TikTok Downloader Glossary

Every term you'll run into, defined plainly.

A quick reference for the terms that come up across our guides, defined simply.

Watermark

The logo and username TikTok's in-app "Save video" feature overlays on a saved video. Not present in the original source file. See our watermark guide.

MP4

The standard video file format, playable on virtually every device and app. What you get when downloading TikTok's Video tab.

MP3

The standard audio-only file format. What you get when downloading TikTok's MP3 tab — no video included.

Slideshow / Carousel

TikTok's multi-photo post format — a set of swipeable images, usually with background music. Downloaded as individual image files via the Photo tab, not a video.

Bitrate

A measure of how much data is used per second of audio or video — higher bitrate generally means better quality but a larger file. Screen recording typically uses a lower bitrate than TikTok's own source file.

Direct Fetch (vs. Re-Encoding)

The difference between a downloader that requests TikTok's original file as-is (direct fetch, no quality loss) versus one that downloads then recompresses it on its own servers (re-encoding, some quality loss).

Resolution (HD/SD)

The pixel dimensions of a video — HD (720p/1080p) is sharper than SD (480p or lower). A downloader can only preserve, not improve, the original resolution. See our HD vs SD guide.

Share Link

The URL you get from tapping Share → Copy link on a TikTok video — the required input for any downloader.

Private Video

A video only visible to approved followers, which no downloader tool can access — enforced by TikTok's servers, not the tool. See our private video guide.

Ready to put these terms into practice? Head to savetiktok.sbs and try a download.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between a watermark and the video content itself?

The watermark is an overlay TikTok's in-app save feature adds after the fact — it's not part of the original stored video file.

What does 'direct fetch' mean?

It means the downloader requests TikTok's original file exactly as stored, rather than downloading and recompressing it separately, which avoids quality loss.

Where do I get a video's 'share link'?

Tap Share → Copy link on the video inside the TikTok app, or use the Copy link option on tiktok.com.

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Ready to save a video? Use our free TikTok downloader without watermark — video, photo, and MP3, no sign-up.