Threads doesn’t give you a save button for someone else’s post. Want to keep a video or photo? You’re stuck screen-recording or screenshotting and losing quality in the process. Threads Download fixes that by pulling the original file straight from the post, even when the account posting it is private.
What it actually does
Once it’s installed, Threads Download runs on top of two free helper apps, Scriptable and a-Shell mini. You won’t ever need to open either one yourself; they handle talking to Threads’ servers and pulling the actual media file in the background instead of a screen-recorded copy. That’s how the shortcut manages full quality, and how it can reach into private accounts you’re already logged into.
It also remembers a bit of state between runs. Open it directly from the Shortcuts app and there’s a settings menu for checking which account is currently logged in, switching accounts, and choosing where new downloads land.
How to install
- Tap Add Shortcut on this page to open it in the Shortcuts app.
- Scroll the preview to the bottom and tap Add Shortcut to confirm.
- Install the free Scriptable and a-Shell mini apps from the App Store if you don’t already have them, since Threads Download calls both to fetch and save media.
- Run the shortcut once from the Shortcuts app so you can sign in and approve permissions before you try it from an actual post.
How to use it
Day to day, you won’t touch the Shortcuts app much. Long-press the paper airplane icon under any Threads post, and Threads Download shows up in the extension list; tap it, and the media saves. Prefer the standard share sheet instead? Tap that same paper airplane button, choose Share via, then pick Threads Download from the row of apps.
Browsing Threads in Safari works a little differently, since there’s no airplane icon on the web version. Open the post’s detail page and use the browser’s own share button in its place. If you’d rather work from a copied link, paste one after launching Threads Download straight from the Shortcuts app, and it pulls the media from there.
Where your downloads go
By default, saved media lands in your Photos library, but that’s a setting, not a fixed rule. Open the shortcut’s settings menu and toggle the Save to Files/Photos option off and back on to switch destinations, or to point new downloads at a different folder or album.
When it doesn’t work
Threads Download isn’t in the share list. Confirm Scriptable and a-Shell mini are both installed, then relaunch Threads and try the paper airplane button again.
A private post won’t save. Check which account Threads Download is logged into from its settings menu; it can only reach media that account can already see.
The wrong folder keeps getting used. Toggle Save to Files/Photos off, then on again, from the shortcut’s settings to force it to ask where to save next time.
FAQ
Wait, do I really need two separate apps just to save a video?
Yes, both Scriptable and a-Shell mini. Threads Download hands the actual fetching work off to them, even though you’ll never open either app directly yourself.
Does this work on private accounts?
It can, as long as you’re logged into an account that already sees the post. Access depends on whichever account is signed in through the shortcut’s settings menu, not just what’s active in the Threads app.
What iPhone software do I need?
iOS 15 or newer. There’s no macOS version, since the shortcut leans on iOS-only automation to do its job.
Can I change where the downloads end up?
Run the shortcut once from the Shortcuts app and flip the Save to Files/Photos toggle in its settings menu. That redirects future downloads to a different folder or photo album without reinstalling anything.
