Facebook Reels are easy to enjoy and hard to keep — there's no real download button. VidLoader saves a public Reel as a normal video file so you can watch it offline or reuse it. Here's the quick version, with screenshots.

Why keep a Facebook Reel offline?

Facebook Reels disappear from your feed as quickly as they arrive, and there's no built-in way to keep one. If a Reel is genuinely useful — a recipe, a repair walkthrough, a highlight from a local team — you'll want it somewhere reliable rather than hoping you can find it again by scrolling. Downloading it as a video file means it's on your computer for good, ready to watch without a connection or share with someone who isn't on Facebook. VidLoader keeps the original vertical frame so it looks exactly as it did in the app.

What you'll need

The VidLoader desktop app (free to download) — get it at vidloader.com
A public Facebook Reel link (open the Reel → Share → Copy link)
Under a minute

Step 1 — Paste the Reel link

Open Add and paste the Facebook Reel URL. VidLoader shows a preview so you can confirm the clip. Keep the format on Video (MP4).

The VidLoader Add screen with a Facebook Reel link pasted in

Leave the quality on Optimal unless you want a specific resolution.

Step 2 — Download from the Queue

Press Download and open the Queue to watch the progress bar. Reels are short, so the download finishes quickly.

A Facebook Reel downloading in the VidLoader queue

Step 3 — Find it in Clips

The Reel lands in your Clips library with its thumbnail and page name. Play it in VidLoader or open the MP4 to use it elsewhere.

A saved Facebook Reel in the VidLoader Clips library

Public content and file details

As with other platforms, VidLoader saves Facebook Reels that are publicly viewable or that your own signed-in session can already reach — it doesn't work around privacy settings. The file you get is a standard MP4 in the Reel's original vertical shape, so it plays in any media player and slots straight into an editor if you want to reuse a clip. Because Reels are short, downloads finish almost instantly and take up very little space, which makes it easy to keep a whole collection. If you'd rather have just the sound from a Reel — a piece of music or a voiceover — switch the format to Audio before you download and you'll get an MP3 instead of the video. If you're collecting Reels from a particular page over time, downloading them as you find them beats hoping the feed will surface them again — Facebook's ordering is unpredictable, and a saved file never disappears. Keeping them in one library also makes it easy to revisit a whole set of recipes or highlights in one place.

Tips for better downloads

Public Reels only — VidLoader saves content your account can already view.
Saving a live broadcast? See how to save a Facebook live video.
Want the audio only? Switch to Audio (MP3) on the Add screen.

Frequently asked questions

Can I download any Facebook Reel? You can save public Reels. Private or restricted content that requires a login isn't downloaded unless your own session can already view it.

What file do I get? A standard MP4 that plays in any video player and keeps the vertical Reel frame.

Do I need a Facebook account? Not for public Reels. You just need the link.

Download VidLoader

Keep the Facebook Reels worth saving. Download VidLoader — it's a free download for Windows, macOS, and Linux.