TikTok Downloader Not Working? Common Fixes

A quick diagnostic guide for the most common TikTok download errors and how to fix each one.

Most download problems come down to one of a small handful of causes. Work through this list in order — the first two fix the vast majority of cases.

1. "Invalid link" or Nothing Happens

Most likely cause: the copied link is incomplete or from the wrong place.

Re-copy the link directly from TikTok's Share → Copy link button — don't copy from the browser address bar or a forwarded message, which can trim or alter the URL.
Make sure you're pasting a link to a specific video (or photo post), not a link to a profile or the general TikTok homepage.
If you copied the link a while ago, copy it fresh — TikTok's short links can occasionally expire or get superseded.

2. Download Preview Loads, But Download Fails

Most likely cause: a temporary hiccup fetching the file from TikTok's servers.

Wait 10–15 seconds and try the download button again — TikTok's delivery servers occasionally throttle a specific request without it being anything wrong on your end.
Refresh the page and paste the link again for a fresh attempt.

3. Video Has No Sound After Downloading

Confirm you downloaded from the Video tab, not accidentally the Photo tab (photo posts don't carry a synced audio track the same way).
Some rare original posts genuinely have no audio track — check whether the video plays with sound directly inside the TikTok app first.

4. Download Is Very Slow

Slow speed is almost always your network connection, not the tool — switch from cellular data to Wi-Fi (or vice versa) and try again.
Very large, long-form videos naturally take longer than short clips.

5. Private Video Won't Download

This isn't a bug — private accounts and private videos are intentionally excluded from every downloader, TikTok's own included, as a privacy protection. There's no workaround, and any tool that claims otherwise is misrepresenting what it does.

6. The Site Looks Broken or Buttons Don't Respond

Try a hard refresh (reload the page fully, not from cache).
Try a different browser as a quick test — if a specific browser is behaving oddly (an outdated version, an aggressive ad blocker, or a privacy extension blocking clipboard access), switching temporarily isolates the cause.
Disable browser extensions one at a time if the paste or download button isn't responding — some ad blockers and privacy extensions interfere with clipboard permissions or pop-up handling.

7. Downloaded File Won't Open

Confirm the download actually completed (check your Downloads folder / Files app for the full file size, not a 0 KB placeholder).
Try opening it in a different player/app — occasionally a device's default video app doesn't support a specific codec variant, while a more capable player (like VLC) opens it fine.

Still Stuck?

Double-check the basics one more time: a fresh copy of the link, from a public video, pasted into the correct tab (Video / Photo / MP3) for the content type you're trying to save. That covers the overwhelming majority of failed downloads.

Ready to try it? Head to savetiktok.sbs, paste your TikTok link into the box at the top, and press Download — no app, no sign-up, no watermark.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the same link work on retry but not the first time?

Most retry-fixes are due to a brief hiccup on TikTok's delivery servers, not the downloader itself — a second attempt a few seconds later usually resolves it.

Can an ad blocker break the download?

Occasionally — some aggressive ad blockers or privacy extensions interfere with clipboard access or pop-up handling. Try temporarily disabling extensions if paste or download buttons seem unresponsive.

Why can't I download a specific creator's videos at all?

If every video from one account fails, check whether that account is private or region-restricted — both block downloads by design, for every tool.

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