In VK, users love to share photos and videos, leaving them on their pages, in comments, or personal messages. Let's analyze the simplest and most popular ways to save videos from VKontakte to a computer or smartphone.

How to download videos from VK to a computer

You can download videos from VKontakte to your computer in various ways. You can install a browser extension (also called plugins), use download sites, or code inspectors. Let's consider each of them.

Note: if you try to download a video from a closed public group, you most likely won't be able to do so.

Plugins

The simplest and most convenient way to save videos from VK is to install plugins or browser extensions. With them, you will be able to safely save everything you need. Note: there may be several plugins for each browser, you only need to choose the one you like the most. For example:

• VK Flex for Chrome;
• VK video saver for Chrome;
• Flash Video Downloader for Chrome;
• SaveFrom.net helper for Opera (link: savefrom.net);
• Skyload for Opera;
• Any Media Downloader for Opera;
• VidSaver for Mozilla Firefox;
• SaveFrom.net for Mozilla Firefox (link: savefrom.net);
• Video DownloadHelper for Mozilla Firefox.

All plugins work on the same principle. For example, let's take VK video saver for Chrome.

1. Install VK video saver for Chrome. To do this, go to the link and click the "Download" button. When the plugin downloads, close the popup window thanking you for installing.
2. Go to the page of the desired video and find the download button. Hint: it's located at the bottom of the video.
3. Now you need to choose the quality of the video being saved. As soon as you click on one of the lines, the video download will start immediately.

Photo and video downloader sites from VKontakte

Unlike plugins that are browser-specific, downloader sites do not need to be downloaded, and each of them works in any browser. The most popular ones are GetVideo.at, Savefrom.net, Video Downloader, Video Grabber. These services work approximately by the same scheme. For example, let's take GetVideo.at.

1. You need to copy the link to the video from VK. Note: this should be a link to the video itself, not to a post. Copy the contents of the address bar or right-click on the running video and select "Copy video link".
2. Go to the GetVideo.at site and paste the copied link into the field. Click the "Find" button.
3. Now select the appropriate video quality and download everything you need!

Code inspector

If the video was sent to you in private messages, you can download it in two ways. The simplest is to ask the message author to choose "document" when attaching. This way you can download the video immediately, without additional manipulations.

If this is not possible, use the code inspector. This method is a bit more complicated but effective.

1. In the dialog window, slightly change the address bar. Add the letter m before vk.com to get mvk.com or m.vk.co. Refresh the page. Now you are in the mobile version of the social network, but on a PC.
2. Click on the desired video — it will open in a separate window. Then right-click on an empty area and select view page code in the dropdown menu.
3. Find the video in the page code. For this, in Windows or Linux press Ctrl+L, and in macOS — Cmd+F. In the opened window, enter mp4 — and you will see the desired line. A link will be left of the letters, click on it. After that, the video download will automatically start.

A new page with the video may also open, where you will need to right-click and select "Save video".

How to download videos to a smartphone

Downloading videos from VKontakte to the phone is quite simple. Just open the application, open the video and click on the three dots. In the dropdown menu, you need to select "Save video".

Also, use applications or downloader sites for phones. Note: some work only for Android. If you have an iPhone, you will need to use online services in a browser.

Applications for Android

The first step: install an application for downloading videos. The most popular are "VK Video Master", Nova Video Downloader. The first one works only with VKontakte, the other two allow downloading the necessary files from other social networks and platforms.

The second step: you need to copy the link to the video in VK. The application automatically recognizes the clip in the clipboard and immediately offers several download options of different quality. By the way, "VK Video Master" downloads clips in high quality only for an additional fee. Free — in quality 480p and below.

Services for downloading videos from VKontakte for phones

The principle of downloading videos from VK to the phone is the same as on a computer. And the services are the same: GetVideo.at, Savefrom.net, Video Downloader, Video Grabber.

Is it necessary to respect copyrights when downloading

There are many services for saving photos or videos from VKontakte. After all, you can make a screen recording using FastStone Capure or even record a video from the screen using a phone.

But you should always remember about the copyrights on images. You can download and edit them, but the rights holder will still be the author of the photo or video. Therefore, when publishing even a part of an image in your accounts, you must always indicate its author. Even better — get the author's permission to use their content.

Public and commercial use of someone else's images and videos is only possible with the author's written permission. Otherwise, it is a copyright infringement, which is punishable by significant fines.

So, now you know that downloading videos from VK is actually not difficult, regardless of what you have at your disposal: a smartphone, tablet, or computer. The most important thing is to remember copyrights and only save what is truly necessary.