PBS downloader
Download PBS documentaries, NOVA, Frontline, and PBS Kids episodes as MP4 up to 1080p. Save American public broadcasting content for offline viewing.
PBS publishes free episodes and clips from flagship shows like NOVA, Frontline, American Experience, and Nature. They also run PBS Kids with full episodes of Daniel Tiger, Wild Kratts, and more. Much of the catalog is freely available on pbs.org.
Paste a pbs.org or pbskids.org video URL, pick MP4, and the episode saves to your library. Especially useful for parents who want kids content available offline on long trips, or students archiving documentary material for research.
Key takeaway: Copy the pbs.org video URL, paste it here, and pick MP4 1080p. PBS publishes at solid bitrates so the quality is worth it.
Why use our free PBS downloader
Flagship documentaries offline
Save full NOVA episodes, Frontline investigations, and American Experience films to your library for flights, classrooms, or weekend viewing.
PBS Kids for travel
Download Daniel Tiger, Wild Kratts, and Odd Squad episodes for kids to watch offline on planes and road trips. No Wi-Fi required.
Subtitles for accessibility
PBS provides excellent closed captions. Download SRT files for accessible viewing or for using documentary quotes in research.
Research-grade content
NOVA and Frontline are cited in academic papers regularly. Having episodes saved locally makes it easy to reference specific segments.
How to download PBS videos for free
Copy the PBS video URL
Open the episode or clip on pbs.org (or pbskids.org for kids content) and copy the URL from your browser.
Choose your format
MP4 1080p for documentaries. MP4 720p for kids shows (smaller files for tablets). SRT for subtitles.
Sign in and download
A free FileFactory account unlocks the download. Signup takes about 10 seconds, and the file saves to your library.
Pro tip: PBS makes many full episodes free for a limited window after air date. Check the show page for newly unlocked episodes and download them before they rotate back to PBS Passport (paid).
PBS downloader FAQ
- Is this free?
- Yes. Both FileFactory and most PBS online video are free. Some episodes require PBS Passport (a membership perk), which this tool cannot access.
- Does it handle PBS Passport content?
- No. PBS Passport requires a station membership login. Only publicly available free episodes and clips are fetchable.
- Can I download PBS Kids episodes?
- Yes. Paste pbskids.org video URLs and they work the same as regular PBS content. Great for building an offline library of kids shows.
- Are PBS documentaries in HD?
- Most recent PBS content is available at 1080p. Older archival content may cap at 720p or 480p depending on when it was digitized.
PBS content is produced by member stations and independent producers. Free episodes are intended for personal, educational viewing. Some content is available only to PBS Passport members. Do not redistribute PBS programming commercially.