From a link to a file, in three steps
There's no account, no app, and no extension. Here's what actually happens in between.
1. Copy the link
Use the platform’s own share option to copy the post or profile URL. It has to be publicly viewable — if you need to be logged in to see it, we can’t reach it either. Supported platforms: Instagram, TikTok, VSCO, Reddit, X (Twitter), Pinterest, Threads, Tumblr, Bluesky, and Vimeo.
2. Paste it
Paste it on the home page. The link travels in the body of a POST request rather than in a query string, so it doesn’t land in your browser history or in a referrer header. Our backend uses it to resolve the media the post points at.
3. Save the file
The media streams back through us to your browser, with a header that tells the browser to save it rather than play it. On a phone, the save button opens your device’s native share sheet so the file can go straight to Photos or Files. Nothing is added to a permanent socials.download library — there’s no archive to come back to.
Why it streams through us at all
Most platform CDNs serve media so the browser plays it in a tab rather than saving it, and many block direct linking outright. Proxying lets us hand you a real download. The cost is that the request passes through our infrastructure, which is why the security page spells out what that does and doesn’t log.
Limits
3 downloads every 6 hours, enforced with a one-way hash of request signals rather than your raw IP, with a bot check in front of it. Some platforms have their own quirks — check platform support for the specifics.