/artist/track-name).
• Avoid pasting the profile link (just soundcloud.com/artist) or a playlist link: point to the individual track.
• Review the correct ways to copy the URL in the how to download from SoundCloud guide if you're unsure of the process.

PullVid: download SoundCloud's public tracks

Once those causes are ruled out, PullVid downloads any public SoundCloud track as an MP3, with nothing to install and no account. It can't work magic with private content, Go+ content, or a track with downloading disabled by the artist —no honest tool can— but for the enormous independent, freely accessible catalog, it works directly. If you're concerned about safety or legality, we cover it all in is it safe and legal to download from SoundCloud?.