Easiest Way To Download Facebook Videos

Are you storing videos using the cloud, or to social networks? I do, as it is convenient, accessible everywhere with internet connection. This thinking has made me decide the rather silly thing, deleted the original videos in my local storage. This means I need to go online when I want to access the deleted files. But sometimes internet connection encounters some hiccups which made me decide to bring back those files to my local drive.

Unsuccessful tries

HTML code hack and the right click menu

 It is easy to upload videos to facebook, but I find it difficult to do the opposite. I've tried looking at the source code but there is no clue to where the file name is, which should at least be with an mp4 extension.

Source code hack is not helpful at all. Although there are entries with the characters mp4, they are not the correct filename of the video, so it could not be downloaded.

 The right click menu is also not useful, it only shows the player settings. There is no obvious download  link  at the bottom of the video as well.

Asking google has pointed me to some sites which tell me to download new software or update already installed players, which I find it dodgy.

Accidental discovery.

As I was searching for solution, our internet connection seemed grinding to a halt, so I swithced on to mobile version using the chrome's UserAgent spoofer (1,2,3) (see how to install this for chrome at http://prakticality.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/ways-to-speed-up-internet-connection.html)

and this rendered all sites into the cut away mobile version and solved the snail paced performance.

Surprisingly, the mobile version has  has the download button when right clicked. This was all an accidental discovery which led to the elusive download link!

To get this button, press play then right click the video(4)!

Download button shows when  right clicked

Last words.

If you do not have the User Agent Spoofer or the chrome browser, you can just hack the address bar by replacing www with m(5), Facebook and some other sites still allow the change of user agent with this simple change and let you access the mobile version on a laptop. Click the picture below to see it clearer.

Replace www with m

How To Hack Hidden Friends On Facebook

If you noticed that some of your friends on facebook are only showing mutual friends when you click their friend's list, then this is because they set this not to show to the public.This is easily set by clicking the pen icon and editing privacy(1) to show just for the account holder(only me  option) (2). I myself use this security feature because I do not want any of my friends to be bothered by anyone from my list of friends. This is one way of showing respect to their privacy.

Until yesterday, I was very confident that this feature is well secured, considering the seriousness of FB on privacy. But by using an extension for Chrome, the hidden friends can be revealed. Here's how.

Facebook Friend Mapper

How to install it

Obviously, you need to have chrome browser to start with. If you have it already go to Google Chrome Web Store and search for facebook friend mapper or click directly below.

 https://chrome.google.com/webstore/search/dacebook%20friend%20mapper

• Scroll down to the "extensions" and click "+ Free" button(3) to add(4) it as an extension.

• Check if the new extension is enabled by clicking the menu  >settings>extensions and making sure enabled(5) is ticked.

• Close chrome and restart it.

How to use it 

• Go to facebook and you will notice an additional feature at the friends button, reveal friends(6). 

• Click the friends button and select a friend (7) that only shows mutual friends. 

• Click reveal friends (8) and the magic begins as the software (9) maps the hidden friends.

(Trouble shooting)

If at this point the "reveal friends" extension does not appear, refresh your browser until it shows. You may need to wait 3 seconds for every refresh to let the extension integrate inself to the FB interface.

• The revealed  hidden list.

Last Words.

If you are concerned about your friend's privacy and already using the only me feature on your friend's list to hide them, then there's nothing you can do at the moment until FB finds a way of patching the hole of "mutual friend's" access to interconnected FB profiles. So whilst the extension is still working, better make use of it!