Facebook Video Downloader Not Working? 9 Fixes

What Does Each Error Message Mean?

Each error message names the problem, so start by matching yours to the table and jumping to the fix.

Fixes 1–3: Link and Video Problems

Most lookups fail because the pasted link isn’t a link to a public video, so check the link first.

1. Check that the link points to a video

The downloader needs the address of the video itself, not of the profile, Page or photo around it. Supported links look like facebook.com/…/videos/…, facebook.com/watch/?v=…, facebook.com/reel/…, facebook.com/share/v/… or /share/r/…, and fb.watch/…; posts with a video, public group posts and m.facebook.com links work too.

1. Open the video or Reel itself, not the profile that posted it.
2. In the Facebook app, tap Share and choose Copy link.
3. On a computer, open the video on its own page and copy the URL from the address bar.
4. Paste the whole link — a cut-off link can’t be found.

2. Make sure the video is public

Only videos shared with the Public audience can be downloaded. If the owner picked Friends, Only me or a custom audience, or posted in a private group, you’ll see “This video isn’t public.” — even though you can watch it while logged in. A small globe icon next to the post date means the post is public.

3. Wait for live videos to end, and open stories elsewhere

A live broadcast can be downloaded only after it ends and the replay is posted; the same link works then. Stories aren’t regular videos, so open story links in our sister tool, Facebook Story Viewer. A deleted video is gone for good — no downloader can bring it back.

Fixes 4–5: Download Problems

If the video was found but the file won’t save, the download link has expired or the browser is playing it instead.

4. Paste the link again when a download stops working

Facebook’s download links are signed and expire after a few hours. If you left the results open and a Download button now fails, paste the video link into the free Facebook video downloader again to get fresh links.

5. Save the file instead of playing it in the browser

Some browsers open an MP4 in a player instead of saving it. On a phone, long-press the Download button and choose Download linked file; on a computer, right-click it and choose Save link as. Safari on iPhone and iPad saves to the Files app → Downloads, Chrome on Android saves to Downloads (and Gallery), and computers use the Downloads folder.

Fixes 6–7: Sound and Playback Problems

A silent or unplayable file usually means the wrong file was picked or the player doesn’t support its codec.

6. Choose a file with sound

Every video file the tool lists has sound: HD (usually 720p), SD 360p and — when the video was uploaded in higher quality — 1080p, 1440p or 4K files whose picture and sound are joined on the server. A silent file usually came from a picture-only track or a screen recording; download it again here. If the video is silent on Facebook, no file will have sound. For audio only, pick M4A or use the FB to MP3 converter.

7. Play AV1 files in a compatible player

The 1080p, 1440p and 4K files use the AV1 codec. They play in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, VLC, most Android phones and Windows 11; Windows 10 may need Microsoft’s free AV1 Video Extension, and older iPhones and Macs may not play AV1 at all. If you get a black screen or an error, open the file in VLC or download the 720p file, which plays everywhere. Facebook video quality explained covers which resolution to choose.

Fixes 8–9: Connection Problems

When the error mentions requests, timeouts or the network, the fix is waiting a moment or clearing the path.

8. Wait a minute after “Too many requests”

“Too many requests in one minute.” is a short limit that keeps the service fast for everyone — wait a minute and try again. “Facebook didn’t respond in time.” means Facebook answered slowly; retry a minute later.

9. Turn off blockers and VPNs, and check your connection

Ad blockers, content blockers and some VPNs can stop the lookup or the download. Pause them for the site, or try another browser such as Chrome or Safari. On a slow or mobile connection, the SD 360p file is much smaller and more likely to finish.