How to Copy a Video Link on iPhone
Copying a video link on iPhone should be trivial, but each social app hides the option in a slightly different place — and on a small screen, one wrong tap sends you somewhere unexpected. If you have ever tapped around the share menu wondering where "copy link" went, this guide is for you.
The good news is that the underlying gesture is identical across TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook: open the video, find the share control, and choose the copy option. The differences are cosmetic — icon shapes, menu labels, where the button sits. Once you have done it in one app, the other two take seconds.
Below are the exact tap sequences for all three apps on iPhone, what to do with the link once you have it, and fixes for the common snags — links that will not paste, share menus that look different, and downloads that refuse to start in Safari.
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How to download in 3 steps
- 1
Open the video and find the share button
On TikTok, open the video and tap the curved Share arrow on the right-hand side of the screen. On Instagram, open the Reel or video post and tap the paper-plane icon (below the heart on Reels, or the share arrow on feed videos). On Facebook, tap the Share button beneath the video — on Reels it is the curved arrow on the right, on feed videos it sits under the post. In all three apps the share control is within a thumb's reach of the video itself.
- 2
Tap Copy link in the share menu
A share sheet slides up with app icons and options. Look for "Copy link" — on TikTok it is in the first row of the share menu, on Instagram it appears as "Copy link" in the share sheet, and on Facebook choose "Copy link" from the share options (you may need to tap "More options" first on some versions). Tap it and the link is copied to your clipboard; TikTok and Instagram both show a small confirmation banner.
- 3
Paste the link where you need it
Switch to Safari (or your browser of choice) and paste the link — tap and hold in the text field, then tap Paste. To download the video, paste it into <a href="/">Ultra Video Downloader</a> and hit download; the MP4 saves to your Files app or Photos depending on your iOS version. To simply share the video with someone, paste the link into Messages, WhatsApp, or any chat app instead.
Why use Ultra Video Downloader?
Same gesture, all three apps
TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook all use the same underlying pattern — open video, tap share, copy link. Learn the sequence once and muscle memory covers the rest; the only thing that changes is the icon shape.
Works on any iPhone, no extra apps
These steps use only the apps you already have and Safari. Nothing to install, no shortcuts to configure, no settings to change — the copy-link option is built into every current version of all three apps.
Links work for downloading or sharing
A copied link is universal: paste it into a downloader to save the MP4, into a message to share the video with a friend, or into Notes to build a collection. One copied link serves every purpose.
Troubleshooting for the common snags
Share menu looks different? App versions move things around — the copy option is always in the share sheet even if its position shifts. Link will not paste? Tap-and-hold the text field until the Paste bubble appears; if the keyboard is covering it, dismiss the keyboard first. Download will not start in Safari? Check that the site is allowed to download files (Settings > Apps > Safari) and try again.
Private videos stay private
Copying the link is always possible, but the link only downloads if the video is public. Links from private accounts or friends-only posts will not resolve in any legitimate downloader — that is the platform enforcing the creator's privacy setting, and no tool can bypass it.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the share button on TikTok for iPhone?+
Open the video and look at the right-hand column of icons — the Share button is the curved arrow, usually third from the top below the heart and comment icons. Tap it, and "Copy link" is in the top row of the menu that appears.
How do I copy a link from an Instagram Reel?+
Open the Reel and tap the paper-plane (send) icon on the right side. In the sheet that opens, tap "Copy link" — it is usually near the top. The link is now on your clipboard, ready to paste anywhere.
The Facebook share menu does not show Copy link. What now?+
On some Facebook versions the option sits under "More options" within the share sheet — tap that to reveal the full list, including Copy link. If the video is in a private group, the link will copy fine but may only work for group members.
I copied the link but Paste does not appear. How do I paste on iPhone?+
Tap and hold inside the text field until the magnifier and the Paste bubble appear, then tap Paste. If nothing appears, make sure you actually copied something (switch back to the app and copy again — you should see a confirmation banner), and check the text field is editable.
Can I download the video straight from the copied link?+
Yes — paste the link into a downloader in Safari and save the MP4. TikTok links download without the watermark, and Facebook and Instagram links save at the platform's best quality. The file lands in Files or Photos depending on your iOS version.
Does the copied link expire?+
For public videos, effectively no — the link stays valid as long as the video itself is up. If the creator deletes the video or switches their account to private, the link stops working everywhere, including in downloaders.
That is all there is to it: open the video, tap share, copy the link — on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook alike. Once the link is on your clipboard, paste it into <a href="/">Ultra Video Downloader</a> any time you want the actual video file. And if you are on Android instead, our <a href="/guides/how-to-copy-video-link-on-android/">Android guide</a> covers the same steps for the share sheet on that side.