Long-time Tumblr users already know the app just isn’t built for saving anything. There’s no reliable download button on a video post, GIFs long-press into a context menu that mostly just lets you copy or share rather than save the actual file, and reblogged posts strip out whatever original save options existed anyway.

Grabio copies a Tumblr post link and opens a general download page. I have not confirmed that page supports Tumblr.

Why Tumblr is a genuine pain point here

At a glance

How to Download Tumblr Videos and GIFs on iPhone
Cost
Free, forever
Account
None needed
App Store
No install
Runs on
iPhone, via Shortcuts

Tumblr’s video player wraps most clips in its own embed, and depending on the theme or client you’re using, long-pressing doesn’t always surface a save option at all.

GIFs are technically short looping videos on Tumblr’s backend, not the old-school animated GIF format, which is part of why the built-in save behaves inconsistently across post types. It’s one of the few major platforms left where long-press and save genuinely doesn’t work most of the time.

Steps to download a Tumblr video or GIF on iPhone with Grabio

  1. Add Grabio to your iPhone once, free Apple Shortcut, no login.
  2. Open the post with the video or GIF and tap the Share icon.
  3. Tap Grabio in the share sheet. If the app does not list it, open the link in Safari and share it from there.
  4. Grabio copies the Tumblr link and opens a general download page in Safari.
  5. Tap the box, then Paste, tap Extract Formats, pick a format and download, then save the file to Photos or Files.

Does this work on reblogs, or only original posts?

Both, as long as the specific post you’re sharing the link from still has the video or GIF attached. Reblogs on Tumblr carry the original media forward, so sharing a reblogged post’s link works the same as sharing the original poster’s link.

Is it private and free on iPhone?

No account, no login, no cap. Grabio checks the link on your phone and opens the page in Safari, my server gets only a random anonymous install ID and doesn’t touch the video or GIF file itself, and the download page handles the actual pull.

Save posts you have a right to keep a copy of, not to strip and reupload someone else’s original content elsewhere.

Download Tumblr videos and GIFs on iPhone: FAQ

Why can’t I just long-press and save on Tumblr like other apps?

Tumblr’s video and GIF posts are wrapped in its own embedded player rather than served as a plain file the way a photo is, so the standard iOS long-press-to-save gesture often has nothing to grab onto. That’s the specific gap this flow fills.

Do Tumblr GIFs download as an actual.gif file?

Tumblr’s GIFs are stored as short video files under the hood even though they display and loop like a GIF, so what you’ll typically get is a video file that plays the same loop, not a classic animated.gif file.

Does this work on NSFW or 18+ tagged Tumblr blogs?

If the post is one you can already view and open the link to in your current browser session, the download flow works the same regardless of content rating. Blogs that require you to be logged in and age-verified to view at all won’t be reachable without that login.

Related on iPhone: download Pinterest videos on iPhone, download Dailymotion videos on iPhone, or Video & Audio Tools.

Once you have that working, it is worth seeing how it stacks up against the alternatives, the full video downloader for iPhone comparison covers paid apps, ad-heavy sites, and the free Shortcut approach side by side.