How to Download Pinterest Videos (and Why the Option Is Often Missing)

That's the bit most guides skip. Pinterest doesn't treat video like images, where there's usually a download option on any Pin. With video, the person who made it decides, and plenty of creators leave the switch off.

Here's how downloading works, why the button disappears on some Pins, how to save your own videos and boards, and what to do if you're the creator. Everything below comes from Pinterest's own help centre.

Steps to save a video Pin to your device

1. Open the Pinterest app or pinterest.com and log in.
2. Tap or click the video Pin to open it.
3. Select the ellipsis icon (the three dots) on the Pin.
4. Choose Download from the menu.
5. Check your phone's photos or your computer's Downloads folder for the file.

If Download isn't in the menu, that video can't be saved. Pinterest says plainly that not all Pins can be downloaded, so a missing option usually means the creator hasn't allowed it rather than something being broken on your side.

Which videos you can and can't download

Type of video	Can you download it?	What decides it
Someone else's full-screen (9:16) video Pin	Only if allowed	The creator's Video Pin downloads setting
Someone else's video in another shape	Not covered by the setting	Pinterest says the setting only applies to full-screen video Pins
Your own video while you're creating a Pin	Yes	The download icon in the app's Pin editor
One of your public boards, as a video	Yes, in the app	The board needs five or more Pins

The watermark you'll see

When a creator turns downloads on, Pinterest adds a watermark of their username at the bottom of the downloaded video. That's deliberate: the clip keeps the creator's name on it wherever it ends up. If you're planning to repost a downloaded clip somewhere else, ask the creator first and credit them. The watermark is there to protect their work, not to be cropped out.

If you're the creator: switch downloads on or off

You control this for every one of your published full-screen video Pins at once. There's no per-video option in the help centre, so the switch applies across your account.

On a computer:

1. Log in to your Pinterest account.
2. Click the more-options icon at the bottom left of your screen.
3. Select Settings, then Social permissions.
4. Toggle Video Pin downloads on or off.
5. Click Save.

In the app, tap your profile picture at the bottom right, then your profile photo at the top left, then Social permissions (on some versions it's called Social permissions and activity) and use the Video Pin downloads toggle. On a business account, you reach settings through the ellipsis icon at the top right of your profile instead.

Saving your own video while you create a Pin

If you're making a video Pin in the app and want a copy for elsewhere, Pinterest's editor has a download icon that saves the image or video to your device. There's also a folder icon that keeps the Pin as a draft. It's handy when you've added text or effects in Pinterest and want the finished version for your other channels.

Turn a whole board into a video

This one surprises people. Pinterest can turn one of your boards into a short video you can download and post anywhere. The rules are specific:

• It's only available in the Android and iOS apps, not on the web.
• The board has to be public and hold five or more Pins.
• A board video can include up to 14 Pins.
• You can't choose the order the Pins appear in.
• Video Pins can't be included in a board video.

To make one, open the board in the app, tap to preview the board video, use the pencil icon if you want a different template or different Pins, then tap Download. If you've got enough Pins and still don't see the option, Pinterest says the board or your account may not be public.

When Download is greyed out or the file won't save

Pinterest's troubleshooting steps for downloads are simple, and they're worth trying in order:

• Try downloading from the home feed instead, using the ellipsis icon under the Pin.
• Try a desktop or mobile browser instead of the app.
• Close and reopen the app, then try again.
• Make sure your device has enough storage.
• Check Pinterest has permission to save to your photos.
• Update the Pinterest app.

Is a downloader website worth it?

You'll find plenty of sites promising to grab any Pinterest video. I'd steer clear. If the creator hasn't allowed downloads, they've made a choice about their work, and these sites often come with pop-ups and redirects you don't want on your phone. If you only want to watch it again, save the Pin to a board instead. It stays one tap away and the creator keeps the credit.

If you're using Pinterest for your business, you'll get more from making your own video Pins than from saving other people's. My guide to creating a Pin on Pinterest walks through it, and if Pinterest is misbehaving generally, start with what to check when Pinterest isn't working.

My advice

If you see the Download option, go for it, and keep the watermark. If you don't, save the Pin to a board or message the creator. And if you make videos yourself, decide on purpose whether you want that toggle on, because it's the difference between people sharing your clips with your name on them and people not sharing them at all.

Frequently asked questions

Why can't I download a video from Pinterest?

The creator decides. Full-screen video Pins can only be downloaded if the creator has turned on Video Pin downloads, and Pinterest says not all Pins can be downloaded.

Do downloaded Pinterest videos have a watermark?

Yes. When downloads are allowed, the video includes a watermark of the creator's username at the bottom.

How do I let people download my Pinterest videos?

Go to Settings, then Social permissions, and switch on Video Pin downloads. It applies to all your published full-screen video Pins.

Can I download a Pinterest board as a video?

Yes, in the Android or iOS app, for public boards with five or more Pins. A board video can include up to 14 Pins, and video Pins can't be included.

Where do downloaded Pinterest videos go?

They save to your device, usually your photos app on a phone or your Downloads folder on a computer, depending on your settings.