PeerTube is what the internet looks like when no corporation owns video: thousands of independent servers ("instances") that federate with each other, like email but for video. The diversity is the charm — and the reason downloading is inconsistent. Some instances enable downloads with one click; others disable the button entirely. A downloader normalizes all of it.
How to download a PeerTube video
- Open the video on its instance — the URL looks like
framatube.org/w/xxxxor any other domain. - Paste it into our PeerTube downloader and press Download.
- Save the MP4 in the quality listed.
The federation wrinkle
- Remote videos: an instance can host videos "mirrored" from others. The downloader follows the link you give it and fetches what that instance serves.
- Instance rules differ. Check a video's license field — PeerTube instances are unusually good about labeling.
- Small instances go offline. Archiving content you value from hobby-run servers is just sensible.
Frequently asked questions
Does every PeerTube instance work?
Nearly all public instances resolve. Private or invite-only servers do not.
Are downloads torrent-based?
PeerTube can stream via P2P, but the downloader fetches the plain HTTP file — no torrent client needed.
Why support PeerTube creators?
Most run on donations. If you love a channel, its instance's support page is one click away.
Take the decentralized web offline
Open the PeerTube downloader or paste any link on the home page.
