How to Download TikTok Videos with Free Open-Source Tools on Windows, Linux, and macOS (Tutorial)

TikTok has taken the world by storm with its short, engaging videos. But what if you want to save a TikTok video for offline viewing or share it outside the platform? Fortunately, there are some excellent free and open-source tools that can help you download TikTok videos with ease.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to use these tools on Windows, Linux, and macOS.

No shady websites, no invasive ads—just clean, open-source goodness!

Let’s get started.

Why Use Open-Source Tools for Downloading TikTok Videos?

When it comes to downloading TikTok videos, the internet is full of websites and apps promising quick downloads. But many of these are:

• Packed with ads and trackers
• Potentially malicious (yes, malware is real!)
• Closed-source, meaning you don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes

Open-source tools give you transparency, security, and freedom. You know what the code does, and you can be confident your privacy is respected.

How to Download YouTube Videos and Playlists with youtube-dl on Windows, Linux, and macOS (Tutorial)

Want to download YouTube videos for offline use or save an entire playlist for a long flight? youtube-dl is your go-to open-source tool for this. It’s simple, efficient, and works across multiple platforms. In this guide, we’ll show you how to install youtube-dl on Windows, Linux, and macOS, and demonstrate

MEDevel.comHazem Abbas

Open-Source Tools for Downloading TikTok Videos

Here are two excellent tools for downloading TikTok videos:

1. yt-dlp (a fork of youtube-dl with additional features)
2. Gallery-dl (a versatile tool for downloading content from various platforms)

Both tools are available for Windows, Linux, and macOS.

Let’s explore how to install and use them.

Installing yt-dlp

On Windows

1. Download the executable:
   • Visit the yt-dlp GitHub releases page.
   • Download the latest yt-dlp.exe file.
2. Add it to your PATH:
   • Place yt-dlp.exe in a folder (e.g., C:\yt-dlp).
   • Add this folder to your system PATH.
3. Install FFmpeg (optional but recommended):
   • Download FFmpeg from https://ffmpeg.org/download.html.
   • Extract the ZIP and add the bin folder to your PATH.

On Linux

For Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install yt-dlp ffmpeg

For Arch Linux:

sudo pacman -S yt-dlp ffmpeg

On macOS

If you use Homebrew, installing yt-dlp is simple:

brew install yt-dlp ffmpeg

Downloading TikTok Videos with yt-dlp

Using yt-dlp to download TikTok videos is easy. Just follow these steps:

Download a Single Video

Open a terminal (or Command Prompt) and type:

yt-dlp <TikTok-URL>

Example:

yt-dlp https://www.tiktok.com/@username/video/123456789

Download in a Specific Format

If you want to choose a specific video format, use the -F flag to list available formats:

yt-dlp -F <TikTok-URL>

Then download a specific format:

yt-dlp -f mp4 <TikTok-URL>

Extracting Audio Only

To download just the audio from a TikTok video:

yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 <TikTok-URL>

Installing Gallery-dl

Gallery-dl is another fantastic open-source tool for downloading content from TikTok and other platforms.

On Windows

1. Download the executable:
   • Visit the Gallery-dl GitHub releases page.
   • Download the latest gallery-dl.exe.
2. Add it to your PATH:
   • Move gallery-dl.exe to a folder (e.g., C:\gallery-dl).
   • Add this folder to your PATH.

On Linux

For Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install python3-pip
pip3 install gallery-dl

On macOS

Using Homebrew:

brew install gallery-dl

Downloading TikTok Videos with Gallery-dl

Basic Download

To download a TikTok video:

gallery-dl <TikTok-URL>

Example:

gallery-dl https://www.tiktok.com/@username/video/123456789

Download an Entire User Profile

Want to download all the videos from a specific TikTok user?

gallery-dl https://www.tiktok.com/@username

Custom Download Directory

Set a custom download folder with the -d option:

gallery-dl -d ~/Downloads/TikTok <TikTok-URL>

Advanced Tips for yt-dlp and Gallery-dl

Set File Naming Patterns:

yt-dlp -o "~/Downloads/TikTok/%(title)s.%(ext)s" <TikTok-URL>

Limit Download Speed:

yt-dlp --limit-rate 500k <TikTok-URL>

Resume Downloads:

yt-dlp -c <TikTok-URL>

Stay Legal and Respectful

Downloading TikTok videos is great for personal use, but remember to:

• Respect copyright laws and TikTok’s terms of service.
• Credit creators if you plan to share their content elsewhere.

Wrapping Up

With yt-dlp and gallery-dl, downloading TikTok videos is simple, efficient, and free of bloatware. These open-source tools give you control and privacy while getting the job done.

Whether you’re saving a funny clip or archiving your favorite content, you now have the power to do it—the open-source way!

Happy downloading!

Useful Links:

• yt-dlp GitHub Repo
• Gallery-dl GitHub Repo
• FFmpeg Downloads