For example, this invidious instance offers a download option for a YoutTube video, as that instance does for all YT videos:
https://invidious.fdn.fr/watch?v=lU4vv7qCQvg
Exceptionally, if you opt to download it it merely opens a player to watch realtime. While other downloads from the same invidious instance have no issues. Why is this one getting different treatment?
There are a few reasons this might be the case!
The instance’s UI might not be declaring that
a
orbutton
element as a resource meant to be downloaded.The instance’s web server might not have declared the downloadable file’s mime type as a resource. (Apache, nginx.)
Your operating system might not recognize the file type as a thing to be downloaded, or your browser isn’t telling it to download to a file.
It’s probably 1 or 2 if you’re seeing the same behavior across multiple browsers and OS.