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Download options vary between adult video sites. Pornhub removed its download button in December 2020, some sites require a login, and regional access restrictions can prevent a page from opening at all. This guide covers the official options, the relevant rules and our test results from October 4, 2026.
The quick answer
- The site's own feature decides first. Pornhub has had no user downloads since December 2020; XVideos and SpankBang reportedly offer one to logged-in users.
- Terms and copyright apply as to any video. Every site limits downloading to its own features, and many tube uploads are there without the rights holder's consent.
- A tool being able to save a video is a separate question. yt-dlp lists eight of these sites, but listed is not permitted.
Clipmoth is our own product; weigh that as you read.
| Site | Clipmoth for Windows | Clipmoth Chrome extension | Site's own download |
|---|---|---|---|
| XVideos | Yes (832p) | Yes (HLS 832p) | Reported for logged-in users |
| XNXX | Yes (1080p) | Yes (HLS 1080p) | Reported, similar to XVideos |
| xHamster | Yes (240p or 720p logged out, by video) | Yes, at the quality playing | Unverified; Premium exists |
| Pornhub | Yes (720p) | Yes (HLS 720p) after a real click on play | No since Dec 2020; paid downloads from verified models only |
| RedTube | No: the CDN sent no data to our region | Partly: Edge yes (HLS 720p); Chrome player did not start | Same policy as Pornhub |
| Eporner | Yes | Yes (HLS 720p) after a real click | Unverified |
| YouPorn | Yes (1080p) | Yes (HLS 720p) after a real click | Same policy as Pornhub |
| SpankBang | Not tested: blocked by our ISP | Not tested | Reported with a free account |
| FANZA (DMM), OnlyFans, Fantia | No: DRM or not supported | No | Terms forbid saving; FANZA uses DRM |
Why downloads disappeared
Abuse scandals. In December 2020 Pornhub announced it had “removed the ability for users to download content from Pornhub, with the exception of paid downloads within the verified Model Program” (The Week). The aim was to stop non-consensual material from being re-uploaded faster than it could be removed. YouPorn and RedTube, run by the same company Aylo (formerly MindGeek), follow the same policy.
Age-verification laws. Rather than collect IDs, Aylo blocked 17 US states by January 2025 (PinkNews). The UK has required “highly effective” age checks since July 25, 2025 (PinkNews). The video itself is still plain MP4 or HLS; what changed is what the site permits and who it lets in.
Official options and terms
The official route: use the site's own button where one exists. XVideos and SpankBang reportedly offer it to logged-in users, and Pornhub sells paid downloads from verified models. Paid platforms such as FANZA, OnlyFans and Fantia do not allow saving at all.
Every major site's terms limit downloading to its own features, so a third-party tool, ours included, breaches them even when no copyright is infringed. Copyright applies to adult video as to any other. Non-consensual material and sexual content involving minors are illegal to download or possess. We are not lawyers; this is not legal advice.
Terms and law in detail
Terms. Pornhub's terms page prohibits downloading except through site features; the other major sites carry comparable clauses. The site's remedy runs against your account.
Copyright. The studio or performer holds the rights. Much of what is on free tube sites was uploaded without permission, and saving such a copy is infringement in most countries. Bought, creator-offered or self-produced material is on firm ground.
Japan. Knowingly downloading an illegal upload is itself illegal under the Copyright Act, even for private viewing; in 2021 the rule was extended from music and video to all types of works. A pirated commercial adult release on a tube site falls squarely under it.
Absolute lines and DRM. If you are unsure a video is consensual and of adults, do not save it. FANZA (DMM) plays purchases in a DRM-protected player; circumventing DRM is illegal in many places, and no tool here does it.
Tools and their limitations
| Route | Works? | Within the terms? | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Site's own Download button | Where offered | Yes | Often needs a free login (reported for XVideos, SpankBang) |
| yt-dlp (command line) | Saved full videos on 5 of 6 reachable sites in our Mac run | No | Needs ffmpeg; no help against logins, age gates, blocks or DRM |
| Clipmoth for Windows | Saved full videos on 6 of 7 reachable sites | No | Free 10/day · $9.99 one-time |
| Clipmoth Chrome extension | Saved full videos on 6 sites, RedTube in Edge only | No | Saves the rendition playing; needs a real click on Pornhub and Eporner |
| Online “downloader” sites | Not tested | No | Pop-unders, fake buttons, notification scams |
Here is how yt-dlp and our Windows app differ in setup and everyday use.
| yt-dlp (command line) | Clipmoth for Windows | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free, unlimited | Free 10/day · $9.99 one-time |
| Setup | The binary plus a separate ffmpeg install on your PATH for HD | One installer, ffmpeg included |
| Use | Type commands and options (-f, --merge-output-format …) | Paste the URL, pick a quality. Download queue; MP3 is one switch |
| Updates | Run yt-dlp -U yourself | The engine updates itself |
| When it fails | Read the English error output | The reason is shown in plain words (unsupported, login needed, region-locked …) |
| Best for | Fine-grained options, scripts, cookies and proxies; Mac and Linux | Windows users who want to click, not type |
yt-dlp appears on the project's supported-sites list for all eight tube sites above and needs ffmpeg to merge video and audio.
Desktop apps: our Clipmoth app cannot get past DRM, logins, age gates or regional blocks either.
Our extension saves the HLS or DASH stream the page is playing, so a tiny or throttled player gives a tiny file.
Online sites send your URL to a third-party server and are the riskiest category on the web.
What we tested on October 4, 2026
Two runs from networks in Asia: first a Mac running yt-dlp 2026.08.19 directly and the extension in automated Chrome, then a Windows PC running the app itself, Clipmoth for Windows 1.0.3, and the extension in Chrome 154 and Edge 154, visible window, real mouse clicks. We used yt-dlp's public test videos or the newest public video, checked files with ffprobe and deleted them.
| Site | yt-dlp 2026.08.19, run on a Mac | Clipmoth for Windows 1.0.3 | Clipmoth extension (Chrome 154 and Edge 154) |
|---|---|---|---|
| XVideos | Up to 832p; saved 120 s at 832p, h264 + AAC | Saved 120 s at 832p, h264 + AAC | HLS 832p, 120 s, 20.5 MB (both runs) |
| XNXX | Up to 1080p; saved 469 s at 1080p, h264 + AAC | Saved 469 s at 1080p, h264 + AAC | HLS 1080p, 469 s, 174 MB (both runs) |
| xHamster | Logged out, the test video offered only 240p (894 s saved at 240p) | Saved the test video at 240p (894 s); a second video offered 720p (200 s saved at 720p) | Saved both (894 s and 200 s) at the rendition playing. A small automated window played 144p though the playlist listed 720p: make the player large first |
| Pornhub | Up to 720p (HLS 240p / 480p / 720p); saved a 240p copy. Two older test videos were disabled or flagged by the site | Saved 361 s at 720p, h264 + AAC, 68 MB | HLS 720p, 361 s, 68 MB (Chrome and Edge) after a real click on play. A scripted click only loops adtng.com pre-roll ads; pick the row with the video's title |
| RedTube | Up to 1080p (8 formats), but the chosen media URL sent no data: 0 bytes in 4 min | Up to 1080p (8 formats), but the media URL sent no data: 0 bytes in 15 min, then an empty file | Edge: HLS 720p, 646 s, 263 MB from a regional CDN edge. Chrome: only pre-roll ads in three attempts; cause unknown |
| Eporner | Up to 720p; saved 47 min at 360p, AV1 + AAC | Saved 686 s at 360p, h264 + AAC | HLS 720p, 686 s, 276 MB after a real click. The first click opens an ad pop-under (ExoClick / TrafficStars); a scripted click sent the tab to the ad, so the first run saw only an 8 KB preview |
| SpankBang | Connection reset. Not tested | Connection reset; this ISP also gives no DNS answer. Not tested | Not tested |
| YouPorn | Not tested: the test video had been removed | Up to 1080p (8 formats); saved 298 s at 1080p, h264 + AAC, 122 MB | HLS 720p, 298 s, 41 MB after a real click (second run) |
This is a snapshot, not a promise: sites change players and defenses often, and our network was not in the US or Europe.
When it doesn't work
- The whole site is unreachable. You are in a blocked region (17 US states for Aylo's sites) or one that requires an age check first (the UK, several EU countries).
- One site never loads, but others do. Your provider may block it in DNS. Ours answered XNXX, RedTube and YouPorn with a dead-end address; a public resolver brought them back. Whether you may work around that depends on where you live.
- No Download link, or it asks you to log in. Removed on Pornhub's sites since 2020; tied to an account on XVideos and SpankBang. That is the feature, not an error.
- A tool returns 403 or “unsupported.” Stream URLs are signed and expire. A local tool on your own IP fares better than a converter site; neither gets past a login.
- You saved a short clip or an ad. The player never started the main video. Click play yourself, wait out the ad, then save the row with the video's title.
Frequently asked questions
Is it legal to download adult videos for personal use?
It depends on the video, not the genre: a pirated studio release is infringement to save, a purchase with download rights is not. The sites' own DMCA takedown queues show how much tube content is uploaded without permission.
Why can't I even open the site?
Most likely a regional block or a legal age check; France is among the EU countries with similar rules. Using a VPN to evade a legal age check can itself breach the site's terms and, in some places, the law.
Why is my downloaded file silent or low-res?
HD is delivered as separate video and audio streams, and the tool needs ffmpeg to merge them. A single-file web download gives you the low-resolution combined stream or a high-resolution stream without sound.
What about OnlyFans, Fantia or FANZA?
They are not on yt-dlp's list, and downloading from them takes money directly out of the creator's hands. Use the platform's own offline or purchase options where they exist, and otherwise stream.
A downloader for the video you have the right to keep
Clipmoth is our own downloader. The Windows app supports YouTube, TikTok, X, Instagram and over 1,000 sites, with options for 4K video, playlists and MP3.
The Chrome extension saves video playing on websites such as news sites and online courses, including HLS and DASH streams. It does not support YouTube.
Both offer 10 free downloads a day. Premium removes the limit in both for a one-time payment of $9.99, with a 14-day refund policy.
Get the Windows app Add to Chrome (for video on regular websites)