Pinterest is full of video content worth saving — cooking tutorials, DIY walkthroughs, workout routines, design inspiration. But Pinterest doesn't give you a download button for videos. You can save a pin to a board, sure, but that doesn't save the actual video file to your device.
That's where a Pinterest video downloader comes in. In this guide, we'll walk through every method to download Pinterest videos for free — from browser extensions to online tools — so you can watch them offline whenever you want.
Why downloading Pinterest videos isn't straightforward
If you've ever tried to right-click a Pinterest video, you know the drill — there's no "Save video as" option. That's because Pinterest doesn't serve videos as simple MP4 files. Instead, it uses HLS (HTTP Live Streaming), which breaks the video into dozens of tiny segments that your browser reassembles on the fly.
This is the same streaming technology used by Netflix, YouTube, and Twitch. It's great for smooth playback — the video adapts to your internet speed in real time — but it makes downloading harder because there's no single file to grab. On top of that, Pinterest often delivers audio and video as separate streams, so even if you manage to capture the video segments, you might end up with a silent file. You need a tool that can intercept both streams and stitch everything back together.
That's why a dedicated Pinterest video downloader exists. Standard browser "save as" doesn't work, screen recording is clunky and loses quality, and copying the page source won't get you a playable file. You need something built for HLS streams.
How to download Pinterest videos for free
There are two main approaches: a browser extension (fastest and most reliable) or an online downloader tool (no install required). Here's both.
Method 1: SaveMate browser extension
This is the approach we recommend. SaveMate auto-detects video streams on Pinterest — no URL copying, no switching tabs.
- Install SaveMate from the Chrome Web Store (works on Chrome, Edge, Brave, and Arc)
- Open the Pinterest pin with the video you want to download
- Click the SaveMate icon in your browser toolbar — it automatically detects the video stream
- Pick your quality (720p or 1080p, depending on the original upload)
- Hit download — the video saves as an MP4 file to your Downloads folder
Why this works: Pinterest delivers video through HLS streaming (HTTP Live Streaming) — the same tech Netflix uses. That means there's no simple MP4 file to right-click and save. Pinterest also separates audio and video into different streams, so a basic downloader might grab a silent video. SaveMate detects both tracks, downloads them in parallel, and auto-merges audio and video into a single MP4. The whole process takes a few seconds.
Method 2: Online Pinterest video downloader tools
If you'd rather not install anything, online tools work too. You paste the pin URL, and they extract the video.
- PintoDown — Paste the pin URL, click download. Simple but capped at 720p.
- SavePin.app — Similar paste-and-download approach. Shows ads between downloads.
- SnapSave — Supports Pinterest plus a few other platforms. Quality varies.
The trade-off with online tools: you have to manually copy the pin URL each time, quality usually caps at 720p, and some sites insert ad redirects. A browser extension like SaveMate skips all of that — it works right where you're browsing.
Download all Pinterest pins at once
Want to save an entire Pinterest board? Downloading pins one by one gets old fast when you're looking at a board with 50+ videos. The ability to Pinterest download all pins at once is a huge time-saver.
SaveMate's bulk detection scans a Pinterest board page and identifies every video stream on it. From there, you can select which videos to download — or grab them all at once.
Here's how:
- Open the Pinterest board you want to save
- Scroll down to load all the pins (Pinterest lazy-loads content as you scroll)
- Click the SaveMate icon — it shows a list of all detected video streams on the page
- Select all or pick specific videos from the list
- Hit "Download selected" — they all save as individual MP4 files
Tip: Pinterest boards can have hundreds of pins. If you only need the videos (not images), SaveMate's filter shows video streams only, so you won't accidentally bulk-download static images. A board with 100 pins might have 15-20 videos — the filter saves you from sorting through the rest.
Pinterest video converter — save as MP4
Pinterest stores videos in HLS format (HTTP Live Streaming), which breaks the video into small segments for adaptive playback. Great for smooth streaming in your browser, but it means there's no single MP4 file to grab directly.
A Pinterest video converter takes those HLS segments and merges them into one MP4 file. SaveMate does this automatically — when you hit download, it captures the stream and converts to MP4 in real time. No extra conversion step, no separate tool needed.
What about other formats?
MP4 works on virtually every device and media player — phones, laptops, TVs, media centers. Unless you have a specific reason to use MKV or WebM, stick with MP4 for Pinterest downloads. File sizes are reasonable too: a typical 30-second Pinterest video in 1080p runs about 15–25 MB.
For a deeper dive into video formats and when each one makes sense, check out our guide on converting HLS/M3U8 streams to MP4.
Pinterest video downloader extension — best picks
Browser extensions are the most convenient way to download Pinterest videos because they work right where you're browsing — no URL copying, no tab switching, no pasting links into external sites.
SaveMate (recommended):
- Auto-detects Pinterest video streams on any pin page
- One-click download to MP4
- Supports HD quality — 720p and 1080p when available
- Works on all Chromium browsers (Chrome, Edge, Brave, Arc)
- Also works on 1,000+ other sites including YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook
- Cloud backup — upload downloaded videos directly to Google Drive, Dropbox, or S3 storage
Other Pinterest download extensions:
- Video DownloadHelper — A long-standing extension that supports Pinterest alongside many other sites. The interface feels dated, and the free version adds a watermark to downloaded videos.
- Pinterest Video Downloader — A dedicated Pinterest-only tool. Limited quality options (usually 480p–720p) and doesn't work on any other site.
For most users, SaveMate is the better pick because it handles Pinterest alongside every other video site you'd want to download from. One extension instead of five. For a full comparison of download extensions, see our guide to the best video downloader Chrome extensions in 2026.
Pinterest video download HD — getting the best quality
Not all Pinterest videos are uploaded in HD. Here's what determines the quality you can actually download:
- Uploader's original quality — If someone uploads a 480p video, that's the max you'll get regardless of the tool you use.
- Pinterest's compression — Pinterest re-encodes all uploads. Most videos max out at 720p, with some reaching 1080p.
- Your downloader's capability — Some online tools cap downloads at 360p or 480p even when higher quality exists. SaveMate always grabs the highest available quality.
Pro tip: To check a video's actual quality before downloading, look at the file size in SaveMate's download dialog. A 30-second 1080p clip should be 15–25 MB. If it's under 5 MB, you're likely getting 480p or lower.
Frequently asked questions
How to download Pinterest videos on iPhone?
On iPhone, you can't install Chrome extensions, so you'll need an online tool. Open the Pinterest video in Safari, copy the pin URL, and paste it into an online downloader like PintoDown. Tap the download link, and save the file from the Files app to your Photos. For a smoother experience, download on your Mac or PC using SaveMate and AirDrop the file to your iPhone.
Can you download Pinterest videos without an app?
Yes. Online Pinterest video downloaders like PintoDown and SavePin work directly in your browser — no app or extension install needed. Just copy the pin URL and paste it into the tool. The trade-off is lower quality (usually 720p max) and manual URL copying for each video.
How to save Pinterest pictures to camera roll?
For images (not videos), Pinterest makes this easy: open the pin, tap the three-dot menu, and select "Download image." This saves the full-resolution image directly to your camera roll. For videos, you'll need a third-party tool since Pinterest doesn't offer a native video download option.
Is it legal to download Pinterest videos?
Downloading Pinterest videos for personal offline viewing is generally fine. However, re-uploading or distributing someone else's content without permission may violate copyright. Pinterest's terms of service don't explicitly allow downloads, so use good judgment — save videos for personal reference, not for reposting as your own content.
What's the best free Pinterest video downloader?
For desktop users, SaveMate is the most reliable free Pinterest video downloader — it detects streams automatically and handles HD quality. For quick one-off downloads on mobile, online tools like PintoDown work in a pinch but sacrifice quality and convenience. For a broader comparison of all download tools, see our best video downloaders in 2026 roundup.
Bottom line
Pinterest videos are worth saving — whether it's a recipe you want to follow in the kitchen, a workout you'd rather do offline, or a design tutorial you want to reference later. The fastest method is a browser extension like SaveMate that auto-detects streams, merges separate audio and video tracks, and handles the HLS-to-MP4 conversion behind the scenes. You can even upload your downloads straight to Google Drive or Dropbox for cloud backup.
If you're looking for more ways to download and organize video content, check out our guides to the best video downloader Chrome extensions in 2026 and the best video downloaders in 2026.