How to Download Instagram Videos

Published 2026-09-08 · Updated 2026-09-08 · Download Video From Link editorial team

Instagram video content (Reels and video posts) can be saved from your browser, but only when a post is public. This guide covers the practical steps, and is upfront about a current limitation on this site's Instagram downloader.

Current status

Instagram is presently rate-limiting video requests that aren't from a signed-in session. Rather than ask users for their Instagram login, our Instagram Video Downloader is temporarily paused. The steps below still explain how the workflow works and will apply again once it's re-enabled.

Step 1: Confirm the post is public

Only content from public accounts can be downloaded, on this tool or any similar one. If the account is private, saving the video isn't possible without the owner's direct permission.

Step 2: Copy the post link

Open the Reel or video post, tap the three-dot menu (⋯), and choose Copy Link. On desktop, you can copy the URL directly from your browser's address bar.

Step 3: Paste it into the downloader

Paste the link into the Instagram Video Downloader. Once the tool detects the platform, it checks for a downloadable file and lists what's genuinely available.

Why some Instagram downloaders feel unreliable

Instagram doesn't provide a public API for third-party video downloads, so tools like this one read the page the same way a browser does. Instagram can and does change how that page behaves, and increasingly requires an authenticated session for video data, which is why we've paused this feature rather than work around it with login credentials.

Saving the file on your phone

On Android, downloads through Chrome land in your Downloads folder. On iPhone, Safari saves files to the Files app. From there you can move a video into Photos if you want it in your camera roll.