Instagram Reels Has a Download Button, but There’s a Catch
Instagram has been betting on video for a few years now. Instagram Reels have flooded the platform, and now you might be tempted to use these new videos for editing. If you spot a video on Instagram and want to download it, there are a few ways to do so. There used to be many more ways, but most of them no longer work or require you to give untrusted apps access to your Instagram account. Luckily, there are still ways to download Instagram videos without much hassle, including without having to sign in.
Official Method to Download Videos from Instagram
There is an official way to download videos from Instagram, but it does not always work. If the content creator allows users to download their videos, you can use the Instagram mobile app to save these videos to your photo gallery. To download videos from Instagram this way, follow these steps:
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Open the Instagram app on your iPhone or Android.
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Log in to your account (if you haven’t already).
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Open any public video on Instagram, then tap the Share button (paper airplane icon).
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Swipe left on the bottom line (bypassing the options to copy link, send to WhatsApp, etc.).
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If the video creator has enabled this feature, the last option on the bottom line will be called Download . Tap this button to save the Instagram video to your phone’s photo gallery.
Note that this method has two major limitations: saved videos have a TikTok-style watermark, and the “Download” button must be enabled by the creator before the video will appear. However, you can also easily record your screen on an iPhone or Android phone to save a copy of the Instagram video. When recording your screen, interface elements like likes and comments may appear during the video, but the actual process of “downloading” the video is seamless. If that’s too much work for you, there are third-party download options.
How to Download Instagram Videos Using Third Party Sites
I’ve tried a few different ways to download Instagram videos, and my favorites are FastDL and SnapInsta. With these services, there’s no need to download apps, set up automation, or worry about giving third parties access to your Instagram account. In my tests, they worked as described, and I was able to download a variety of stories, videos, and photos from public accounts without any problems. I also didn’t notice any extra files in my computer’s downloads folder or any notifications from my antivirus, though it’s important to regularly check your accounts for sites like these to ensure you’re safe from malware. Even if a site was once safe, these tools can change dramatically over time.
Follow these steps for FastDL:
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Copy the URL of the Instagram Reel, Story, or post you want to download.
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Open FastDL in any browser.
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Look at the list of tabs at the top and select the appropriate tab that matches the type of Instagram content you’re trying to download. For example, select Videos if you want to download Reels.
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Paste the link into the large text box and click “Download” .
That’s it. The site will download the video from Instagram and let you save it to your phone or computer. There’s also a Carousel tab for downloading multiple photos and videos from a single post, and a Browse tab that lets you download any Instagram profile and download any post from the list. The only limitation is that you can’t download content from private Instagram accounts.
SnapInsta also does a good job of downloading Instagram content, although it lacks a Browse tab and the way to download multiple photos or videos from a single post is a little less intuitive than FastDL’s Carousel tab. Still, it can be useful if you’re having trouble accessing FastDL. Follow these steps to download videos using SnapInsta:
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Copy the link of the video or Instagram post you want to download.
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Open SnapInsta in your browser and paste the link into the large text field on the site. Click “Download” .
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The page will refresh and you will see a thumbnail of the Instagram post. If the post contains multiple photos and videos, they will all be presented as separate posts. Click the “Download” button below the files you want, and they will be saved to your computer.