For a Redgifs HD download, choose “Download HD”: it gives you the highest quality Redgifs stores for that video. Choose “Download SD” when you want a smaller file that downloads faster and takes less space on a phone. Both are MP4 files, and both keep the sound when the original video has it.
The rest of this page explains the difference in more detail and how to check the resolution before you download.
HD and SD side by side
| HD | SD | |
|---|---|---|
| Picture | The highest quality Redgifs has for the video | Lower resolution, made for phones |
| File size | Larger | Much smaller |
| Download time | Longer | Shorter |
| Sound | Included when the video has it | Included when the video has it |
| Format | MP4 | MP4 |
| Watermark | None added | None added |
| Best for | Keeping, or watching on a big screen | Mobile data, low storage, a quick look |
What “HD” means for a Redgifs HD download
HD is not one fixed resolution. It is the best version of the video that Redgifs keeps, and that depends on what the uploader gave it.
If the video was uploaded in high resolution, the HD file will be high resolution. If the uploader’s original was small or heavily compressed, the HD file will be the same, because no downloader can add detail that was never there. A tool that promises 1080p or 4K for every video is promising something it cannot know.
The Redgifs downloader passes the file through as Redgifs stores it. Nothing is re-encoded and nothing is added to the picture.
What SD is
SD is a second, smaller copy of the same video that Redgifs makes for phones. It has a lower resolution and a lower file size than HD.
On a phone screen the difference is often hard to see. On a laptop, a monitor or a TV, SD looks softer, and fine detail and text in the picture lose sharpness.
SD is still a complete video. It has the same length as HD, and it has the same audio track.
Both keep the sound
Some people expect the smaller file to be silent. It is not. If the original video has audio, HD and SD both include it.
The result shows a badge before you download:
- Has sound means both files come with audio.
- No sound means the uploader’s video is silent, so neither file has audio. Picking HD will not change that.
If your file plays without sound even though the badge said “Has sound”, check the volume and the mute switch on your device first. There is more help in the guide to downloading Redgifs with sound.
How to see the resolution before downloading
You do not have to guess what HD will give you. The tool shows the details first.
- Copy the video’s link on Redgifs.
- Paste it into the box on the Redgifs downloader and press “Get video”. On a computer, pressing Ctrl+V anywhere on the page pastes and fetches in one step.
- Look at the result. Next to the preview you see the duration, the resolution and the sound badge.
- Press “Download HD” or “Download SD”.
The resolution shown is the size of the video as Redgifs stores it, which is what the HD button delivers. If that number is already low, HD and SD will look close to each other, and SD may be the sensible choice.
The shape of the video matters too. A tall video fills a phone screen, so a modest resolution can still look good there. The same file will look small on a wide monitor.
When to choose HD
- You want to keep the video and may watch it later on a larger screen.
- You are on Wi-Fi or a connection without a data cap.
- You plan to trim the clip or convert it yourself, for example to a GIF. Starting from the best source gives a better result. See turning a Redgifs video into a GIF.
- Storage space is not a concern.
When to choose SD
- You are on mobile data and want to use as little as possible.
- Your phone is short on storage.
- The connection is slow and the HD download keeps stalling.
- You only want to watch the video once on a phone.
If you are unsure, pick HD. You can delete a file that is too big, but you cannot make a small file sharper later. If the uploader removes the video, you will not be able to fetch the better version again.
Where the file goes
The quality you choose does not change where the file is saved.
- iPhone: Safari saves it to Files > Downloads. To move it to Photos, open the file, tap Share and choose Save Video. Full steps are on the iPhone guide.
- Android: Chrome saves it to the Downloads folder. See the Android guide.
- Windows and Mac: the file lands in your Downloads folder.
Both files are standard MP4s. More on the format in Redgifs to MP4.
More guides
Have a Redgifs link ready?
Paste it into the downloader and save the MP4 in HD, with sound.
Open the downloader