Download videos and GIFs from X (Twitter)

X (formerly Twitter) is one of the platforms with the most viral videos on the internet: news clips, sports moments, animated memes, and GIFs shared millions of times. The problem is that the platform has no native button to download any of that content. This guide explains how to download both videos and GIFs from X simply, for free, and without installing anything.

For general context on downloading videos from any platform, check the ultimate guide to downloading videos. If you are also interested in other social networks, we have specific guides for downloading Facebook videos and for converting to MP3 if you only need the audio.

Videos and GIFs on X: how they work (GIFs are actually MP4 videos)

There is a very common misconception: on X, animated GIFs are not real GIFs. When you upload or embed a GIF in a tweet, X automatically converts it to a silent, looping MP4 video file. This has several important implications for users:

• GIFs download as MP4: not as .gif. What you get is a silent looping video file, which takes up far less space than an equivalent GIF and has better quality.
• There is no technical difference between a GIF and a short video: both are MP4. The distinction is purely visual: GIFs have no sound and loop continuously.
• Can I convert it to a real GIF?: yes, with conversion tools you can turn the downloaded MP4 into an animated .gif, though the resulting file will be significantly heavier.
• Why does X do this?: the MP4 format is far more efficient than GIF: the same animation at up to 10 times less file size. It is a technical decision that improves the experience on mobile and slow connections.

In practice, this means PullVid's Twitter downloader works the same for videos and GIFs: in both cases you get a downloadable MP4 file.

How to download a video from X step by step

The process with PullVid is the same for videos and GIFs. No account needed, no apps to install, and it works from any browser:

1. Open the tweet on X: navigate to the tweet that contains the video or GIF you want to save. Make sure the account is public.
2. Copy the tweet link: tap the share icon (upward arrow) and select "Copy link". On desktop, you can also copy the URL from the address bar — it will have the format x.com/username/status/123456.
3. Paste the link into PullVid's Twitter downloader: open the downloader in your browser and paste the link into the search field. PullVid analyzes the tweet in seconds.
4. Choose the quality: if the video has multiple resolutions available (e.g. 360p, 720p, and 1080p), select the one you prefer. For GIFs, there is usually only one option.
5. Download: press the download button. The MP4 file will be saved directly to your device.

The whole process takes under a minute. Both x.com and twitter.com links are supported: PullVid accepts both domains with no adjustment needed.

How to download a GIF from X (and get it as MP4 or GIF)

As we explained, GIFs on X are actually silent MP4 videos. To download one:

1. Copy the link to the tweet containing the GIF (same as for any video).
2. Paste it into PullVid's Twitter downloader.
3. PullVid will automatically detect that it is a GIF and offer the MP4 file for download.
4. If you prefer a .gif file instead of .mp4, you can convert it afterward with an online conversion tool such as Ezgif or Convertio.

Keep in mind that a .gif of the same video can weigh between 5 and 20 times more than the equivalent .mp4. For most purposes — sharing on WhatsApp, Telegram, or saving to your device — the MP4 format is the more practical option.

From mobile

PullVid is fully optimized for mobile. The process is the same as on desktop, with one small difference in how you copy the link in the X app:

• On Android: open the tweet in the X app, tap the share icon (upward arrow), and select "Copy link to Tweet". Then open Chrome, go to PullVid, and paste the link.
• On iPhone: the flow is identical. Tap Share → "Copy link". Safari will handle the download and the file will appear in the Files app. From there, press and hold the file and select "Save to Photos".
• From the mobile browser: if you are using X directly in the browser (not the app), copy the URL from the address bar. It works just as well.

For more details on managing downloads from mobile in general — including solutions to the most common problems on iOS and Android — see the guide to downloading videos on mobile without apps.

Quality and available formats

The quality of videos on X depends on what the original creator uploaded. The platform accepts videos up to 1080p (Full HD), though many viral clips are uploaded at lower resolutions. Here is what you will typically find:

• 1080p (Full HD): the maximum quality X supports. Available on videos uploaded with good source resolution.
• 720p (HD): the most common resolution for X videos. A good balance between quality and file size.
• 480p and 360p: available for videos uploaded at low quality or that X has reduced due to platform limits.
• GIFs (silent MP4): typically at a single resolution, depending on the original GIF. Usually small file sizes.

X does not support 4K or 2K: the maximum resolution is 1920×1080. If the original video was recorded in 4K, X will have reduced it to 1080p on upload. PullVid always downloads the highest quality available for that specific tweet.

If you only want the audio from the video (for example, an interview or a music clip), consider using PullVid's convert to MP3 feature after downloading the video.