Why Can’t I Download a Pinterest Video? 5 Common Issues and How to Fix Them

It’s happened to everyone. You find the perfect video on Pinterest—a quick recipe, a killer workout, or a life-changing hack—and you try to save it. But nothing works. The save button is missing, the link fails, or worse—you land on a sketchy website full of pop-ups.

Frustrating, right? The good news is that most of these problems have simple fixes. Below, we’ll break down the five most common reasons Pinterest videos won’t download and show you exactly how to solve them.

Issue #1: The Pin Is an Image or GIF, Not a Video

The Problem: What looks like a video may actually be just an image or a GIF. Pinterest GIFs loop like short videos, but they’re not video files—so downloaders won’t recognize them.

How to Fix It: Check the Pin carefully. If it has a play button, it’s a video. If it loops automatically without one, it’s a GIF. Use an image or GIF downloader instead of a video tool.

Issue #2: The Link Is Broken or Incorrect

The Problem: If your Pinterest download link isn’t working, it could be copied incorrectly—or the original Pin was deleted. No downloader can process a broken link.

How to Fix It: Return to Pinterest, tap the three dots (•••) on the Pin, and select Copy link. Paste it again. If it still doesn’t work, the Pin has likely been removed by its creator.

Issue #3: Browser Compatibility Problems

The Problem: Outdated browsers, cached data, or conflicting extensions can block downloaders from working properly. This often causes a Pinterest video not downloading error.

How to Fix It:

1. Clear your browser’s cache and cookies.

2. Try a different browser—Chrome, Firefox, or Safari.

3. Disable any extensions that might block downloads.

If it works on another browser, the issue isn’t Pinterest—it’s your setup.

Issue #4: The Downloader Is Full of Ads and Redirects

The Problem: Some downloaders prioritize ads over users. Instead of a video, you get spammy redirects and endless pop-ups. This isn’t your fault—it’s bad tool design.

How to Fix It: Switch to a reliable downloader. Pinloader is an ad-free Pinterest video downloader—no redirects, no hidden tricks. Just paste your link, click download, and get your video instantly on one clean page.

Issue #5: The Video Is Actually an “Idea Pin”

The Problem: Pinterest’s Idea Pins combine images, text, and videos into multi-page stories. Many older tools can’t process this newer format, leading to download errors.

How to Fix It: Use a downloader built for modern Pinterest formats. Pinloader supports both traditional video Pins and Idea Pins, so you can save all your favorite content without errors.

Stop the Frustration—Use Pinloader

The next time you catch yourself asking, “Why can’t I download a Pinterest video?”—remember, you don’t have to deal with broken links, shady redirects, or low-quality files.

Pinloader is built to handle every common issue, giving you a fast, simple, and reliable way to save Pinterest videos in original quality.

Try it out today—paste your Pinterest video link into Pinloader and download instantly.