LinkedIn is a popular social media platform used primarily for professional networking and career development. With over 740 million members worldwide, LinkedIn allows users to connect with professionals in their industry, find job opportunities, promote their business, and more.
One useful but often overlooked feature on LinkedIn is the ability to download and save videos that have been shared to the platform. Whether it’s an insightful lecture from an industry leader, a how-to tutorial from a skilled professional, or an engaging product demo, downloading LinkedIn videos allows you to access the content anytime without an internet connection.
Why Download LinkedIn Videos?
Here are some of the top reasons you may want to download videos from LinkedIn:
Learn Offline
LinkedIn hosts a wealth of educational and informational videos that you can access on-demand. By downloading these videos, you can continue learning even without an internet connection, such as when you’re commuting or traveling. This makes it easy to keep up with professional development content whenever and wherever is most convenient for you.
Share with Colleagues
Find an interesting video you want to share with coworkers or employees? Rather than sending them a LinkedIn link, you can download the video and attach it to an email or instant message for easy access. This allows you to distribute valuable content quickly and reliably.
Re-watch Complex Tutorials
For detailed, step-by-step tutorials, the ability to re-watch segments of the video can be very helpful for retaining the information. Downloading the video lets you skip around to review certain sections as many times as you need.
Showcase Presentations
Want to showcase a product demo or presentation from your LinkedIn profile to potential clients or partners? Simply download the video to share a high-quality version that looks more professional than just providing a link.
Archive for Later Reference
Find a thought-leader presentation relevant to your work? Download the video to your archives so you can easily find and reference it when needed in the future. This creates your own curated library of quality content.
Access Restricted Content
In some cases, LinkedIn videos may only be visible to direct connections. By downloading the video when you have access, you can view the restricted content anytime without having to stay connected to the person who originally posted it.
Avoid Losing Access
Just as with social media posts, LinkedIn videos can be deleted or hidden at any time. If it’s content you want to keep, downloading provides a permanent copy to prevent losing access in the future.
How to Download Videos on LinkedIn’s Website
The process of downloading videos from LinkedIn can vary slightly depending on the browser and device you are using. Here are the general steps to follow:
Step 1: Find and Open the Video
Browse LinkedIn and locate the video you want to save. You can find videos shared by your connections on the LinkedIn feed, or access dedicated video content through LinkedIn Learning courses, Showcase pages, CEO videos, and more. When you find the video, open it and begin playback.
Step 2: Right Click the Video
While the video is playing, right click anywhere on the video itself. This will open up a menu.
Step 3: Select “Save Video As”
From the right-click menu, choose the “Save Video As” option. This may also be listed as “Save Video”, “Download Video”, or “Save As” depending on your browser.
Step 4: Choose a Save Location
A window will appear allowing you to choose where you want to save the video file. Select a folder destination on your computer where you want to keep the video. The video will be saved as an MP4 file.
Step 5: Confirm File Name and Save
Double check that the file is named appropriately so you can find it easily. Once you’ve confirmed the file name and save location, click “Save” to finish downloading the video to your computer.
How to Download on Mobile Devices
If you want to download LinkedIn videos to reference on your smartphone or tablet, the process is a bit different:
On iOS Devices
For iPhones and iPads, follow these steps:
- Tap the video you want to save so it opens in full screen mode.
- Tap the action button in the bottom right corner – it looks like an arrow pointing up out of a box.
- Choose “Save Video” from the menu that pops up.
- The video will now be saved to your Photos app where you can access it anytime, even without an internet connection.
On Android Devices
For Android phones and tablets, here’s what to do:
- Open the LinkedIn video you want to download.
- Tap the 3-dot menu icon in the upper right corner.
- Select “Download” from the menu options.
- The video will be saved in your device’s Downloads folder.
Tips for Downloading from LinkedIn
Keep these tips in mind when downloading videos:
- Videos may be subject to copyright, so make sure you only use them for personal reference and education purposes.
- Downloaded videos can consume storage space on your device, so occasionally remove ones you don’t need anymore.
- If the video is very large, give it plenty of time to fully download before disconnecting from the internet.
- For the highest quality, download videos using a wifi connection rather than mobile data.
- Make sure you click the actual video area itself before right clicking to save – not just anywhere on the page.
- If you have trouble downloading, try a different browser or device.
Downloading Restricted Content
In some cases, you may want to download a video that has restricted access and is not visible to your particular LinkedIn account. There are a couple potential options to access this content:
Use a VPN
A virtual private network (VPN) can make it appear as if you are accessing LinkedIn from a different location. So if the video is limited by country, a VPN may allow you to view and download it.
Ask to Share the File
If the video is restricted to certain connections, you can ask the person who posted it to directly send you the video file. This avoids the access limitations while still allowing you to receive the content.
Screen Recording
If you can view the video but are unable to download it directly, a screen recording app can capture the playback in real-time. Software like QuickTime for Mac or OBS Studio for Windows allows you to record your screen.
Use a Download Extension
Browser extensions like Video DownloadHelper (Firefox) or Nimbus Capture (Chrome) are designed to integrate download options into sites like LinkedIn and Facebook that typically restrict saving videos.
Troubleshooting Tips
In some cases, you may run into issues trying to download LinkedIn videos. Here are some troubleshooting tips:
Update Your Browser
An outdated web browser can cause problems with downloading. Make sure you’re using the latest version of your preferred browser.
Clear Cookies/Cache
Try clearing your browser history, cookies, and cache then attempting to download again. Sometimes too much cached data can interfere with downloads.
Try Different Browsers
Certain browsers may have better compatibility than others. If one browser won’t let you download, trying alternatives like Firefox, Chrome, Safari, or Edge may work better.
Check Security Settings
Antivirus software or strict corporate security settings could potentially block downloads. You may need to adjust these to allow video saving.
Use a Simpler Device
Complex desktop environments like those with virtual machines, remote access, or multiple monitors can complicate downloading. Try moving to a simpler device like a laptop, tablet, or smartphone.
Contact LinkedIn
For persistent issues, reach out to LinkedIn customer support for troubleshooting assistance to identify any problems on their end.
Ethical Usage
When downloading LinkedIn videos, keep in mind ethical usage best practices:
- Respect copyright and don’t share or distribute content you don’t have rights to.
- Abide by your company’s policies regarding sharing proprietary information from LinkedIn.
- Don’t use illegally obtained confidential videos that are meant for limited audiences.
- Delete the content when you no longer need it and avoid archiving forever.
- Use downloads for legitimate professional reasons rather than entertainment or amusement.
Conclusion
Downloading LinkedIn videos can be a very useful technique for conveniently accessing professional development content, distributing valuable information, and creating your own offline content library. By following the instructions for desktop and mobile provided in this guide, you can successfully save videos for productive learning and collaboration.
Just be mindful of copyright, storage usage, and ethical practices when managing your downloaded video collection. With these insights, you’ll be able to utilize this helpful LinkedIn feature to its fullest potential.
