Help & Documentation

Everything you need to start downloading videos with VideoParser.

Installation

Method 1 — Direct ZIP (no store)

Download Chrome extension .zip or Firefox extension .zip
Extract the ZIP to a folder on your computer
Chrome / Edge / Brave: Go to chrome://extensions → enable Developer Mode (top right toggle) → click Load unpacked → select the extracted folder
Firefox: Go to about:addons → click the gear icon → Install Add-on From File… → select the .zip file directly

Tip: The extension icon will appear in your browser toolbar. Pin it for quick access.

Method 2 — Chrome Web Store

Coming soon. For now use the direct ZIP install above.

Your First Download

Navigate to a page with a video (e.g. Vimeo, YouTube, TikTok)
Press Play so the video starts loading
Click the VideoParser icon in your browser toolbar
The extension automatically detects all available streams
Select the quality/format you want and click Download

For some protected platforms (Vimeo Private, GetCourse), the video must start playing before VideoParser can intercept the stream. If nothing appears, try pressing play and waiting 2–3 seconds before opening the extension.

Mode 1 — Browser Extension (Interception)

The extension intercepts video streams directly in your browser at the network layer. This gives you access to session-authenticated content — streams that are tied to your cookies, login session, or IP address.

What it captures	How
HLS (.m3u8)	XHR/fetch interception via webRequest API
DASH (.mpd)	XHR/fetch interception
MP4 direct links	DOM scanning + network scan
AES-128 encrypted HLS	Decrypts segments using your session's keys
Private Vimeo / GetCourse	Uses your authenticated browser session

Mode 2 — Server Download (yt-dlp)

For public videos (YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, etc.), VideoParser can download via our server using yt-dlp. Paste the URL in the form on the homepage and select quality.

Note: Server-side download does NOT work for session-protected or private content. Use Mode 1 (extension) for those.

HLS / M3U8 Streams

HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) is used by most modern video platforms. VideoParser:

Intercepts the .m3u8 playlist request
Parses all segment URLs and encryption keys
Downloads all .ts segments
Merges them into a single .mp4 file

DASH / MPD Streams

DASH streams have separate audio and video tracks. VideoParser Pro uses FFmpeg to merge them without re-encoding (remux only). This requires the Pro plan.

AES-128 Encrypted HLS

Used by GetCourse, Kinescope, and some Vimeo content. The encryption key is delivered to your browser along with the stream — VideoParser captures it from your session and decrypts each segment automatically.

AES-128 decryption requires Pro plan. The key is only available via your authenticated browser session — it cannot be retrieved server-side.

Vimeo Private Videos

Vimeo's private and password-protected videos are session-bound. You must be logged in or have the private link open in the same browser.

Open the Vimeo video page in your browser (make sure you have access)
Press Play
Open VideoParser extension
The HLS stream will appear — download at any quality

GetCourse

GetCourse uses AES-128 encrypted HLS. You need to be enrolled in the course and the video must be playing before VideoParser can intercept.

Kinescope

Similar to GetCourse — AES-128 HLS. Session-authenticated. Open the lesson page, press play, then use the extension.

FAQ

The extension icon doesn't appear

Click the puzzle piece icon (🧩) in Chrome's toolbar → find VideoParser → click the pin icon to keep it visible.

No streams detected

Make sure the video has started playing before opening the extension
Try refreshing the page with the extension active
For some platforms, the stream only appears after pressing Play — wait 2–3 seconds

Download starts but fails

For AES-128 streams, check that you have an active Pro subscription
Large files (1+ GB) may take several minutes
Make sure you have enough disk space

The downloaded file won't play

Try opening with VLC — it handles all container formats
If the file is incomplete, try the download again

Common Errors

Error	Cause	Fix
`yt-dlp failed`	Server-side download issue	Check if the URL is public and supported
`No streams found`	Video not started / wrong tab	Play video first, then open extension
`AES key not found`	Session expired or Pro not active	Refresh page / check subscription
`SSRF blocked`	URL points to internal/private IP	Only public internet URLs are supported for server downloads

Contact & Support

Email: support@videoparser.ncide.com
Telegram: t.me/videoparser_support

Response time: within 24 hours on business days.