Instagram now lets you download many public Reels in its own app, which most “Instagram Reel downloader” pages don’t tell you. This guide is for anyone who wants to keep a Reel: to watch it again, to back up their own, or to study what a creator posts. It covers Instagram’s own options first, then the other ways and what each one costs you.
Only download what you have the right to. Instagram says downloaded Reels aren’t allowed to be used for commercial purposes, the creator owns their video, and Instagram’s terms limit what you can do with other people’s content.
Can you download Instagram Reels?
Yes, in the app, for public accounts whose creators allow it. Instagram’s help says anyone on Instagram can download a public account’s Reels unless the creator changes their download setting; private accounts’ Reels can’t be downloaded at all (checked October 2026).
- In the Instagram app, open the Reel.
- Tap the Share button (the paper plane).
- Tap Download if it’s there. The Reel saves to your phone.
Instagram’s help pages explain who can download but don’t spell out these viewer steps, and the app’s menus move around, so the button may be in a slightly different place for you.
Why can’t I download a Reel?
The creator decides, and Instagram gives you no way round it:
- The account is private. No one can download its Reels.
- The creator turned off Allow people to download your reels, for all their Reels or just that one.
- The Reel is older. Instagram says only new Reels shared after downloading became available can be downloaded, unless the creator changes the setting.
- The creator is under 18. For teen accounts the setting starts off.
Details: Who can download your Instagram reels.
What does a downloaded Reel look like?
It includes an Instagram watermark, the creator’s username and audio attribution. Instagram says original audio is included only if the Reel the sound first came from can be downloaded too.
How do I save a Reel without downloading it?
Save it inside Instagram. It stays in a private section of your profile, and the creator can’t tell.
- On the Reel, tap Options (the three dots) and tap Save.
- To put it in a collection, press and hold Save on a post and pick a collection, or tap New collection.
- To find your saves: go to your profile, tap Menu and, below How you use Instagram, tap Saved.
Saving keeps a link inside Instagram, not a file. Instagram’s help page: Save posts that you see on Instagram.
How do I download my own Reels?
Two ways: keep a copy as you post, or export your account.
As you post: go to your profile, tap Menu and, below Your app and media, tap Archiving and downloading. Turn on the setting that saves your original posts to your phone (Save Instagram photos to your device).
Everything you’ve posted: export a copy of your information.
- Open Settings, then Accounts Centre, then Your information and permissions.
- Tap Export your information, then Create export, and pick your Instagram profile.
- Choose Export to device, then what to include, the date range, format and media quality.
- Tap Start export. Instagram emails you when it’s ready; it can take up to 30 days, and the file is there for four days.
High-quality video makes the file large. Instagram is moving some people from Accounts Centre to “Meta Account settings”, so the first step may be named differently (Review and export a copy of your Instagram information).
What about Instagram downloader websites and apps?
They’re the sites that rank for “Instagram video downloader”: paste a link, get a file. They work on one Reel at a time and download Reels whose creators turned downloads off.
- Ads and worse. Many are full of pop-ups and redirects, and some push fake buttons, unwanted apps or malware. Never install anything a downloader site asks for, and never give one your Instagram password.
- Terms. Using them may break Instagram’s terms, and the creator still owns the video.
Which way should I use?
| Way | Free | Others’ Reels | Many at once | Watermark | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share, then Download (app) | Yes | Public, if the creator allows | No, one at a time | Yes, with username | None; no commercial use |
| Save to a collection | Yes | Yes | No, one at a time | No file to watermark | None; a link, not a file |
| Archiving, Export your information | Yes | No, your own only | Yes, your account | None | None |
| Downloader sites and apps | Usually, with ads | Yes, even when downloads are off | Mostly one at a time | Varies | Ads, malware, breaking Instagram’s terms |
| Parsly | Yes | Reels you can open | Collects a whole profile, saves one at a time | Parsly adds none | Keep only what you have the right to |
What can’t you do?
- Download anything you can’t open yourself, such as a private account you don’t follow. No honest tool can, Parsly included.
- Download on a computer with Instagram’s own tools. For the ways that work, see how to download Instagram Reels on a computer.
- Download many Reels at once in the app. It’s one at a time.
- Use a downloaded Reel commercially without the creator’s permission.
How do I keep a creator’s Reels for research with Parsly?
Parsly is a free Chrome extension for studying what works for a creator. It keeps each Reel together with its numbers, so you know which ones are worth watching twice.
- Open the creator’s profile on instagram.com, and open Parsly from Chrome’s toolbar. The first time, allow it on Instagram; it asks once per site.
- Click Collect. Parsly scrolls the profile like you would and reads each Reel’s views, likes, comments and date.
- Parsly marks the breakouts: Reels that beat that creator’s usual views, such as “8x her usual views”.
- Save the Reels you want to keep, and download the list as a spreadsheet (CSV) with each one’s numbers.
It reads only what you can see yourself. Use what you save to learn from; ask the creator before using it anywhere else. To study what they say, see how to get an Instagram Reel transcript.
Questions people ask
Why is there no Download option on a Reel?
The account is private, the creator turned off Allow people to download your reels, or the Reel was shared before downloads existed and the creator hasn't changed the setting. Instagram's teen accounts under 18 also start with downloads off.
Can I download an Instagram Reel on a computer?
Not with Instagram's own tools: its help centre says the download feature isn't available on computers. Use the app on a phone and send the file across, export your information for your own Reels, or use a Chrome extension such as Parsly.
Does a downloaded Reel have a watermark?
Yes. Instagram says downloaded Reels include an Instagram watermark, the creator's username and audio attribution.
Can I repost a Reel I downloaded?
Not freely. Instagram says downloaded Reels aren't allowed to be used for commercial purposes, and the creator owns the video. Ask them first, or share the Reel inside Instagram instead.
Does saving a Reel tell the creator?
No. Saving a Reel to your collection is private: Instagram says the person can't tell that you've saved it.
Sources
Checked against the real sites on 22 October 2026. Platforms change their buttons often; if something has moved, tell us at [email protected].