Twitter (now called X) is full of viral videos, news clips, and tutorials — but there’s no built-in download button. This guide shows how to download videos from Twitter/X including short links, GIFs, and quote tweets.
What is Twitter/X?
Twitter (rebranded to X in 2023) is a micro-blogging social network where posts (now called posts) can contain text, images, videos, and GIFs. Videos are usually under 2 minutes, uncompressed, and easy to download.
How to download Twitter/X videos
Method 1: Using a downloader (recommended)
- Open the tweet with the video.
- Copy the full URL:
- Long link:
https://twitter.com/<user>/status/<ID> - Short link:
https://x.co/...orhttps://t.co/...
- Long link:
- Paste into the Twitter/X downloader on AllFreeDownload.
- Select quality (if available) and download.
The tool handles short links automatically, expands them, and extracts the video.
Method 2: Manual download from Twitter
- Open the tweet, right-click the video → Inspect (press F12).
- Find the
<video>tag or<source src="...">element. - Copy the video URL → open in a new tab → right-click Save video.
Note: Twitter is JavaScript-heavy, so you must wait for the DOM to fully load before the video tag appears.
Method 3: Share button → Copy link → Downloader
- Twitter app: Tap Share → Copy link → paste into downloader.
- Web: Copy from the address bar directly.
Types of Twitter videos you can download
| Type | Downloadable? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Regular video tweet | ✅ Yes | Most common, quality from 360p to 1080p |
| GIF (stored as video) | ✅ Yes | Twitter stores GIFs as silent MP4 files |
| Video reply/quote tweet | ✅ Yes | Standard URL, downloads fine |
| Short link (t.co) | ✅ Yes | Downloader automatically expands |
| Retweet video | ✅ Yes | Copy from original tweet |
| Space (podcast/audio) | ❌ No | Audio stream, not video |
| DM video (private) | ❌ No | Twitter requires login, tool can’t access |
Twitter video quality
Twitter doesn’t compress heavily, so videos are decent:
- 360p = fine for phone viewing.
- 720p = clear on desktop.
- 1080p = if uploader posted full HD.
Quality depends on what the uploader posted — Twitter caps at 1080p max.
Downloading GIFs from Twitter?
Twitter doesn’t have true GIF format — it converts them to silent MP4 video. So:
- Download from Twitter → MP4 with no audio (correct).
- If you need GIF back → convert MP4 to GIF later with FFmpeg or online tool.
When downloads fail
- Expired URL — Tweet deleted, account suspended.
- Private video — visible only to followers or DMs.
- Geographic blocks — content restricted by region.
- Space/audio stream — not downloadable.
Try reloading the link, or report the error to the downloader.
Copyright & responsible use
- Twitter videos often come from regular users or media — check the source.
- Only download videos you have permission to use (personal, public reuse-allowed).
- Don’t repost to another platform without crediting the original creator.
- Respect creators — if you use a viral video, mention the author or ask permission.
FAQ
Download GIF then convert back to GIF? Download as MP4, then use a separate tool (FFmpeg, online converter) to turn it back into GIF format if needed.
Do I need to log in to Twitter to download? Public videos don’t require login — only private/DM videos do.
Can I batch download a whole thread? No, one tweet at a time.
What’s t.co? Twitter’s URL shortener — compresses long URLs to save space. The downloader expands it automatically.
Why is the downloaded file silent if it’s a GIF? Because Twitter stores GIFs as silent MP4 — no audio track is included.
See also: Download TikTok without watermark, Best video downloader comparison.