Right-clicking on a desktop sometimes lets you "Save video as" on Facebook, but it usually gives you an encrypted blob file that will not play anywhere. On mobile, there is no right-click at all. The platform intentionally limits download options, which pushes people toward third-party solutions like MyVideoCity's Facebook video downloader.
Public vs Private Facebook Videos
The most important thing to understand before you try to download a Facebook video is the privacy setting on that post. Facebook gives creators and users granular control over who can see their content: Public, Friends, Friends of Friends, or specific lists. Only public videos are accessible through an external downloader.
If a video is set to "Friends only" or more restricted, it requires being logged in with an account that has access. No external tool can bypass this because the restriction is enforced at the server level. If you try to download a friends-only video using MyVideoCity, the system will either fail to retrieve it or return an error. This is by design, not a bug.
For public videos, including most news pages, sports clips, brand videos, and public community posts, the downloader works consistently well.
Getting the Facebook Video Link
Finding the right link to paste is the step where people sometimes get tripped up. On desktop, you want the direct post URL, not a shared link or a watch page URL. Click on the video to open it, then copy the URL from your browser's address bar. It should look something like facebook.com/watch?v=NUMBERS or facebook.com/username/videos/NUMBERS.
On mobile, tap the three dots on the Facebook post and select "Copy link." This gives you the post link which works perfectly with MyVideoCity.
Once you have the link, paste it into the input field at MyVideoCity and click the download button. The tool processes the link and presents you with the available quality options.
Quality Options for Facebook Videos
Facebook serves videos in multiple quality tiers depending on what the uploader provided and how Facebook processed it. You will typically see options for HD (720p or 1080p) and SD (360p or 480p). The HD option is almost always worth choosing unless you are on a slow connection and need a smaller file size.
Facebook Reels, which have become more prominent since Meta tried to compete with TikTok, are also downloadable through the same process. The format is MP4, same as standard Facebook videos, and the quality is generally 720p for Reels.
Facebook Videos on iPhone and Android
Android users will find the download process completely straightforward. The MP4 file saves to the Downloads folder and is immediately playable in any video app.
iPhone users should be aware of the same Safari quirk mentioned in other guides. When a video link opens in Safari instead of downloading, hold your finger on the video and choose "Download Video" from the menu. This saves it to the Files app. Using Chrome on iOS tends to give you a more direct download experience without the extra step.
Facebook Live Videos and Archived Streams
When someone goes live on Facebook and the stream ends, it often gets archived as a public video on their page. These archived live videos are downloadable the same way as any other public Facebook video. Paste the post link and the tool retrieves the recorded stream.
Live streams that are actively happening cannot be downloaded in real time through this method. You need to wait for the stream to end and the archive to be posted before a download link becomes available.
Group Videos and Marketplace Clips
Facebook groups can have their own privacy settings independent of the post. A video in a public group is accessible. A video in a private group is not. Same principle applies to Marketplace listings that include video clips, which are generally part of a public or semi-public listing and tend to be accessible.
Using Downloaded Facebook Videos Responsibly
Facebook hosts an enormous amount of content that belongs to other people: news organizations, businesses, individual creators, and private users who chose to post publicly. Downloading for personal offline use is one thing. Redistributing that content or presenting it as your own is where things become problematic legally.
The terms governing this tool are clear that it is for personal use. If there is content you need for a legitimate commercial purpose, the right approach is to contact the creator directly and get proper permission.
If you need video downloading from other platforms, see our complete guides for downloading TikTok videos, saving Instagram Reels, and grabbing videos from X (Twitter). Each guide covers the specific quirks of that platform.
Install MyVideoCity as an App for Faster Facebook Downloads
If you regularly come across Facebook videos worth saving, installing MyVideoCity on your phone's home screen will save you a significant amount of time. It installs like an app but comes directly from the browser, so there is no Play Store or App Store involved. The result is a full-screen icon on your home screen that opens MyVideoCity without any browser chrome getting in the way.
On Android, the process is simple. Open MyVideoCity in Chrome, tap the three-dot menu at the top right, and select "Add to Home screen" or "Install app." Confirm the name and the icon drops onto your home screen straight away. If Chrome shows an install prompt banner at the bottom of the browser while you are on the site, you can also use that instead.
On iPhone, open MyVideoCity in Safari. Chrome on iPhone does not support home screen installation because of Apple's restrictions. Tap the Share button at the bottom of the Safari browser, which is the square icon with an upward arrow. Scroll down through the options until you see "Add to Home Screen." Tap it, confirm the name, and tap "Add" in the top right corner. The app icon appears on your home screen and opens full-screen, just like a downloaded app from the App Store.
Share Facebook Videos Directly to Download — No Switching Apps
Facebook's share system works slightly differently from TikTok or Instagram, but the core idea is the same. Once MyVideoCity is installed as an app on your Android phone, it registers as a valid share destination. That means when you tap the Share button on any public Facebook post, MyVideoCity appears in the list of apps you can send it to.
To use this, find the Facebook video you want to save. Tap the Share button below the post. In the list that appears, look for "More options" or scroll through until you see the MyVideoCity app icon. Tap it. MyVideoCity opens, and the Facebook post link is already filled into the URL input. No copying, no pasting, no switching back and forth between apps. The URL arrives on its own because of how the Web Share Target API works.
From there you pick the quality and download. The HD version saves as an MP4 file directly to your phone. The entire process from tapping Share in Facebook to having the video saved is roughly ten to fifteen seconds.
On iPhone, the Web Share Target integration does not work quite the same way because of how iOS handles PWA share targets. On iPhone, the most practical approach is to copy the Facebook link, open MyVideoCity from your home screen, paste the link, and download. It is still faster than using a browser tab every time because the app opens instantly from your home screen without loading anything fresh.