⚡︎ Version 2.0 Released: New user-friendly filename customization options are now available. See below for a breakdown of the new features. You'll need to download the updated script.

→ This is not an official TikTok tool and is not associated with TikTok in any way.

In light of ongoing U.S. legal action that could restrict TikTok, this script helps users download their favorite TikTok videos. You do need to follow the instructions here before running the script, but it's fairly straightforward. If anything is unclear please let me know and I will answer your questions and improve the script/this page.

This Python script enables users to batch download videos you own or have permission to download using a user-generated list of video URLs (e.g., all of your Favorites, all of your Liked, all videos posted by a specific user, etc.) at once.

Note

U.S. TikTok availability: TikTok remains accessible while a divestiture law is pending enforcement (September 2025). See Legal status & disclosures for details.

Getting Started

Prerequisites

1. Python 3.6 or later is required

   • Check your version: python3 --version
   • If you need to install Python, visit python.org

2. Save tiktokBulkDownloader.py to a new directory.

3. Install yt-dlp

   • The script relies on yt-dlp. If you don't have it, in the terminal type:

     pip install yt-dlp

4. (Optional) Export TikTok Cookies for private/restricted videos

   To download private or restricted videos, you'll need to export your TikTok session cookies:

   Chrome/Edge/Brave:

   • Install Get cookies.txt locally
   • Log into TikTok, click the extension icon, select "Export As"
   • Save as cookies.txt in the script directory

   Firefox:

   • Install cookies.txt
   • Follow similar steps as above

   Manual Export:

   • Open browser Developer Tools (F12) → Application/Storage → Cookies
   • Copy cookie values and format them as Netscape cookies.txt format

   Then use the --cookies option when running the script only for content you're authorized to access. Never share cookies or tokens.

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Usage Instructions

1. Prepare Your URL List

   Method 1: Using TikTok's "Download Your Data" Tool

   • Go to TikTok's "Download Your Data" page and request your data in TXT format.
   • Wait for TikTok to generate the data file, then download it once it's ready.
   • Locate the specific file that contains the video links, such as Favorite Videos.txt for favorited videos or Like List.txt for liked videos.
   • Use the --links argument to specify this file when running the script:

     python3 tiktokBulkDownloader.py --links "Favorite Videos.txt"

     Note: Always use quotes around the filenames, especially if they contain spaces.
   • The script will automatically process the file, extracting the links and creating a pure list of video URLs before proceeding with the download.

   Method 2: Manually Extract Video Links from Browser

   Note: TikTok frequently changes their page structure, so this method may need adjustments.

   • Log in to TikTok via your browser
   • Navigate to the desired video page (e.g., Profile > Favorites, Profile > Liked, Creator's Profile)
   • Important: Scroll slowly to the bottom to ensure all videos load
   • Open Developer Tools (F12), go to Console, and try this script:

     // Try to find video links - TikTok's structure may vary
     const videoLinks = [...document.querySelectorAll('a[href*="/video/"]')].map(a => a.href);
     
     // Alternative if above doesn't work:
     // const videoLinks = [...document.querySelectorAll('[data-e2e*="video"]')].map(el => el.closest('a')?.href).filter(Boolean);
     
     console.log(`Total video links found: ${videoLinks.length}`);
     if (videoLinks.length === 0) {
       console.log("No links found - TikTok may have changed their structure");
     } else {
       copy(videoLinks.join('\n'));
       console.log("Links copied to clipboard!");
     }

   • If the script finds links, paste them into links.txt
   • If it doesn't work, you may need to manually copy video URLs or use Method 1

2. Run the Script

   Open Terminal and navigate to the directory containing the script, then choose one of these options:

   Download all videos in a links file:

   python3 tiktokBulkDownloader.py --links "your_links_file.txt"

   Download a single video:

   python3 tiktokBulkDownloader.py --links "https://www.tiktok.com/@user/video/123"

   Common Options (where permitted):

   • --cookies: Use cookies.txt for private/restricted videos
   • --links <file>: Specify input file or single URL (default: links.txt)
   • --watermark: Download watermarked versions (lower quality)
   • --filename-custom [variables]: Build custom filename (e.g., date creator videoID)
   • --help: Show all available options
   • --list-variables: Show filename customization variables

3. Specify Download Directory

   The script will prompt you for where to save videos with these options:

   • Press Enter: Save videos in the current directory (where you ran the script)
   • Folder name (e.g., my_videos): Creates a new folder in the current directory
   • Full path: Save to a specific location anywhere on your system
     • Mac/Linux: /Users/name/Downloads/tiktoks or ~/Downloads/tiktoks
     • Windows: C:\Users\Name\Downloads\tiktoks or %USERPROFILE%\Downloads\tiktoks

   The script will automatically create directories that don't exist, including any parent directories needed.

4. File Naming Format

   • Videos are saved with a descriptive filename (upload date, creator, title) with the following format:

     YYYY-MM-DD_creator_username_video_title.mp4
     

   • Invalid characters in the title or username are replaced with underscores (_) to ensure compatibility.

5. Check Logs

   • A log file will be generated in the format YYYY-MM-DD_HH-MM_download_log.csv, containing metadata for all successfully downloaded videos, including details such as upload date, uploader, title, duration, and resolution.
   • In the event of any failed downloads, a separate log file will be created in the format YYYY-MM-DD_HH-MM_failed_downloads_log.txt, documenting the failed video links along with detailed error messages for troubleshooting.

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Customizing Filename Format

The script now has user-friendly command line options for filename customization.

Easy Filename Options

Remove Date from Filenames:

python3 tiktokBulkDownloader.py --no-date
# Creates: creator_title.mp4

Title Only:

python3 tiktokBulkDownloader.py --title-only
# Creates: title.mp4

Creator + Video ID:

python3 tiktokBulkDownloader.py --creator-id
# Creates: creator_7106594312292453675.mp4

Build Your Own Format

Use --filename-custom and then list the items that you want to be included in the filename, in the order in which you want them to appear.

Examples:

# date, creator, video ID
python3 tiktokBulkDownloader.py --filename-custom date creator videoID
# Creates: 2024-12-07_username_7106594312292453675.mp4

# shorter date format, video title
python3 tiktokBulkDownloader.py --filename-custom shortdate title
# Creates: 241207_video_title.mp4

# Mix and match any variables
python3 tiktokBulkDownloader.py --filename-custom year month creator title videoID
# Creates: 2024_12_username_video_title_7106594312292453675.mp4

To list available variables, run:

python3 tiktokBulkDownloader.py --list-variables

Available variables:

Basic Info:

• title → Video title
• creator → Username/creator name
• description → Video description

IDs:

• videoID → TikTok video ID (e.g., 7106594312292453675)
• creatorID → Creator's user ID

Dates:

• date → Upload date (2024-12-07)
• year → Upload year (2024)
• month → Upload month (12)
• day → Upload day (07)
• shortdate → Short date format (241207)
• fulldate → Full date format (20241207)

Statistics:

• views → View count
• likes → Like count
• comments → Comment count
• shares → Share/repost count

Video Properties:

• duration → Video duration in seconds
• resolution → Video resolution
• fps → Frames per second
• format → Video format ID

Other:

• platform → Platform name (tiktok)
• ext → File extension (mp4)

Advanced Options

Use Presets:

python3 tiktokBulkDownloader.py --filename-preset no-date
python3 tiktokBulkDownloader.py --filename-preset title-only
python3 tiktokBulkDownloader.py --filename-preset creator-id

# See all available presets:
python3 tiktokBulkDownloader.py --list-presets

yt-dlp Templates (Advanced Users):

For users familiar with yt-dlp, you can use native yt-dlp template syntax for maximum flexibility:

python3 tiktokBulkDownloader.py --filename-yt-dlp "%(uploader)s_%(upload_date)s.%(ext)s"
# Creates: creator_20220607.mp4

# Advanced example with conditional formatting
python3 tiktokBulkDownloader.py --filename-yt-dlp "%(upload_date>%Y%m%d)s_%(uploader).20s_%(title).100s.%(ext)s"
# Creates: 20220607_shortened_creator_shortened_title.mp4

This option provides full access to yt-dlp's template system including format specifiers, string manipulation, and conditional formatting. Review the yt-dlp documentation for complete template syntax reference.

Preview Before Downloading

Test filename formats without downloading:

python3 tiktokBulkDownloader.py --preview-filename "https://tiktok.com/@user/video/123" --no-date

This shows exactly what the filename will look like and compares it with other available formats.

Get Help

See all options:

python3 tiktokBulkDownloader.py --help

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Troubleshooting

Common Error Messages and Solutions

"Input file 'links.txt' not found"

• Create a file named links.txt with your TikTok URLs (one per line)
• Or use --links to specify a different file

"No formats available" or Download Fails

• Most likely cause: TikTok is blocked in your location
• Solution: Use a VPN and connect to a server outside the US
• Try different VPN locations if one doesn't work

"HTTP Error 403: Forbidden"

• The video may be private or deleted
• Try using --cookies with your exported cookies

yt-dlp Update Errors

• Update yt-dlp: pip install --upgrade yt-dlp
• Or try: pip3 install --upgrade yt-dlp

Permission Denied Errors (Mac/Linux)

• Try: pip install --user yt-dlp
• Or use sudo pip install yt-dlp (not recommended)

'python3' is not recognized (Windows)

• Try using python instead of python3
• Or add Python to your PATH environment variable

Understanding the Watermark Feature

What --watermark actually does:

• Downloads TikTok's "official download" version (the one you'd get from TikTok's download button)
• This version has lower quality (typically 576x1024 instead of 1080x1920)
• Contains embedded TikTok watermarks (username and TikTok logo)

Without --watermark (default behavior):

• Downloads the highest quality version available (typically 1080x1920)
• No TikTok watermarks or logos
• This is usually what you want

When to use --watermark:

• Only if you specifically need the "official" TikTok version
• Note: Download speeds may be slower and some videos may fail with this option

Common Issues

• "No formats available": Try using a VPN with different server locations
• Private videos fail: Use --cookies with exported browser cookies
• Download speeds slow: This is normal, especially with --watermark option
• Some videos fail: Check the failed downloads log file for specific error messages

Checking Available Formats

To see what formats are available for a specific video:

yt-dlp -F "https://www.tiktok.com/@username/video/1234567890"

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Help and Support

For assistance:

• Open an issue on GitHub.

Feel free to reach out if you encounter issues or have suggestions for improvement.

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Donate

If this helped you and you'd like to donate, you can scan this to donate via Cash App:

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Legal status & disclosures

Current Status (U.S.)

• TikTok remains accessible in the U.S. as of Septemeber 2025.
• A divestiture/restructuring deal appears close; if finalized and approved, the app should remain available.
• If enforcement resumes without a completed deal, access and endpoints could change or break this tool.

Legal & Intended Use

This tool is for downloading videos you own or have permission to download (e.g., your own posts, licensed/public‑domain content). Do not use it to infringe copyrights or to bypass DRM/technical protection measures (17 U.S.C. §1201). Follow TikTok's Terms and community policies at all times. The authors do not endorse or support any infringing use. Not legal advice.

If TikTok Access Changes in the U.S.

If enforcement resumes or API/endpoint behavior changes, this tool may break or require updates (e.g., new extractors, changed cookies flow, or rate-limit adjustments). Please open an issue with reproducible logs.