SocialAutoUpload User Guide · Volume 7 — Media & URL Import · Lesson 9
Import media from a URL
Purpose
Sometimes the video you want to re-share lives on another site. Instead of downloading it to your phone and uploading again, paste the link and the app fetches it for you — ready to publish. This lesson covers the happy path and, just as usefully, how to read the handful of sites that don't cooperate.
How to import
- In the composer, choose Import from URL.
- Paste the link to the video or post you want.
- The app downloads it in the background (you can keep working); when it's done, the media is attached to your post like any upload.
It works with YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Douyin, Bilibili and 1,700+ other sites. If a link's title and description are available and your fields are empty, the app even fills them in — you'll see Title and description auto-filled from the source platform.
💡 Imports use your upload allowance, and cap at 500 MB each
A downloaded file counts toward your monthly upload allowance exactly like an upload (Lesson 2) — a 300 MB import uses 300 MB. Individual imports are limited to 500 MB (smaller than the 1 GB direct-upload cap); for a bigger file, download it yourself and upload it.When a site pushes back
Most links just work. A few won't — and the app tells you exactly why, so you know whether to wait, fix something, or fall back to a manual download. The common ones:
| You see… | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| This is a live stream — live streams can't be downloaded. Wait until it ends and a recording (VOD) is available, then try again. | The link is a live broadcast, which has no fixed file | Wait for the recording, then import that |
| … can only be downloaded from China IP addresses (Geo-restricted)… | Douyin / Xiaohongshu block downloads outside China | Download the video manually and upload the file (Lesson 8) |
| YouTube is asking to verify the request for this specific video (bot protection)… Please download it manually and upload the file. | YouTube wants a signed-in session for that video | Download it yourself, then upload the file |
| Access denied. The content may be private or restricted. | The post is private or age/region-gated | Use a public link, or download it manually |
| Content not found. The URL may be invalid or the content was removed. | Wrong link, or the post was deleted | Check the URL |
| This URL format is not supported for automatic download. | The site isn't one we can fetch from | Download manually and upload |
💡 The universal fallback
Whenever an import can't work, the answer is the same: download the file to your device the normal way, then upload it (Lesson 8). The app publishes an uploaded file identically to an imported one.Doing several at once
- You can run up to 3 downloads at the same time. A 4th shows Too many concurrent downloads. Please wait for your existing downloads to complete. — just wait for one to finish.
- Batch importing accepts up to 10 URLs at once.
Expected result
The video from your link is attached to your post, ready to publish exactly like an uploaded file — with the title and description pre-filled when the source provided them.
Common mistakes
- Importing a live stream — wait for the recording (VOD) first.
- Importing a private/region-locked post — use a public link or download manually.
- Forgetting imports use upload allowance — a big import can eat into your monthly GB.
- Trying to import a file over 500 MB — download and upload it instead (up to 1 GB).
- Pasting a Douyin/Xiaohongshu link from outside China — geo-blocked; download manually.
📱 Mobile note: importing avoids downloading big videos to your phone's storage — handy on mobile data. The download runs on our servers, not your device.
Next: Lesson 10 — AI captions, hashtags & titles.
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