How to download Twitter images in full original quality

The photo you see in your X timeline is not the file the author uploaded. X keeps several resized copies of every image and shows you whichever fits the screen, often a medium-sized one. Right-click, "Save image as", and that smaller copy is what you get. Here is how to get the largest version X has.

How X stores images

Every photo on X lives on its media server, pbs.twimg.com, at an address like this:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GXaBcDeFgHiJkLm?format=jpg&name=small

The name parameter picks the size. X accepts a handful of values:

orig is the one you want. Keep in mind that X re-compresses most uploads, so even the original-size copy is usually not byte-for-byte the file the author posted. It is, however, the best copy that exists on X.

Method 1: the name=orig trick (no tools)

1. Click the photo in the post to open it full-screen.
2. Right-click the image and choose Open image in new tab.
3. In the address bar, replace the value after name= (for example small or large) with orig, and press Enter.
4. Right-click the now full-size image and choose Save image as.

Some older links use a different style, ending in .jpg:large. The same idea works there: change the ending to :orig.

The trick works on phones too: open x.com in the browser, long-press the photo, open it in a new tab and edit the address. It gets tedious quickly for posts with four photos, which is where a downloader earns its place.

Method 2: one click for every photo in a post

Twitter Video Downloader saves photos at their original size from the same download button it uses for videos. On a post with a gallery, one click saves all of its images, named so they stay in order and never overwrite each other.

1. Install the extension from the Chrome Web Store.
2. On x.com, click the download icon in the row of buttons under the post.
3. Every image in the post is saved to your Downloads folder in original size.

In the settings you can name files by account, post ID and date, and group each account's images into its own folder. That matters if you save artwork or reference images and want to know later where each one came from.

Profile pictures and headers

Profile photos follow a similar pattern. Open someone's avatar in a new tab and you will see an address ending in something like _normal.jpg or _400x400.jpg. Delete that suffix, so the address ends in just .jpg, and X serves the full-size upload.

Header (banner) images are shown at their stored size already. Open the header on the profile page, then right-click and save it.

Getting the best-looking file

• Check the format. If the address says format=png, the image was kept as PNG, which is lossless. Do not change it to jpg, or you will get a re-encoded copy.
• Look for the source. Artists and photographers often link their portfolio in their bio. The copy there is usually larger and less compressed than anything on X.
• Skip screenshots. A screenshot captures the image at your screen's resolution and adds a second round of compression.

Frequently asked questions

Why can't I right-click and save the image directly on x.com?

You can, but in the timeline you are saving the resized preview, not the largest copy. Opening the image in its own tab and switching the address to name=orig is what gets you the full size.

Is name=orig the exact file the author uploaded?

Usually not. X strips metadata such as camera and location data, and re-compresses large or heavy JPEGs. You get the largest, cleanest version X keeps, which is as close to the upload as you can get from X.

How do I save a GIF from a post?

GIFs on X are stored as short videos, not images, so the URL trick does not apply. See how to save GIFs from Twitter as real .gif files.

Does the person who posted the photo get notified?

No. Opening or saving an image does not notify anyone. Reusing it publicly is a different question; see is it legal to download Twitter media?