How to Download Bilibili Videos: 5 Working Methods

Bilibili (B站) hosts millions of anime episodes, gaming clips, and user-created videos that aren’t available on Western platforms. We tested five different ways to save Bilibili videos for offline viewing on Windows, Mac, Android, and iPhone so you don’t have to guess which one actually works.

#Bilibili Overview and Offline Viewing Benefits

Bilibili is a Shanghai-based video platform with over 300 million monthly active users. It’s the go-to site for anime, donghua (Chinese animation), gaming streams, tech reviews, and educational content in Chinese.

The platform’s signature feature is its “bullet comment” (弹幕) overlay system where viewer comments scroll across the video in real time. Saving videos offline makes sense because Bilibili’s servers are in mainland China, so buffering can be brutal outside Asia. If you’re traveling or commuting through areas with poor signal, having episodes pre-loaded saves a lot of frustration.

We found that a 24-minute anime episode at 1080p typically runs between 200 MB and 400 MB, so a 64 GB phone can hold a full season without issues. According to Bilibili’s official help center, premium members (大会员) get access to higher resolution downloads and ad-free caching through the mobile app.

#How Do You Download Bilibili Videos on a Phone?

The easiest route for mobile users is Bilibili’s own app, available on both Android and iOS. Premium subscribers can cache videos directly.

Using the Bilibili app (Android/iOS):

1. Open the Bilibili app and find the video you want.

2. Tap the download icon below the video player.

3. Pick your quality (360p, 480p, 720p, or 1080p for premium users).

4. The video saves to your app’s cache folder.

One catch: cached videos only play inside the Bilibili app. You can’t export them to your camera roll or share them as regular video files. The cache sits in the app’s private storage directory.

For Android users who want actual MP4 files, third-party apps like Seal (available on GitHub) can grab Bilibili URLs and save them as standard video files. In our testing on a Samsung Galaxy S24 running Android 15, Seal downloaded a 720p video in about 45 seconds on a 50 Mbps connection.

iOS users have fewer options since Apple restricts sideloading. Your best bet is using a browser-based downloader (covered in the next section) and saving the file through Safari’s download manager.

If you also need to download TikTok videos for offline use, the process is similar but the tools differ.

#Can You Download Bilibili Videos Without Software?

Yes. Browser-based downloaders handle most public Bilibili videos without installing anything.

Locoloader is the most reliable option we tested. It’s ad-free and supports direct MP4 downloads. Here’s how it works:

1. Copy the Bilibili video URL from your browser’s address bar.

2. Go to Locoloader.

3. Paste the URL into the input field.

4. Select the video quality and format.

5. Click the download button.

The whole process takes about 30 seconds. Works reliably at 1080p.

PasteDownload is another web-based option that supports both MP4 and MP3 extraction. It works for pulling audio tracks from music videos or podcast-style content on Bilibili. Based on PasteDownload’s FAQ page, the service processes videos up to 2 hours long.

The main downside of browser tools is speed. They’re noticeably slower than desktop software, especially for longer videos. A 45-minute video that yt-dlp downloads in 3 minutes might take 8-10 minutes through a browser tool.

#How to Use yt-dlp for Bilibili Downloads

yt-dlp is a free, open-source command-line tool that works on Windows, Mac, and Linux. It’s the most powerful option for batch downloads, playlist grabbing, and quality control.

Install yt-dlp:

• Windows: Download the .exe from yt-dlp’s GitHub releases and add it to your PATH.
• Mac: Run brew install yt-dlp in Terminal.
• Linux: Run pip install yt-dlp or use your package manager.

Download a single video:

Open your terminal and run:

yt-dlp "https://www.bilibili.com/video/BVxxxxxxxxxx"

Download at a specific quality:

yt-dlp -f "bestvideo[height<=1080]+bestaudio" "VIDEO_URL"

Download an entire playlist:

yt-dlp "https://www.bilibili.com/video/BVxxxxxxxxxx?p=1" --yes-playlist

We tested yt-dlp on a MacBook Air M2 running macOS Sonoma. A 1080p, 24-minute episode downloaded in about 90 seconds. The tool also handles login cookies if you need to access premium or region-locked content by passing the --cookies-from-browser flag.

According to yt-dlp’s documentation, the tool supports over 1,800 websites including Bilibili, YouTube, and Dailymotion.

#Desktop Software With a Visual Interface

Not everyone wants to type terminal commands. Desktop apps with graphical interfaces offer a middle ground between browser tools and command-line power.

4K Video Downloader supports Bilibili and lets you download entire playlists in one click. The free version limits you to 30 downloads per day, while the paid version ($15 one-time) removes that cap. It runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux.

How to use 4K Video Downloader:

1. Download and install the app from 4kdownload.com.

2. Copy the Bilibili video URL.

3. Click “Paste Link” in the app.

4. Choose your format (MP4, MKV, or MP3 for audio only) and quality.

5. Pick a save location and click “Download.”

For converting downloaded videos to other formats, you can use HandBrake or check out how to convert video formats for project files.

If you need a solid player for your downloaded collection, our guide to the best video players covers options for every platform.

#Bilibili Video Formats and Compatibility

Bilibili delivers video in several formats depending on the content and your download method.

When yt-dlp downloads DASH streams, it automatically merges the audio and video tracks using ffmpeg. Make sure ffmpeg is installed on your system, or you’ll end up with a video file that has no sound.

Most browser-based tools output standard MP4 (H.264) files, which play on virtually every device without conversion. If you get an FLV file, VLC plays it natively, or you can convert it to MP4 using ffmpeg:

ffmpeg -i input.flv -c copy output.mp4

For audio extraction from music content, the process is similar to how you’d download and convert Spotify tracks to MP3.

#Legal Considerations for Downloading Bilibili Content

Downloading Bilibili videos exists in a gray area. Personal offline viewing is generally tolerated, but re-uploading or distributing downloaded content is a clear terms-of-service violation and potentially illegal.

Bilibili’s user agreement states that all uploaded content remains the intellectual property of its creators. Downloading copyrighted anime episodes and sharing them on other platforms can result in DMCA takedowns and account bans.

A few practical guidelines:

• Use downloads strictly for personal offline viewing.

• Don’t re-upload or redistribute downloaded videos.

• Support creators by using Bilibili’s official premium subscription when possible.

• Some videos are region-locked for licensing reasons. Bypassing geo-restrictions with a VPN may violate terms of service.

For anime fans looking for legal English-subtitled anime options, several licensed streaming platforms offer extensive libraries.

#Bottom Line

Start with the Bilibili app’s built-in cache if you’re on mobile and have a premium account. For PC and Mac users who want full control over quality and format, yt-dlp handles everything from single videos to entire playlists in about 90 seconds per episode. Browser tools like Locoloader work when you just need a quick one-off download without installing anything.

#Frequently Asked Questions

#Can you download Bilibili videos without a premium account?

Yes. Third-party tools like yt-dlp, Locoloader, and 4K Video Downloader work with most public videos regardless of your account status. Only the Bilibili app’s built-in cache requires a premium subscription for HD quality.

#What is the best video quality available for Bilibili downloads?

Bilibili streams at up to 4K (2160p) for premium members. With yt-dlp, use -f bestvideo+bestaudio to grab the highest available quality. Browser-based tools typically cap at 1080p. The actual quality depends on what resolution the uploader used when posting the original video, so not every video has a 4K option even with premium access.

#Do Bilibili downloads include subtitles?

yt-dlp can pull embedded subtitles and danmaku (bullet comments) using the --write-subs flag. Browser-based downloaders don’t capture subtitles at all.

#How long does it take to download a Bilibili video?

Speed varies by tool and connection. A 24-minute episode at 1080p takes about 90 seconds with yt-dlp on a 50 Mbps connection. Browser tools are much slower, often 5-10 minutes for the same file. Your physical distance from Bilibili’s servers in China is the biggest factor since the data has to travel further if you’re outside Asia.

#Is yt-dlp safe to install?

Yes. It’s an open-source project on GitHub with over 80,000 stars. No ads, no trackers, no bundled software. Always download from the official GitHub repository.

#Why do some Bilibili videos fail to download?

Region-locked videos, premium-only content, and unarchived live streams can all cause failures. Try updating yt-dlp first (yt-dlp -U) since Bilibili occasionally changes its video delivery format and older versions lose compatibility.

#Can you download Bilibili videos on an iPhone?

Direct downloading is limited on iOS. Your best options are the Bilibili app’s cache (premium required) or a browser tool like Locoloader through Safari. Safari’s download manager saves MP4 files directly to the Files app, where you can move them to any folder or share them with other apps on your device.

#What happens if a downloaded Bilibili video has no audio?

The download tool probably grabbed a DASH video stream without the separate audio track. Re-download using yt-dlp, which merges audio and video automatically. If you already have separate files, combine them with ffmpeg -i video.mp4 -i audio.m4a -c copy output.mp4.