Video Platforms & UGC Content

Use FlowPick to save creator content from mainstream video platforms for offline viewing and material collection.

Content on mainstream video platforms is typically delivered via streaming, with no direct download option in browsers. FlowPick helps you save videos you're interested in for offline viewing, content reference, or material collection.

Supported Platforms

The following platforms have been community-verified to work with FlowPick for detecting and downloading video content:

Platform	Streaming Protocol	Detection Difficulty	Status	Notes
Bilibili	HLS/DASH	Low	Verified	Some videos have Referer validation
YouTube	DASH	Medium	Verified	Audio-video separated, needs merge
Vimeo	HLS	Low	Verified	Some videos require login
Xigua Video	HLS	Low	Verified	Mobile page detection works better
Douyin Web Version	HLS	Medium	Verified	Must detect on playback page
Xiaohongshu	HLS/MP4	Medium	Verified	Short videos, smaller files

Platform Compatibility Notes

Not all video platforms work with FlowPick. The following scenarios may cause detection or download failure:

Limitation Type	Description	Typical Platforms
DRM Protection	Uses Widevine/FairPlay DRM technology, cannot decrypt	Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime
Premium Encryption	Paid content uses custom encryption schemes	Premium content on some video platforms
Dynamic Token	Segment URLs contain short-lived tokens that expire	Replay from some live platforms
Anti-scraping	Restricts access after detecting abnormal download behavior	Some strict content platforms
Regional Restrictions	CDN only serves specific regions	Some overseas platforms

For technical details on DRM protection limitations, see Known Limitations — DRM Protected Content. For AES-128 encryption support scope, see Video Sniffing — Encrypted Streams.

Workflow

Extension Auto-Detection Mode

This is the most convenient method, works for most video sites:

Open the target video page, play a few seconds
Click the FlowPick extension icon
Select desired quality in the popup window
Click download

For complete principles of extension auto-detection, see Video Sniffing — Detection Principles. For troubleshooting when videos aren't detected, see Common Issues Troubleshooting — Media Detection Issues.

Manual URL Mode

When extension cannot auto-detect, use online tools to manually download:

Press F12 to open Developer Tools
Switch to Network panel
Type .m3u8 or .mpd in the filter box
Refresh the page and play the video
Find the manifest file URL, right-click and copy it
Open FlowPick online tools (/m3u8-downloader or /dash-downloader)
Paste URL and start download

For online tool usage and comparison with extension features, see Online Tools. For detailed steps to get M3U8 URL using Developer Tools, see FAQ — How to Get Stream URL.

Handling Referer Validation

Some platforms' CDNs (like Bilibili) validate request source:

Extension version: Automatically handled, no extra configuration needed
Online tools: May fail due to CORS restrictions; recommend using extension version

For technical principles of CORS restrictions and differences between extension and online tools, see Online Tools — Comparison with Extension and Known Limitations — CORS Restrictions.

Quality Selection Strategy

Bilibili Quality Reference

Quality Level	Resolution	Typical Bitrate	10-Minute Video Size
360P Smooth	640×360	400 Kbps	~30MB
480P Clear	854×480	800 Kbps	~60MB
720P HD	1280×720	1500 Kbps	~110MB
1080P HD	1920×1080	3000 Kbps	~220MB
1080P+ High Bitrate	1920×1080	6000 Kbps	~450MB
4K Ultra HD	3840×2160	12000 Kbps	~900MB

YouTube Quality Reference

YouTube uses DASH protocol with separated audio and video:

Select video stream in quality list (e.g., 1080p)
Select corresponding audio stream (usually 128Kbps AAC)
Choose MP4 output format; FlowPick will auto-merge them

For DASH protocol audio-video separation handling process, see Video Sniffing — DASH Audio-Video Separation. For MP4 output format remuxing principles, see Format Conversion.

FAQ

Can't detect YouTube videos?

YouTube uses DASH protocol with audio-video separation; detection method differs slightly:

Ensure video is playing (not paused)
Refresh page and reopen FlowPick
Check if there are multiple entries (video stream and audio stream shown separately)
If still not detected, use Developer Tools to manually get MPD URL

Downloaded Bilibili video won't play?

Possible causes and solutions:

Referer validation: Use extension version instead of online tools
Incomplete segment download: Re-download with reduced concurrency count
Encrypted stream key expired: Refresh page to re-fetch manifest

For troubleshooting incomplete segment downloads and merge failures, see Common Issues Troubleshooting — Video Won't Play After Merge.

What about watermarks?

Platform watermarks are embedded in the video stream. FlowPick downloads original stream data, so watermarks cannot be removed. This is platform copyright protection.

Material Collection Scenarios

If you need to collect video materials for creative reference:

Workflow Recommendations

Create material library directory: Organize by topic or source
Use batch download: Batch save videos from same channel or playlist
Unify format: Convert all to MP4 for compatibility
Add notes: Include source and topic info in filename

Naming Convention

[Platform]-[Author]-[Title]-[Quality].mp4

Examples:
Bilibili-ZhangSan-ReactTutorial-1080p.mp4
YouTube-Fireship-Reactin100Seconds-1080p.mp4

For batch download queue management and concurrency control, see Batch Download. For write strategy with large files (4K/long videos), see Download Engine Architecture.

Copyright & Compliance Statement

Before using FlowPick to download video platform content, please understand and comply with these principles:

Permitted Usage Scope

Allowed	Not Allowed
Download public videos for personal offline viewing	Re-upload downloaded videos to other platforms
Save creator content for learning reference	Commercially exploit downloaded video content
Collect public materials for creative inspiration	Bypass DRM protection to download paid content
Backup your own uploaded video content	Distribute downloaded content as original creator

Platform Terms of Service

Most video platforms' user agreements explicitly prohibit downloading video content
Before using FlowPick, review target platform's user agreement and terms of service
If platform terms prohibit downloading, please respect their rules
As tool provider, FlowPick is not responsible for users' download behavior

Risk Warning

Some platforms may detect abnormal download behavior and take restrictive measures (account bans, IP restrictions)
Recommend controlling download frequency, avoid mass downloads in short periods
Consequences of download behavior are borne by users themselves
Creators hold copyright to their content; please respect intellectual property rights

For FlowPick's privacy commitment (no data collection, no upload), see Privacy & Security.

Video Sniffing — Video detection principles, HLS/DASH protocol support, encrypted stream decryption
Batch Download — Queue management and concurrency control for multi-video batch downloads
Format Conversion — MP4 output format remuxing technology
Download Engine Architecture — Large file write strategy and memory safety
Online Tools — Online download method after manually obtaining URL
Usage Guide — Basic operation guide and large file downloads
Configuration Reference — Concurrent threads, output format, save directory configuration
Common Issues Troubleshooting — Diagnosis for download failures, unplayable videos, etc.
Known Limitations — DRM protection, CORS restrictions, dynamic token, and other technical limitations
FAQ — How to get stream URL and other common questions
Privacy & Security — Zero data collection promise and local processing explanation

Online Courses & Educational Platforms

Use FlowPick to save online course videos for offline learning and content backup.

Live Replays & Event Recordings

Use FlowPick to save live replays and event recordings with support for large file streaming downloads.