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Want to download a public video off Facebook? You have no shortage of options. There are dozens of sites and you can also download them straight from Facebook without any third-party tools. But how do you download a private Facebook video?
Private Facebook videos are a different proposition. Because they are, well, private, so you cannot grab a copy of the video so quickly. That’s not to say that it isn’t possible—there are just a few more steps you need to work through before you can make the copy.
If you want to know how to download private Facebook videos, keep reading. We’re going to introduce you to some of the best tools for downloading private videos from Facebook with ease.
Available on: Web
As you will soon discover, many of the sites we’re going to introduce you to in this article use exactly the same trick to download private Facebook videos. They almost always involve grabbing a copy of the Facebook video’s source code and pasting it somewhere into the tool.
Despite the growing competition, one web app has been at the front of the pack for a long time—FBDown.net.
The site has two separate tools. There’s one for downloading public Facebook videos and one for downloading private Facebook videos.
To use FBDown to download private videos from Facebook, follow the step-by-step instructions below:
- Navigate to fbdown.net/private-downloader.php in your web browser.
- In a new tab, log into Facebook and go to the page of the video you want to download.
- If you’re using Windows, press Ctrl + U. If you’re using a Mac, press Command + Option + U. This shortcut will show you the web page’s source code.
- Copy the source code into the box on FBDown.net.
- Click Download.
(Note: You need to visit the video’s unique URL. The process will not work if you copy the source code from your news feed, a profile page, or any other Facebook page where you can see the video.)
Available on: Google Chrome
If you want to avoid using a website to download private Facebook videos, you are in luck. FBDown has also made a Chrome web app called Video Downloader PLUS. You can install it in your browser to quickly grab videos as you see them.
Best of all, the tool works with far more than just Facebook. Indeed, you can use Video Downloader PLUS to download all the most popular types of media from just about any website (assuming it doesn’t have various DRM restrictions and copyright locks set up).
Video Downloader PLUS is free to download and use. The tool still receives regular updates, so you can be confident it will not be a security threat to your browser.
Available on: Web
If you don’t like using FBDown to download private Facebook videos, there are a few other services on the web that are worth checking out.
FBDownloader, for example, offers the same functionality. Just copy and paste the video page source code into the on-screen box and click on Download to let the tool do its thing.
When the processing is complete, right-click on the video’s thumbnail, select Save As, and give the file a name.
You can also use FBDownloader to download private Facebook videos on mobile
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.
Available on: Web
Another of the sites that let you download private Facebook videos is Vidsaver.
Once again, the same process applies. Grab the video’s source code by press Ctrl + U on Windows or Command + Option + U on a Mac. Paste the code into the web app and hit Fetch.
Vidsaver also offers a tool for downloading public Facebook videos. If needed, you can click on Public Video at the bottom of the page to jump into the other interface.
Available on: Web
This is a different site that works on the same principle. Copy and paste the page’s code and press Download.
Other tools on oDownloader let you grab content from Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and more. The site also offers some basic video conversion tools.
Like all the other web apps on this list, you can use the tool to download private Facebook videos on your smartphone as well.
Available on: Web
Realistically, all these apps do the same thing. You’ll only need to get this far down the list if something unexpected happens.
PasteDownload performs the same task. It offers yet another simple way to download private Facebook videos by copying and pasting the video’s source code.
Available on: Web
Getfvid provides two tools. One for downloading public Facebook videos, and one for downloading private Facebook videos.
The download process remains identical. Grab the code, paste it in, and enjoy the video offline again. But before thinking of sharing it again, do follow the points below.
Download Private Facebook Videos Ethically
If you use one of these tools to download private Facebook videos, please do so in an ethical way. Remember, if a person has made a video private, it’s probably for a good reason. It might contain personal data, sensitive information, or other compromising footage.
You should not distribute another person’s private material in a public forum without their permission. In the case of artists, musicians, and other creative professionals, doing so could even land you in trouble with the law.
Learn More About Downloading Facebook Videos
So, what’s the takeaway? It’s simple to download private Facebook videos. Sure, the process isn’t quite as simple as downloading public videos. But once you’ve done it a couple of times, you can go through lots of videos in rapid-fire.
If you would like to learn more about how to find videos on Facebook, make sure you read our other article about how to find Facebook videos that are worth watching. We have also rounded up some of the best tools for downloading other online videos
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