How to Download Instagram Videos on Any Device (2026 Guide)
Updated August 13, 2026
Instagram has no download button for videos, Reels or IGTV. The app lets you save a post to a private collection, but that copy lives inside Instagram — you can’t open it in your gallery, edit it, or watch it offline. If you want a real MP4 of a public Instagram video, the dependable route is to copy the post link and hand it to a downloader. This guide covers every device and every video type.
The method that always works
Every reliable download starts the same way: copy the post’s share link, paste it into a tool that reads the public page and returns the original MP4. That is exactly what our Instagram video downloader does, and the steps are identical everywhere:
- Open the Instagram video, Reel or IGTV post you want to keep.
- Tap the three-dot menu and choose Copy link (or Link).
- Paste that link into the download box and press Download.
- Pick a quality and save the file.
Because the downloader pulls the file Instagram actually hosts, you get the source resolution with no watermark added. Everything below is just the detail around those four steps.
Reels, feed videos and IGTV
The same flow handles all three. For a Reel, open it, tap the three dots, and choose Copy link. For a feed video, use the paper-plane share icon or the three-dot menu — either exposes Copy link. Longer IGTV clips work the same way. If a post is a carousel with several videos, the downloader returns the one the link points to; open the specific clip before copying if you want a particular item.
Downloading on iPhone and iPad
In the Instagram app, open the video, tap the three-dot menu, and choose Copy link. Switch to Safari, open the downloader, and paste. After you press Download, iOS often previews the MP4 in a new tab rather than saving it. When that happens, tap the share icon and choose Save to Files, or long-press the video and select Save to send it to Photos. Saving through the share sheet to Photos is the cleanest way to get it into your camera roll.
Downloading on Android
Copy the link the same way — three-dot menu, then Copy link — paste it into the downloader, and press Download. Most Android browsers drop the MP4 straight into your Downloads folder and it shows up in the Gallery within seconds. Allow the browser save permission the first time and future downloads are one tap.
Downloading on a computer
On desktop, open the post on instagram.com and copy the URL from the address bar, or use the Copy link option from the post’s menu. Paste it into the downloader, choose your quality, and the MP4 lands in Downloads. Press Ctrl+J (Windows) or ⌘+Shift+J (Mac) to open it. Desktop is best for editing or organising a batch of clips.
Why private posts won’t work
Downloaders only reach content that is publicly visible. If a video is from a private account, or the account has restricted who can view it, no external tool can pull it — and that limit is a good thing, because it protects people who chose not to share publicly. Stories and Reels from public accounts work; anything behind a private wall does not.
Why not screen record?
Screen recording captures your phone’s screen resolution instead of the source file, picks up the interface and notifications, and often drifts the audio out of sync. Pulling the original MP4 gives you a smaller, sharper file every time.
Do it responsibly
Saving a video to watch later, to reference a tutorial, or to keep a copy of your own post is reasonable. Re-uploading someone else’s work as your own, or using it commercially without permission, is not. A public post is not a royalty-free asset — credit the creator and ask first. Our disclaimer covers this in full.
The short version
Copy the Instagram post link, paste it into our Instagram downloader, press Download, and save the file. Next, see how to download Instagram Reels specifically, or how to save Instagram videos on iPhone and Android.