Unlocking TikTok: A Step-by-Step Guide to Downloading Your Favorite Videos

Feeling an unexpected urge to archive your TikTok videos in case the platform suddenly disappears? Here are some ways for non-technical users who want copies of the clips they have personally uploaded or created on TikTok. You can also obtain a copy of your TikTok data directly from your account, which won’t provide the video files themselves but will offer other items such as your direct messages and follower list.

Here’s how to proceed.

Download Single Videos

If you merely want to save a few beloved videos you created spontaneously, grabbing them individually is quite simple. To download a video on an Android device or iPhone, navigate to your TikTok profile page, select a clip, tap the three-dot menu icon located on the right side of the screen, and select Save Video. You can then email it to yourself, upload it to Google Drive (or another cloud storage solution), or save it to the Files app or designated downloads section on your phone. Repeat as required until you have all the desired videos.

You can also download videos using a computer by logging into your account on the TikTok website and right-clicking on a video. A pop-up menu with the option to Download Video should appear. Keep in mind that when downloading directly from the web browser, the videos usually contain a TikTok watermark.

If you do not see a download option in the menu or encounter difficulties saving a video, ensure that the video or your account is set to public instead of private.

Download All Your Videos

YouTube and other platforms (including TikTok itself) are brimming with tutorial videos on how to download all your TikTok clips simultaneously using various third-party applications, websites, and procedures of varying technical complexity. However, be aware that third-party applications can vary in terms of safety and dependability — and some bulk-downloading tools may infringe upon TikTok’s terms of service. Additionally, some audio tracks are copyrighted and can’t be uploaded elsewhere.

If your objective is simply to quickly obtain archival copies of your personal videos from your account, one option is to utilize a browser extension on your computer that is intended to download all the videos on a page without watermarks. Using Google Chrome, for example, search the Chrome Web Store for TikTok Downloader; there are numerous extensions available with descriptions and reviews. Install the one that suits you best and review its instructions. (TikTok Video Keeper was utilized in this illustration.)

Once you have installed the browser extension and returned to your TikTok profile page, click the Download All button to save copies of your clips to your computer. Some extensions may also provide a download button on individual videos if you experience issues with downloading everything in one go.

Download Your Information

Similar to other social media platforms, TikTok enables you to download details about your account to your mobile device or computer. This data dump includes your activities on the site (such as browsing history, comments, your followers list, and more), your direct messages, and a text file of your posts with associated links to the videos.

To request your account data, open the TikTok app, navigate to your profile page, and tap the three-line menu icon in the upper-right corner. From the menu, select Settings and Privacy, and on the next screen, select Account. Then choose Download Your Data from the menu. (If you prefer to do this on the TikTok website using a computer browser, click your profile icon in the upper-right corner, select Settings, and in the Privacy menu under Data, click Download Your Data.)

On the Download TikTok Data screen, select All Data or tap Custom to request specific files, such as direct messages sent and received. Choose a file format, either plain text (the default option and simpler for non-technical users) or JSON (JavaScript Object Notation), a format that can be imported by other social media platforms. After making your selections, tap the Request Data button.

Depending on your account, receiving the files can take anywhere from a few minutes to several days. Once your files are ready, you will receive a notification from TikTok and a Download button will appear in the Download Data tab. Click it to retrieve your files, which will be compressed in a folder labeled TikTok that will go to wherever you direct your downloads, such as your phone’s Files app or your computer’s Downloads directory.

If you selected the default text format, a series of nested folders should be visible once you open the downloaded TikTok folder. Open the folders and access a document to view your messages. The Posts.txt file contains a record of all your videos shared on TikTok. You can copy the link for each video and paste it into your web browser to download it from there.

While TikTok’s landscape may be more precarious than that of other social media platforms, it also serves as a reminder to maintain backup copies of the content you share on any platform, so you do not risk losing your creations if something unforeseen occurs.