How to Download Facebook Reels

Facebook Reels are short vertical videos that Facebook integrated into its platform as a direct response to TikTok and Instagram Reels. If you find one you want to save, neither the Facebook app nor the website offers a native download button. This guide explains how to do it from your phone or computer, step by step, without installing any app.

Important before you start: PullVid and any similar tool can only access Reels from public accounts and pages. Videos published in private groups, profiles with restricted privacy settings, or Facebook Stories are not accessible to external tools. If the content requires you to log in to see it, it cannot be downloaded.

What Facebook Reels are and how they work

Facebook Reels are clips of up to 90 seconds in vertical format (9:16) that appear in the main feed, the Reels tab, and on user and page profiles. Unlike regular Facebook videos (which can be hours long), Reels are optimised for quick consumption, and the algorithm actively distributes them beyond the creator's follower circle.

Technically, Facebook stores Reels as MP4 files on its CDN servers. Unlike TikTok, the platform does not add its own watermark to the content, so the video you download is clean.

How to download a Facebook Reel step by step

1. Open Facebook on the app or in the browser and navigate to the Reel you want to download.
2. Copy the link: in the app, tap the three dots (⋯) in the corner of the Reel and select "Copy link". In the desktop browser, copy the URL from the address bar or use the video options menu → "Copy link".
3. Go to PullVid: open PullVid in the same tab or a new one.
4. Paste the link in the search field and click the download button.
5. Select the quality: PullVid will show you the available options (typically HD 720p or 1080p). Choose the one you prefer.
6. Download the file: the Reel will be saved to your device as an MP4.

Downloading Facebook Reels on mobile (Android and iPhone)

On Android

On Android, Chrome saves the file directly to the Downloads folder on your phone. From there you can open it with your gallery app or any video player, or move it to the folder of your choice using the file manager.

On iPhone (iOS)

On iPhone, Safari will ask for confirmation before downloading the file. Once accepted, the MP4 will be in the Files app, in the Downloads folder. To move it to your photo roll, long-press the file and select "Save to Photos".

Downloading Facebook Reels on a computer

On desktop the process is identical: copy the Reel link from Facebook.com, paste it into PullVid, and download. The file will go to your browser's default Downloads folder. On Windows you will find it in File Explorer; on Mac, in Finder.

What quality do Facebook Reels download in?

The available quality depends on what the creator originally uploaded. Most Reels are available in HD (720p or 1080p). Facebook transcodes videos when they are uploaded, so the maximum available quality corresponds to what Facebook stores on its servers — not necessarily the creator's original file.

There is no quality loss in the download process: PullVid downloads the file exactly as Facebook serves it, without additional re-encoding. It would not be accurate to claim the quality is "identical to the original" because Facebook compresses videos on upload (as every platform does), but what you get is the highest-quality version Facebook has available.

Is it legal to download Facebook Reels?

Legality has two separate layers:

• Facebook's Terms of Service: Meta's ToS prohibit downloading content without explicit authorisation. However, the ToS is a private contract between the user and Meta, not criminal law; breaching it may result in account suspension, not legal consequences.
• Copyright: the video belongs to the creator, not to Facebook. Downloading it for private personal use (offline viewing, personal reference) is tolerated in most European countries under the private copying exception. Redistributing it, publishing it as your own, or using it commercially without the creator's permission DOES infringe copyright.

The practical rule: download public Reels for personal use, do not redistribute them without credit, and do not use them commercially without permission.

Why not use third-party apps to download Facebook Reels?

There are many applications on Google Play and the App Store that promise to download Facebook videos. Most have serious problems:

• They request excessive permissions (contacts, camera, full storage access).
• They include aggressive advertising or unsolicited pop-ups.
• Some collect browsing data or account information.
• They frequently break when Facebook changes its internal structure.

With PullVid you do not need to install anything: everything works from the browser, without accounts, without sign-up, and without granting any app permissions.

Can you download other Facebook videos too?

In addition to Reels, PullVid can download regular feed videos from Facebook (Watch, videos from public pages, videos in open groups). For a complete guide covering all types of Facebook video, see how to download Facebook videos.