How to download a video from a link on iPhone or iPad

You do not need an app or a shortcut. Safari can save video files by itself; PixHold finds the file behind the link. The whole thing takes about a minute.

Step by step

  1. Copy the link to the video. In an app such as TikTok, tap Share and then Copy link. In Safari, tap the address bar and choose Copy.
  2. Open PixHold in Safari. Go to pixhold.app. For a TikTok link you can use the TikTok downloader page; both accept the same links.
  3. Paste the link. Tap the Paste button in the box. iOS shows a small Paste bubble to confirm that the page may read your clipboard; tap it. You can also tap into the box and paste the usual way, then press Download.
  4. Choose a file. PixHold lists what it found, with quality and size where the site provides them. Tap Download next to the version you want.
  5. Confirm the download. Safari asks whether you want to download the file. Tap Download. A small arrow-in-a-circle icon appears next to the address bar; tap it to see progress and to open the file when it is done.
Opened PixHold from inside another app? In-app browsers often block downloads. Use the app’s Open in Safari option (usually behind a ⋯ or compass icon) and paste the link there.

Find the file and move it to Photos

  1. Open the Files app and tap Browse.
  2. Open the Downloads folder. It is under iCloud Drive or On My iPhone, depending on your Safari setting.
  3. Tap the video to open it, then tap the Share button.
  4. Choose Save Video. The video is now in the Photos app.

Once the video is in Photos you can delete the copy in Files to free up space.

Photo posts and ZIP files

When a link is a photo post, PixHold shows every picture. Tap a picture to save just that one, or use Download all photos (ZIP). In the Files app, tap the ZIP once and iOS unpacks it into a folder next to it. Open the folder, tap Select, pick the photos, then Share → Save Images. The TikTok slideshow guide covers this in detail.

If something does not work

  • The video opens in a new tab. Tap the Share button in Safari and choose Save to Files.
  • Nothing downloads. Make sure you are in Safari itself, not in a browser inside another app, and that the device has free storage.
  • PixHold finds no video. The page may stream its video in a way that cannot be saved as one file. See how to fix a video that will not download.
Open the downloader All tutorials

iPhone download questions

Where do downloaded videos go on an iPhone?

Safari saves them to the Downloads folder in the Files app. Depending on your settings that folder is in iCloud Drive or under On My iPhone. You can check or change it in Settings → Apps → Safari → Downloads.

How do I move a downloaded video to the Photos app?

Open the Files app, go to Downloads and tap the video. Tap the Share button and choose Save Video. The video then appears in Photos under Recents.

Do I need a shortcut or a separate app?

No. Safari has had a built-in download manager since iOS 13, which is all PixHold needs.

Why does the video play in a new tab instead of saving?

The site that hosts the file does not let other pages fetch it, so PixHold opens the file directly. Tap the Share button in Safari and choose Save to Files.