Download from the Internet Archive
Paste an archive.org item link and save its video.
By using this site you confirm you have the right to download the file you request.
How it works
- 1
Copy the item address
archive.org/details/… from the browser bar.
- 2
Paste it and press Start
An item often holds several files; the rows show what is there.
- 3
Save
MP4, or MP3 for an audio recording.
What you can get
Most of what the Archive holds is public domain or openly licensed, which makes it one of the few places where downloading is uncomplicated. One practical limit applies: our 90-minute cap refuses the long recordings the Archive is full of — conference tapes, council meetings, full broadcasts — so a feature-length item will be turned away.
The Archive already lets you download
Almost everything on archive.org has a download list on its own page, offering the original files rather than a conversion. If the formats there suit you, that is the better route and the Archive would rather you used it.
This page is useful when the item is in a format your device will not play and you want an H.264 MP4 or an MP3 instead.
Old formats are the normal case here
The Archive holds a great deal of material in codecs nothing plays any more. Those are exactly the items where converting is worth it, and also the ones most likely to take a minute rather than seconds.
Frequently asked questions
Should I use the Archive’s own download instead?
Where the format suits you, yes — it gives you the original file.
Why is this one slow?
Old codecs have to be re-encoded, and some items are very long.