# ReelShort Video Downloader — Decrypted MP4 Episodes (`spider_studio/reelshort-m3u8-downloader`) Actor

Download decrypted ReelShort episodes as best-quality MP4 files by book and chapter ID, with batch processing and direct storage in Apify Key-Value Store.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/spider\_studio/reelshort-m3u8-downloader.md
- **Developed by:** [NewLai](https://apify.com/spider_studio) (community)
- **Categories:**
- **Stats:** 7 total users, 0 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $2.50 / 1,000 reelshort video downloads

This Actor is paid per event and usage. You are charged both the fixed price for specific events and for Apify platform usage.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

### What does ReelShort Video Downloader do?

**ReelShort Video Downloader decrypts and downloads accessible ReelShort episodes as
best-quality MP4 files.** Add a `bookId` and `chapterId`, start the Actor, and receive a
ready-to-use video in Apify Key-Value Store. No additional decryption or conversion is
required after the run.

The Actor automatically chooses the best available video quality for each episode and
supports multiple chapters in one run. A structured Dataset provides download status,
episode details, selected resolution, file size, and a direct link to each stored MP4.
Use it manually in Apify Console or automate ReelShort video downloads through the
Apify API, SDKs, schedules, webhooks, and integrations.

### Explore the ReelShort Actor suite

Use these Actors together to move from title discovery to episode-level data and
authorized media downloads.

| Actor | Best for | Key output |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [ReelShort Scraper](https://apify.com/spider_studio/reelshort-landing-page) | Discover trending short dramas from the recommendation feed. | `bookId` and title metadata |
| [ReelShort Search Scraper](https://apify.com/spider_studio/reelshort-search) | Find dramas by title, genre, trope, theme, or phrase. | `bookId` and matching titles |
| [ReelShort Book Detail Scraper](https://apify.com/spider_studio/reelshort-book-detail) | Enrich a title with episodes, cast, recommendations, and availability. | `bookId`, `chapterId`, and title details |
| [ReelShort Episode Scraper](https://apify.com/spider_studio/reelshort-chapter-content) | Inspect chapters and retrieve available decrypted playback links. | Episode metadata and HLS URLs |
| [ReelShort Video Downloader](https://apify.com/spider_studio/reelshort-m3u8-downloader) | Save accessible episodes as best-quality MP4 files. | MP4 files and download metadata |

### Why use ReelShort Video Downloader?

- **Decrypt and download ReelShort episodes** as complete MP4 files.
- Automatically select the best quality currently available for each chapter.
- Save video files directly to Apify Key-Value Store.
- Download multiple episodes in a single run.
- Name every file with its ReelShort book and chapter IDs for easy matching.
- Monitor unsuccessful downloads through the run status and logs without result fees.
- Connect downloaded videos to authorized review, catalog, and media workflows.

This Actor is useful for content quality assurance, licensed media archiving,
localization review, internal editorial tools, catalog maintenance, and other workflows
where you have permission to download and retain ReelShort media.

### What ReelShort video data can I get?

| Field | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `bookId` | string | Requested ReelShort title identifier. |
| `chapterId` | string | Requested ReelShort episode identifier. |
| `success` | boolean | Whether the decrypted MP4 was saved successfully. |
| `chapterName` | string or null | Episode title. |
| `serialNumber` | integer or null | Episode position within the series. |
| `duration` | integer or null | Episode duration reported by ReelShort. |
| `isLocked` | boolean or null | Whether the episode is currently locked. |
| `selectedWidth` | integer or null | Width of the selected video. |
| `selectedHeight` | integer or null | Height of the selected video. |
| `fileName` | string or null | ID-based MP4 filename. |
| `sizeBytes` | integer or null | Stored MP4 file size. |
| `kvsRecordUrl` | string or null | API URL for the stored MP4 file. |

### How to download ReelShort episodes as MP4

1. Find the ReelShort title's `bookId` and the episode's `chapterId`. A compatible
   ReelShort book-detail Actor can provide both values.
2. Open the **Input** tab.
3. Add one or more book and chapter ID pairs to `chapters`.
4. Click **Save & Start**.
5. Open **Downloaded MP4 files** to access the videos.
6. Check **Download results** for status, resolution, size, and file links.

No coding is required. Developers can run the same workflow through the Apify API,
Python or JavaScript SDK, CLI, webhooks, or scheduled Actor runs.

### Input

See the Input tab for all options. `chapters` is a required JSON array. Each item must
contain a `bookId` and `chapterId` string. Duplicate pairs are ignored while the
remaining entries keep their original order.

```json
{
  "chapters": [
    {
      "bookId": "6a90e563e9df3108b20a4617",
      "chapterId": "6tybvk6hrr"
    }
  ]
}
```

### Output

Every successful download creates one complete MP4 file in the run's default
Key-Value Store. Filenames use this predictable pattern:

```text
media-{bookId}_{chapterId}.mp4
```

For the prefilled example, the filename is:

```text
media-6a90e563e9df3108b20a4617_6tybvk6hrr.mp4
```

The Key-Value Store contains the downloaded media files and does not retain a separate
input record. Private KVS records require authenticated Apify access. The accompanying
Dataset can be downloaded in JSON, HTML, CSV, Excel, or XML.

```json
{
  "bookId": "6a90e563e9df3108b20a4617",
  "chapterId": "6tybvk6hrr",
  "success": true,
  "chapterName": "Episode 1",
  "serialNumber": 1,
  "isLocked": false,
  "selectedWidth": 1080,
  "selectedHeight": 1920,
  "sizeBytes": 1891943,
  "fileName": "media-6a90e563e9df3108b20a4617_6tybvk6hrr.mp4",
  "contentType": "video/mp4",
  "kvsRecordKey": "media-6a90e563e9df3108b20a4617_6tybvk6hrr.mp4",
  "kvsRecordUrl": "https://api.apify.com/v2/key-value-stores/example/records/media-6a90e563e9df3108b20a4617_6tybvk6hrr.mp4",
  "error": null
}
```

### How much does it cost to download ReelShort videos?

This Actor uses pay-per-result pricing:

| Apify plan | Price per result | Price per 1,000 results |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Free plan | $0.0035 | $3.50 |
| Paid plans | $0.0025 | $2.50 |

Only successfully downloaded MP4 results stored in the default Dataset are billed.
Failed downloads, unavailable episodes, and files that cannot be saved to KVS do not
create charged Dataset rows. Check each run's **Usage** tab for the exact charge.

### Tips for reliable ReelShort MP4 downloads

- Make sure each `chapterId` belongs to the supplied `bookId`.
- Use the prefilled example to confirm the expected video and Dataset outputs.
- Start with small batches when estimating storage use and run duration.
- Download or move KVS media before the run storage reaches its retention date.
- Locked, unavailable, expired, or restricted episodes may not produce a video file.

### FAQ, responsible use, and support

#### Does this Actor decrypt ReelShort videos?

Yes. For accessible episodes, the Actor handles decryption during the download and
returns a ready-to-use MP4 file. Users do not need to decrypt the output themselves.

#### Does it always download the best ReelShort video quality?

The Actor selects the highest quality available for the requested episode at run time.
The returned Dataset records the selected dimensions when they are available.

#### How are downloaded ReelShort videos named?

Each file uses `media-{bookId}_{chapterId}.mp4`, so it can be matched directly to its
input without an opaque filename.

#### Can this Actor unlock paid or restricted episodes?

No. It downloads only content currently accessible to the Actor and does not bypass
payment, account, geographic, or copyright restrictions.

Use this Actor only for legitimate and authorized purposes. Follow ReelShort's terms,
respect copyright and applicable law, and verify that you have permission to download
and retain the resulting media. Use the Issues tab for support and the API tab for
programmatic access.

# Actor input Schema

## `chapters` (type: `array`):

Book and chapter ID pairs to download. Duplicate pairs are ignored.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "chapters": [
    {
      "bookId": "6a90e563e9df3108b20a4617",
      "chapterId": "6tybvk6hrr"
    }
  ]
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `media` (type: `string`):

Key-Value Store containing decrypted best-quality episode MP4 files.

## `dataset` (type: `string`):

Dataset containing one result for each successfully stored MP4 file.

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "chapters": [
        {
            "bookId": "6a90e563e9df3108b20a4617",
            "chapterId": "6tybvk6hrr"
        }
    ]
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("spider_studio/reelshort-m3u8-downloader").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = { "chapters": [{
            "bookId": "6a90e563e9df3108b20a4617",
            "chapterId": "6tybvk6hrr",
        }] }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("spider_studio/reelshort-m3u8-downloader").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "chapters": [
    {
      "bookId": "6a90e563e9df3108b20a4617",
      "chapterId": "6tybvk6hrr"
    }
  ]
}' |
apify call spider_studio/reelshort-m3u8-downloader --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,spider_studio/reelshort-m3u8-downloader"
        }
    }
}

```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/AS5qVeEQhvpPlIbMe/builds/YWwqUx80UgLiQ7JRw/openapi.json