Some users in India now see the option to save Facebook videos for offline viewing

Facebook is now testing offline video saving in India.

Users running the latest beta version of the Facebook Android app can now look for the option in the Saved section of the app. The new feature allows users to download videos for later viewing. The idea is to take advantage of free and stable Wi-Fi networks and save videos for the times when the connection is absent or metered.

As reported on July 7, Facebook is trialing the new feature with select users in India, a market where offline access remains hugely important. Google launched a similar initiative in the country in late 2014, when offline access to YouTube videos became available in India, as well as Indonesia and the Philippines.

To see if the new feature is available on your account, open a video, tap on the three-dot overflow menu and select save. After the download is complete, you will be able to watch the video without an internet connection.

Note that the feature is different from the current Save video feature, which simply lets you save a video link for later, without enabling offline access.

It’s not clear for how long will videos stay available or if there are any limitations regarding the number of plays. According to a letter that Facebook sent out to publishers earlier this month, publishers will be able to opt out the feature if they don’t want users to watch their content offline. Downloaded videos are only available through the app, so you won’t be able to access the video file through the file system.

Has anyone here got the new feature? Let us know.