Magpie Support
Everything you need to use Magpie, and how to report a bug.
Requirements
- A Mac with Apple silicon (M1 or later).
- macOS 12 or later.
- An internet connection to save links. Saved files work offline.
Getting started
- App Store edition: open Magpie and claim the 14-day free saving trial in the app; it starts when you claim it. Direct edition: the 14-day trial starts on first launch. Neither trial automatically charges you.
- Copy a link, then press “+” at the bottom left and paste it. (Or turn on clipboard notices in Help and just copy a link.)
- Choose video, audio or article, and the quality. Press Save.
- Files go to Downloads/Magpie. The first time, macOS may ask for folder access: choose Allow.
- To change where files go, open Settings → Save.
What Magpie can and can’t do
| Can | Can’t |
|---|---|
| Save video, audio, articles and files from links you provide | Bypass DRM, encryption or paid-stream protection |
| Save whole playlists, with subtitles as .srt files | Save content that requires a login you don’t have |
| Convert files your Mac can’t play, or open them in another player | Edit video, or stream live |
| Limit speed and the number of simultaneous downloads | Run on Intel Macs or older than macOS 12 |
| Work offline once saved, with nothing uploaded | Sync across devices (not yet) |
| App Store edition: no BitTorrent, FTP, mirror lists, browser extension, or YouTube | |
| App Store edition: whether other video sites stay available depends on review—not a feature promise |
Try these (openly licensed samples)
Use these links to learn paste → recognize → save. Only keep content you have the right to keep. The same list is in Help.
- Article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird_migration
- Audio: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/Example.ogg
- Video file: https://download.blender.org/peach/bigbuckbunny_movies/BigBuckBunny_320x180.mp4
- Short clip: https://www.w3schools.com/html/mov_bbb.mp4
Buy the direct edition
Direct sales are currently paused. Existing buyers can paste their licence code in Settings → License. App Store and Direct purchases are not shared.
Questions
The trial ended. What now?
App Store edition: purchase the one-time full unlock to keep saving. Direct edition: activate your purchased licence code. Neither trial automatically renews or charges you. Your saved files and history remain available.
I bought it already.
App Store: Settings → License → “Restore purchase” with the same Apple Account. Direct: paste the Afdian licence code on the same screen.
Where are my files?
In Downloads/Magpie, in folders for video, audio, articles and files. Help → Files and space shows the exact path.
A video won’t play in QuickTime.
Open the item and choose “Convert”. Magpie makes a version your Mac can play, or you can open the original in another player.
Can I save from a site that needs me to sign in?
Sign in in the app window and wait until the page content loads—only then will Magpie recognize and save. Leaving the login window open on the sign-in page is not enough. Magpie never sees your password. You can clear sign-ins in Help (in-progress downloads that still need a sign-in may then fail).
Why was my link refused?
Magpie tells you the reason in plain words. Common ones: the stream is protected, the page is private, or the site isn’t supported in this edition. That is an intentional refusal, not a broken app.
Does it send my data anywhere?
No. See the privacy policy.
How do I get a refund?
For App Store purchases, request a refund from Apple at reportaproblem.apple.com. For Direct purchases, you may request a refund within 7 days of purchase by contacting the creator through the original order. Refunds require review; they are not automatic, and a refund does not automatically revoke an offline licence code. Do not post your licence code publicly.
When something goes wrong
| What you see | What to do |
|---|---|
| “Interrupted”, or a download stopped | Press Retry. Magpie resumes where it can. Check your internet connection and free disk space. |
| “No permission” or the folder can’t be written | Settings → Save, and choose a folder in your user folder or on an external disk. |
| The link is recognised but nothing is found | The site may have changed or the page is private. Try opening the page in the app window, or report it below. |
| Conversion fails | Free some disk space and try again. If it keeps failing, report it and include the file type. |
| Everything looks broken after an update | Quit and reopen Magpie. Your files and history are never touched by an update. |
Report a bug
Contact us by email using the address below. Please include:
- What you did, what you expected, what happened.
- Your macOS version and the Magpie version (Help → Download engine and diagnostics).
- Help → Download engine and diagnostics → “Copy diagnostics” and paste the result. Links, emails and keys are blanked out automatically.
Report it here: 839200644@qq.com