Media CDN URL Extractor — Download URLs from Any Video Platform

Extract direct CDN download links from YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and 20+ more platforms in seconds.

Get video download URLs, audio extraction links, and media metadata from any public source. Process batch URLs instantly. No rate limiting, no registration walls.

What does this Actor do?

This Actor extracts direct CDN download links from any media URL. Simply provide a list of video or media URLs, and it instantly returns:

• Direct CDN URLs for instant downloads (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Vimeo, etc.)
• Download proxy URLs for complex processing (YouTube, TikTok, Reddit, Bilibili, etc.)
• Media metadata (filename, duration, format, quality)
• Batch results as JSON, CSV, HTML, or Excel

Perfect for downloading videos, archiving content, extracting audio, or automating media pipelines.

Supported platforms

Video platforms: YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter/X, Facebook, Snapchat
Music platforms: SoundCloud, YouTube Music, Spotify preview URLs
Stream platforms: Twitch, Vimeo, Dailymotion, Loom, Streamable
Social networks: Reddit, Tumblr, Bluesky, Pinterest, VK, OK.ru
International: Bilibili, Rutube, Newgrounds, and 20+ more

Why extract CDN links with this Actor?

Fast & Efficient

Get direct download links instantly without needing plugins, extensions, or websites that embed ads or inject malware.

For developers integrating media extraction

• Batch processing: Extract 1000+ URLs in a single run
• Scheduled jobs: Download new uploads daily via Apify scheduler
• Webhook support: Push results to Slack, email, Discord, or databases
• Fast processing: 3–15 seconds per URL

For content creators & archivists

• Bulk downloads: Archive entire playlists, channels, or profiles in one operation
• Format selection: Extract audio-only, video without audio, or best quality
• Metadata preservation: Keep original filenames, upload dates, creator info
• Export flexibility: JSON, CSV, Excel — pipe directly to storage or analytics

For researchers & data teams

• Consistent data format across all platforms
• Historical tracking: Monitor URL changes and availability
• Integration: Feed into data pipelines, ML models, or databases

How to use this Actor

Step 1: Prepare your media URLs

Collect URLs from supported platforms:

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abc123
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/user/status/123456
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/p/xyz789

Step 2: Run and get CDN links

Click Start → Actor processes URLs → Download results as JSON/CSV/Excel with direct CDN links

Input

URLs array (required)

List of media URLs to extract CDN links from. Supports 20+ platforms including YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Reddit, Vimeo, Bilibili, and more.

Example:

{
  "urls": [
    {"url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abc123"},
    {"url": "https://twitter.com/user/status/123456"}
  ]
}

Output

Per-URL result with direct CDN download link:

{
  "sourceUrl": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ",
  "status": "redirect",
  "url": "https://rr5---sn-ci5gup-2o9s.googlevideo.com/videoplayback?...",
  "filename": "Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up.mp4"
}

Output fields:

• sourceUrl — Original media URL you provided
• url — Direct CDN download link (ready to download/stream)
• filename — Suggested filename for the media
• status — redirect (success) or error (if extraction failed)

CDN Link Validity

All extracted links are direct CDN download URLs valid for hours. You can:

• Download immediately
• Share the link (it works for others)
• Embed in players or apps
• Stream without extra processing

Tips to reduce cost:

• Batch similar platforms (YouTube slower than Twitter)
• Remove duplicates before running
• Schedule off-peak for discounted compute units

Advanced options

Batch best practices

• Group by platform: YouTube batches: 10–15s/URL. Twitter batches: 3–5s/URL
• Error handling: Failed URLs appear in results with error codes
• Rate limiting: Actor respects platform limits; wait before rerunning

Local testing

apify login
apify run

Local runs behave identically to cloud runs.

FAQ

Is it legal to extract CDN links from YouTube, Twitter, etc.?

Yes — extracting URLs is legal. But using them is your responsibility:

✅ Legal: Download your own content, content with explicit permission, public domain, Creative Commons
⚠️ Risky: Copyright-protected content, DMCA takedown risk, platform ToS violation
❌ Illegal: Distributing pirated content, circumventing DRM, commercial resale of protected material

Always check platform ToS and respect copyright. This Actor is a tool — use it responsibly.

Why did my URLs fail?

Error	Reason	Solution
not_found	Video deleted or private	Use a public/shareable link
unsupported	Platform not in our list	Request feature in Issues
rate_limited	Too many requests	Wait 1-5 minutes, then retry
auth_required	Content requires login	Make sure you have access
timeout	Server slow or overloaded	Retry in 30 seconds

How fast is this?

This Actor: 3–15 seconds per URL
Manual copy-paste: Hours or days (for playlists/channels)

Can I download an entire YouTube channel?

Not directly — you need a list of video URLs first. Options:

1. Use YouTube Playlist Extractor to get video URLs
2. Feed those URLs to this Actor
3. Download all videos in parallel

Or contact us for a custom solution.

How do I integrate this into my app?

Use the Apify API for batch jobs:

curl -X POST https://api.apify.com/v2/actor-runs \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN" \
  -d '{"actorId":"rishikesh/media-cdn-url-extractor"}'

See Apify docs for full integration examples.

Support & feedback

• Bug reports or feature requests: GitHub Issues
• Questions? Open an issue or contact Apify support
• Docs: Apify Actor documentation