When the download button isn't there

Vimeo leaves it to each uploader whether viewers get a download button, and many turn it off. Think of a lecture a professor posted with downloads disabled, a client's password-protected review link you need for an edit, or a showreel on a portfolio site you'd like to study offline. Vimeo Video Downloader detects the Vimeo player in each of those situations, lists every quality the upload has, from 360p to 4K, and saves the video to your computer as a regular MP4. For a password-protected video, you enter the same password the Vimeo player asks for.

Where it finds videos

Showcase collections are scanned video by video, so each one gets its own download. Team shares and review links work, as do vimeo.com pages, private and password-protected ones included. Off Vimeo itself, the extension recognizes players embedded on third-party sites: course platforms, client portals, portfolio pages. Anything private, team-only or in a showcase is opened through the Vimeo session you're already logged into.

How quality and audio are handled

The extension parses Vimeo's HLS and DASH manifests to surface every quality variant, and the selector shows every one of them. The range runs from 360p to 4K, capped by whatever resolution the original file had. When Vimeo delivers video and audio as separate adaptive streams, both are fetched and merged into one MP4 on your machine.

Running downloads

• Open the video, then click the extension icon, or right-click an embedded player and use the download entry in the context menu.
• Choose a resolution and start.
• As many as 3 transfers can run in parallel; every transfer shows a separate progress bar plus its current speed.
• Files are named after the video title, which keeps your downloads folder easy to scan.

Boundaries

• A Vimeo Live stream can't be recorded while it airs.
• Captions and subtitles stay behind; grab those separately through Vimeo if you need them.
• Detection only happens for videos you're allowed to watch, whether through a login, a password or public access.
• No resolution beyond the original upload can be produced.
• DRM is never bypassed, and DRM-protected content outside supported workflows isn't covered.
• Desktop only: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Brave and Opera on Windows, macOS and Linux. Safari and mobile browsers aren't supported.
• Region: Worldwide.

Data handling and permissions

Stream processing, merging audio with video, and saving files all happen on your device, so no video data is uploaded. Authentication relies on your Vimeo session cookies, and your Vimeo credentials are never stored.

• downloads: writes the MP4 files and tracks progress across simultaneous downloads.
• activeTab: spots Vimeo players on the page you're viewing and adds download controls to it.
• storage: remembers activation, which quality you prefer and how far each download got, even after the browser closes.
• notifications: tells you when a download finishes or hits an error.
• contextMenus: adds a download entry to the menu you get by right-clicking an embedded player.
• scripting: inspects the page's Vimeo data and manifest addresses so it can list the quality tiers.
• cookies: uses your Vimeo session cookies to authenticate for private and team-shared videos.

FAQ

A Vimeo video asks for a password. How do I save it?

Open it, click the extension icon and type the password you would give the Vimeo player. Then pick a quality and the download starts.

Are private and team Vimeo videos supported?

Yes, as long as you're logged into Vimeo and allowed to watch the video. Access goes through your existing session.

What about a Vimeo player embedded on someone else's website?

That works too. Whether the player sits on vimeo.com, a portfolio, a course platform or a client portal, it's detected and download options appear.

How does the extension know which resolutions a Vimeo upload has?

The HLS and DASH manifests. Every variant listed there shows up in the selector, ranging from 360p to 4K depending on the original upload.

Can more than one Vimeo download run simultaneously?

Yes, up to 3 at once, and each has its own progress bar.

Vimeo sends audio separately from video. Will my MP4 have sound?

Yes. When the streams are split into separate adaptive segments, both tracks are downloaded and merged locally into a single MP4.

Are subtitle files saved with the video?

No. The extension deals with video and audio only, so captions or subtitles have to be saved separately through Vimeo's interface.

Does it pick up the videos inside a Vimeo showcase?

Yes. Open a showcase you have access to and every video in it is detected, ready to download one by one.

Is Vimeo Video Downloader available for Brave and Opera?

Yes. It's supported on Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Brave and Opera, on Windows, macOS and Linux.

Is this legal?

DISCLAIMER: We are not attorneys and do not offer legal advice. Laws vary by country and platform. For any legal question please consult a qualified legal professional.

We give you full control over download speeds because we believe users should decide how they use their software.

That said, here are a few widely accepted best practices for safe, responsible downloading:

• Only download content you created, own, or have explicit permission from the rights holder to access.

• Protect your personal data by respecting platform rules and rate limits with reasonable download speeds to avoid automated abuse systems putting your account at risk.

• Protect your privacy by using a reputable VPN for IP protection before initiating downloads — this is the VPN we recommend & use.