Why the format matters more than resolution
People obsess over 1080p versus 720p and then save the result in a format their device, chat app or editor barely supports. The container and codec decide how big the file is, whether it plays everywhere, and whether audio survives at all. Check the format first; resolution second.
MP4: the safe default
MP4 (usually H.264 or H.265 video with AAC audio) plays on effectively everything made in the last 15 years: phones, TVs, browsers, editors, car screens. It compresses well, streams well, and every social platform accepts it. When a downloader asks you to choose, MP4 is the answer unless you have a specific reason otherwise — which is exactly why downer delivers MP4 by default.
WEBM: smaller files, patchy support
WEBM (VP9 or AV1 video) often looks the same as an equivalent MP4 at 20–40% less size. The catch is playback outside browsers: iOS photos apps, many TV sets and a lot of editing software still choke on it. Great for archiving on a PC, risky as the only copy you keep.
GIF: for loops, not for films
GIF is not a video format at all — it's a sequence of images, without sound, capped at 256 colors. A 10-second "GIF video" routinely weighs five times more than the same clip as MP4. Save silent loops as GIF if you really want them; save everything else as MP4.
- MP4 — universal playback, best all-round choice.
- WEBM — efficient, browser-first, weaker app support.
- GIF — silent, color-limited, huge files; loops only.
What downer does automatically
downer negotiates with each platform's CDN and picks the best MP4 variant available — highest bitrate, audio included, no re-encoding. If a source only serves WEBM, the download still works; the file just needs a capable player like VLC. You never have to think about containers unless you want to.