How to download from the Internet Archive
Often their own download button is better. Here is when it is not.
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
Check the item’s own download list first
If a format there suits you, take it — it is the original file.
- 3
Otherwise paste it here
You get H.264 MP4, or MP3 for an audio recording.
When to use the Archive’s own download
Almost everything on archive.org has a download list on its own page, offering the original files rather than a conversion. Where those formats suit you, that is strictly better: no re-encode, no queue, and it is what the Archive would rather you used.
This page earns its place when the item is in a codec nothing plays any more and you want something that opens.
Old formats are the normal case here
The Archive holds an enormous amount of material in codecs that were current decades ago. Those are exactly the items worth converting, and also the ones most likely to take a minute rather than seconds — there is real decoding work to do, and some items run for hours.
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.