Open Video Downloader — Coming Soon (Browser Extension)
A universal, open-source browser extension for detecting and downloading videos from supported websites. This extension is currently in development and has not been released yet.
Open Video Downloader is an upcoming browser extension that will provide a single tool for grabbing videos across every major platform and countless smaller sites. Instead of relying on proprietary downloaders that bundle ads, hidden trackers, or paywalled features, this project is being built in the open as a community-driven alternative. The extension will sit in your toolbar, detect video sources on the active page, and offer direct download links without routing traffic through third-party servers.
- Detect embedded, streaming, and direct video sources on any webpage
- Download videos from social platforms, news sites, educational portals, and more
- Choose between available quality levels and file formats before saving
- Operate entirely within the browser with no external desktop software required
- Designed for Chrome, Edge, Brave, Opera, Firefox, and other Chromium browsers
Status
This extension is not yet available for download. Active development is underway and a release date has not been announced. Sign up below to get notified when it launches.
:bell: Get notified when this launches: Join the waitlist
Links
- :hourglass_flowing_sand: Waitlist: Coming Soon — Sign Up
- :question: Help center: SERP Help
- :bulb: Request features: GitHub Issues
Preview
Open Video Downloader hero image
Table of Contents
- Why Open Video Downloader
- Planned Features
- How It Will Work
- Expected Formats
- Who It's For
- Use Cases We're Building For
- FAQ
- License
- Notes
- About Online Video
Why Open Video Downloader
Videos on the modern web are served through adaptive streaming protocols, embedded players with proprietary JavaScript wrappers, and platform-specific delivery networks. Right-clicking a video rarely produces a usable save option, and most free download tools inject ads, harvest browsing data, or stop working the moment a site updates its player.
Open Video Downloader is being designed as a transparent, community-auditable solution to that problem. Because the source code is open, anyone can inspect exactly what the extension does with network requests and page data. The goal is to parse video sources from the active tab, present every available quality option, and hand the file directly to the browser's download manager with nothing in between.
Planned Features
- Automatic detection of video elements, streaming manifests, and direct media URLs on supported pages
- Multi-quality selection so you can pick between resolutions like 360p, 720p, 1080p, or higher
- Batch download support for pages that contain multiple video files
- Filename generation from page titles and video metadata for organized libraries
- Progress tracking inside the extension popup during active downloads
- Optional audio-only extraction for saving soundtracks or narration without the video track
- Cross-site compatibility powered by generic detection logic rather than per-site scrapers
- Cross-browser compatibility targeting Chrome, Edge, Brave, and Firefox
How It Will Work
- Install the extension from your browser's extension store once it is released.
- Navigate to any webpage that contains a video you want to save.
- Click the Open Video Downloader icon in the toolbar.
- The extension scans the current page for video sources and streaming manifests.
- Review the list of detected videos along with available quality levels.
- Select the version you want and choose a format if multiple options exist.
- Click download and the file saves through your browser's built-in download manager.
- Find the completed file in your local downloads folder, ready for offline playback.
Expected Formats
- Input: HLS streams (M3U8), DASH manifests (MPD), direct MP4/WebM links, and embedded player sources
- Output: MP4 or WebM, depending on the source stream and container used by the originating site
Downloaded files will be saved in widely supported formats that play back on virtually every device, media player, and video editor without conversion.
Who It's For
- Researchers archiving video references for academic papers or reports
- Journalists saving clips for fact-checking and offline review
- Educators collecting instructional videos for classroom use without relying on internet access
- Content creators gathering reference footage they have the rights to repurpose
- Everyday users who want to watch saved videos on planes, commutes, or in low-connectivity areas
Use Cases We're Building For
- Save lecture recordings from university portals before semester access expires
- Archive product demo videos from vendor sites for internal team review
- Download conference talk recordings for offline viewing during travel
- Keep local copies of your own published videos as a personal backup
- Capture tutorial videos from sites that do not offer a native download button
Security & Scope
- Operates only on the page the user intentionally opens in the active browser tab
- Detects supported playback sources only for user-initiated downloads or exports
- Does not execute page instructions, shell commands, or arbitrary scripts from page content
- Does not follow unrelated links or perform actions outside the active workflow
- Limits support to the named platform, approved embedded contexts, and user-authorized sessions when required
FAQ
When will Open Video Downloader be released? A release date has not been set. Sign up at the waitlist link above to be notified as soon as it is available.
Does it work on every website? The extension uses generic video detection rather than site-specific scripts, so it is designed to work broadly. Some sites with heavily obfuscated or DRM-protected streams may not be supported.
What video quality will it support? Quality options depend on what the website makes available. The extension will list every resolution and bitrate it can detect so you can choose the one you prefer.
Will it handle DRM-protected content? No. The extension is not designed to bypass digital rights management. It captures openly accessible video sources that the browser can reach without circumventing encryption.
Is it free? Pricing details will be announced closer to launch. SERP extensions typically include a free trial period.
Can I download multiple videos from one page at the same time? Batch download is a planned feature. The extension will detect all video sources on a page and let you queue several downloads at once.
License
This repository is distributed under the proprietary SERP Apps license in the LICENSE file. Review that file before copying, modifying, or redistributing any part of this project.
Notes
- This extension is in development and is not available for download yet
- Only download content you own or have explicit permission to save
- Video quality and format depend on what the originating website exposes to the browser
- Website player updates or structural changes may affect detection accuracy once released
- An active internet connection is required for the extension to detect and download video sources
About Online Video
Online video now spans billions of hours of content across social networks, streaming services, educational platforms, news outlets, and personal sites. Despite this scale, most platforms lock playback inside proprietary players and offer no built-in option to save a file locally. Open Video Downloader is being built to give users a reliable, transparent way to save the videos they already have access to view, without depending on closed-source tools that may compromise privacy or stop working without warning.