“I tried downloading MMD and music videos from niconico thru a variety of methods. All of them to no avail... Any way to download from Niconico?" --Reddit
Niconico (Nicovideo.jp) is a Japanese video sharing site with many popular videos about anime, computer games and pop music. Many users, like the Reddit user above, are looking for a reliable way to download Niconico videos. Most methods found online are now outdated, especially since Nicovideo has changed its video playback method to HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) only on July 5, 2023, complicating downloads further.
Thankfully, there are still reliable ways to save Niconico videos with the right tools. This article will show you 4 proven solutions to download Niconico videos to your computer or mobile devices. Just follow our up-to-date guidance for successful downloading.
iFunia YouTube Downloader
Free Download Windows 11/10/8/7 
Free Download macOS 10.11 or later
Applied to: Windows, Mac
The easiest and fastest way to download Nicovideo is to use a dedicated third-party Nicovideo downloader. iFunia YouTube Downloader is a powerful video downloader that allows you to easily download all kinds of videos from Nicovideo to watch offline on any device. With this powerful program, you can save Niconico videos in the highest quality and freely choose the resolution of each clip before downloading. It’s a best option for anyone who wants to download online videos from Nicovideo effortlessly.
How to easily download Niconico videos to PC:
Step 1. Download and run iFunia YouTube Downloader for Windows or Mac.
Free Download Windows 11/10/8/7 Free Download macOS 10.11 or later
Step 2. Copy the video URL. Right click on the Niconico video you want to download, and select the first option “Copy video URL”.
Step 3. Go back to the downloader, paste the video URL into the box and press Enter to get the video information. You can download multiple videos in bulk by repeating this step.
(Optional) Step 4. Select your desired video quality. This best Niconico video downloader will select the highest quality by default, you can also manually adjust the resolution from the Format drop-down list.
Step 5. Finally, click the Download button at the bottom right corner to start downloading video(s) to your computer.
Tip: After the download is completed, you can click the Check icon to open the file location. You can also watch the video via the built-in player by clicking the Play button.
Applied to: Windows, Mac
Another reliable way to download Niconico videos is to use yt-dlp, a command-line program that lets you download videos and audio from many websites like Nicovideo. It’s a fork of youtube-dl and the latest release can easily download user-uploaded Niconico videos to PC/Mac. The learning curve is rewarded with automated downloading. To download Niconico videos with yt-dlp:
Applied to: Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari and other major browsers
After trying numerous ad-full online downloaders and unreliable browser extensions, Nicozon.net is probably the only reliable website that lets you download from Nicovideo. Nicozon is a website designed to downloading Nico Nico Douga videos through bookmarklet in web browser. With the help of this online Nicovideo downloader, you can use Chrome, Firefox, Safari and other browsers to download Niconico videos on PC, iOS, iPad and Android devices. Here is how it works:
1. Go to Nicozon.net. Enter the URL of the video you want to download into the search box and click the third option to open the video.
2. Click the third button under the thumbnail to save the video.
3. On the save page, add the HTTP version bookmarklet to the bookmarks bar, then click on the link above it to go to the next page.
4. On the new page, click on the bookmark you just saved and a download link of the MP4 video file will appear. Juts right-click the link and select Save Link As to start downloading the niconico video.
Note: Do not close the page or put your computer to sleep during the download process, otherwise the download will fail.
Applied to: Chrome
Although most Nicovideo downloader extensions/add-ons don’t work now, you can still save Niconico videos via Stream Recorder. Designed for downloading HLS (m3u8) videos, this Chrome extension lets you save Niconico videos delivered in HLS as MP4 files. To download Nicovideo with browser extension:
1. Go to the Chrome Web Store, search for Stream Recorder and add it to Chrome.
2. Go to Nicovideo.jp and play the video you want to download in the browser. Then click the action button of the extension to download if it’s activated.
3. Click the Save button to save the recorded Nicovideo to your computer. Do not close the tab before the the video is downloaded.
Tip: You can switch to the Capture mode to record niconico live video as it’s playing, just make sure you have a stable and fast network.
You can download Niconico videos on iOS and Android smartphones via Nicozon.net. More detailed information can be found on this page https://www.nicozon.net/howto_bookmarklet.html.
Alternatively, it can be simpler to download the Niconico video on computer and transfer it to your mobile phone. Professional Nicovideo downloaders like iFunia can batch download Niconico videos to H.264 MP4 files in different definitions, compatible with all devices.
Consider a professional Nicovideo downloader app, such as iFunia, which can download and convert niconico videos to MP3. Or you have to download the video first and extract the audio from the video using a video converter program.
Most online downloaders don’t work for Nicovideo, either they don’t recognize the URL or just redirect you to some other pages. So beware of scams and malvertising when trying online options, including Nicozon.net. The safest way to download Nicovideo is to use a desktop program.
We’ve explored 4 ways to download videos from Nicovideo, each comes with its own advantages and limitations. For casual users who only need to download an occasional video, the online downloader and browser extensions provide a quick solution without requiring additional software. iFunia Nicovideo Downloader, on the other hand, offers more power and convenience for frequent downloaders, with batch download capabilities and advanced options. Those who prefer open source tools and are comfortable with the command line will appreciate yt-dlp.
With these tools at your disposal, it’s simple to save Niconico videos for offline viewing on any device. Happy downloading and watching!
Cheryl has been writing tutorials, reviews, and how-to articles on consumer apps since 2016. She specializes in multimedia products and is always testing on Mac, PC, and various devices.
