Why a video download fails, and how to fix it

A video download that fails almost always has a simple cause. Here are the situations we see most often with ExtNest Video Downloader, and the fix for each.

"Nothing detected on this page"

The most common case. Three explanations:

• The video is not loaded yet. Many sites only request the video when you press Play. Start playback, wait two seconds, open the popup again.
• The video is an animated image or a preview: there is no actual video.
• The page was opened before the extension. Reload the page once.

If nothing changes, the popup's Report button sends us the page's address: that is how we add support for new players.

"Access denied" or "The server refuses the file"

Some servers only accept a request if it comes from their own page. The extension then retries as the page would, which settles most cases. If the refusal persists, the video is reserved for signed-in accounts: sign in on the site, then try again.

"Protected stream"

The video is encrypted with DRM, as on paid streaming platforms. No honest tool downloads it, and the extension attempts nothing. That is the Chrome Web Store's rule, and ours.

"Live"

A live stream has no end: it cannot be saved as one file. Wait for the site to publish the replay.

The file stops before the end

A network cut in the middle of the assembly. Since version 1.2, a stream cut very close to its end is saved anyway and flagged in orange; earlier, it fails and you can retry, the free credit is given back.

The file has an odd name

A string of letters and digits instead of the title? Another download-manager extension imposes its own name. Since version 1.2.2, the chosen name is kept in that case too. If yours isn't, update the extension from chrome://extensions.

Good to know

Only save what you have the right to save: your own videos, royalty-free content, or in the cases allowed by the law.