How to download Twitter videos on iPhone and Android

Saving a video from X on a phone is harder than on a computer, for two reasons. The X app does not offer a download button to most people, and the mobile versions of Safari and Chrome do not run browser extensions. What still works reliably is the browser's own download manager, plus one extra step on iPhone that most guides leave out.

Step 1 (both phones): copy the post's link

1. In the X app, open the post that contains the video.
2. Tap the Share icon under the post.
3. Tap Copy link.

The link looks like https://x.com/username/status/1234567890…, sometimes followed by ?s=46&t=…. That tail is tracking data and can be left as it is. More about link formats in how to download a Twitter video from a link.

iPhone: save a Twitter video to Photos

1. Open Safari and go to a Twitter video download website.
2. Paste the link into its box and tap the download or search button.
3. Choose the highest resolution offered. Safari asks whether you want to download the file: tap Download.
4. A download icon appears in the address bar. The file is saved in the Files app, in the Downloads folder (on iCloud Drive by default).
5. The step people miss: the video is not in Photos yet. Open it in Files, tap Share, then Save Video. Now it is in your camera roll.

If the video opens in a player instead of downloading, long-press the download link and choose Download Linked File. To keep downloads off iCloud, change the location in Settings, under Safari, Downloads.

Android: save a Twitter video to your gallery

1. Open Chrome and go to a Twitter video download website.
2. Paste the link and start the download.
3. Pick the highest resolution. Chrome shows a download bar or notification when the file is ready.
4. The MP4 is saved in the phone's Download folder. It shows up in Files by Google, and in most gallery apps under a "Download" album. In Google Photos, look in Collections, under On this device.

If Chrome plays the video instead of saving it, long-press the download link and choose Download link, or open the player's three-dot menu and tap Download.

Staying safe on download websites

Mobile download sites are where the worst advertising lives. A few rules keep you out of trouble:

• Ignore any page that says your phone is infected, slow or has won a prize. Close the tab.
• Never allow notifications from a download site.
• Never install an app, a keyboard or, on iPhone, a configuration profile that a download site pushes on you.
• If a big green "Download" button leads to an app store, it was an ad. The real link is usually plainer and labelled with a resolution such as 720p.

The easier route: download on a computer

If you have a computer nearby, saving there and sending the file to your phone is often quicker and gets you the best quality without any ads:

1. On the computer, click the download button that a Twitter video downloader extension adds under the post.
2. Send the file to your phone: AirDrop from a Mac to an iPhone, Quick Share from Windows to Android, or upload it to Google Photos or iCloud Photos and let it sync.

Avoid sending videos to yourself through WhatsApp, Messenger or similar apps if quality matters: they compress video on the way.

When screen recording is the better option

Screen recording is worth it when a download site cannot fetch the post, for example because X only shows it to signed-in users, and you only need a short clip:

• iPhone: add Screen Recording in Settings, under Control Center. Swipe down, tap the record button, play the video.
• Android: swipe down twice and tap Screen record. Choose to record media sound.

Crop the result in the Photos or Gallery editor. Expect lower quality than the original file, and the X interface around the video if you do not crop.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an app that downloads Twitter videos?

Yes, for Android and iPhone, but most are ad-funded wrappers around the same link-pasting process described above, often with in-app purchases on top. On iPhone especially, the Safari method needs nothing extra installed.

Why can't I download a video I can watch in the X app?

Download sites see X the way a signed-out visitor does. Videos from protected accounts, and some media X marks as sensitive, are not shown to signed-out visitors, so the site cannot reach them. See what X shows without an account.

Why is the saved video lower quality than in the app?

The site probably offered several resolutions and the first one was chosen. Pick the largest option, usually 720p or 1080p. X does not store videos above the resolution they were uploaded at, so no tool can do better than that.