How to Save a Facebook Reel to Your Phone or Computer

Reels are short vertical videos, and Facebook does not offer a general download button for them. If you want to keep a public Reel for offline viewing, or archive one you made yourself, a browser-based downloader is the simplest route. The result is an MP4 that keeps the original portrait framing.

This guide covers the link-copying step, where the file goes on each platform, and the limits that matter: public posts only, source-limited quality, and no permission to repost someone else’s work.

What is different about a Reel

Functionally, a Reel is a video with a vertical aspect ratio, usually 9:16. It downloads like any other public video, but two details matter. First, Reels move quickly in the feed, so copy the link while you are watching rather than trying to find it again later. Second, the vertical frame should be preserved; a tool that crops to square or adds black bars is changing the video.

A Reel from a private account or a friends-only post cannot be fetched. The same applies to a Reel that has been deleted. If the link does not open in a private browser window without logging in, the downloader will not be able to read it.

Step by step

1. 1Open the public Reel in the Facebook app or website.
2. 2Tap Share and choose Copy link. Do not copy the profile URL.
3. 3Go to fbsave.me and paste the link into the input box.
4. 4Wait for the Reel details to load, then choose Video.
5. 5Pick the highest quality offered. If only one option appears, that is the source ceiling.
6. 6Download the MP4 and save it to your device.

Where the file goes

On Android, the MP4 usually lands in Downloads and appears in the gallery after a moment. On iPhone, Safari saves it to Files; open the file, tap Share and choose Save Video to move it into Photos. On Windows or macOS, it goes to the Downloads folder and can be dragged into an editor.

If you cannot find the file, open the browser’s download list. The browser knows where it saved the file even when the gallery has not indexed it yet.

Quality and framing

The available resolutions come from the original upload. A Reel posted in 1080p will usually look sharper than one posted in 720p, and no downloader can add missing detail. Keep the highest option for archiving or editing; choose a lower one when you only need a quick offline copy and want to save space.

The vertical frame is preserved because that is how the source was uploaded. fbsave.me does not add a watermark, crop the edges or insert black bars. If the creator added a watermark, caption or sticker, it remains in the footage.

Saving your own Reels

If you made the Reel, downloading a copy is a reasonable way to keep an archive outside the app. Save the highest quality available, rename the file with the date and topic, and keep a backup. For a Reel made by someone else, ask before reposting. A download gives you a local copy, not permission to publish the work as your own.

If the Reel will not download

• Nothing loads. The Reel may be private, deleted or region-restricted. Test the link in a private window.
• The wrong video appears. You probably copied a profile or feed link. Copy the link from the Reel itself.
• The file is portrait but looks low quality. That reflects the upload, not the download. Check the original Reel on a large screen before assuming the tool degraded it.
• The download stops on mobile. Check free storage and keep the browser in the foreground until the file is saved.

Frequently asked questions