Guide
How to download Instagram reels
Published · Updated
- HD MP4
- Original source quality
- No login required
- 100% free
The short answer
To download an Instagram Reel, first check its share menu: some public Reels have a native Download option when the creator allows it. Otherwise copy the Reel link, paste it into IGDownPro and press Download to save the available MP4 with its audio track.
Why reels are the hardest thing to keep
Some public Reels now include a native Download option when the creator permits it. That option is not available on every Reel and native files include Instagram attribution. The bookmark control stores a reference rather than a local file and stops working if the post disappears.
Screen recording is the usual workaround and a poor one. It captures your interface along with the video, drops frames on older phones, re-encodes what was already compressed, and gives you a file at your screen's dimensions rather than the creator's.
Requesting the available MP4 avoids all of that. It is the file Instagram's player makes available for the Reel, with its audio track included when the source has one.
Step-by-step: saving a reel
Four steps, identical on every phone and every desktop browser.
Open the reel
Find the reel in the app or at instagram.com. The account must be public — private reels cannot be downloaded by any legitimate tool.
Copy its link
Tap the paper-plane share icon beneath the reel and choose 'Copy link', or use the ⋯ menu. On desktop, copy the URL from the address bar while the reel is playing.
Paste it into IGDownPro
Open the Instagram Reels Downloader and paste the URL into the input box. Tracking parameters such as ?igsh= are stripped automatically.
Press Download and save the MP4
The reel resolves in a second or two and appears as a preview you can play before saving. Click Download beneath it.
Ready to try it? Open the Instagram Reels Downloader and paste your link.
Device-specific notes
Where the file ends up differs by platform — this is the part that trips people up.
iPhone and iPad
- Copy the link, open IGDownPro in Safari and paste it in.
- Press Download. Safari shows a download arrow beside the address bar.
- Tap the arrow, tap the reel, then use the share sheet and choose “Save Video” to move it into Photos.
Android
- Paste the link into IGDownPro in Chrome and press Download.
- The MP4 lands in your Downloads folder.
- Most gallery apps index it automatically; if not, move it to Movies or DCIM using the Files app.
Windows, macOS, Linux
- Copy the post URL from your browser's address bar.
- Paste it into IGDownPro and click Download.
- The MP4 saves to your Downloads folder. If the browser opens it in a tab instead, right-click and choose “Save video as…”
What quality a reel download gives you
Reels are vertical video encoded by Instagram at upload, and that encoded copy is the ceiling for any downloader.
| Resolution | 1080 × 1920, the full-height vertical master. |
|---|---|
| Frame rate | 30fps, as Instagram encodes it. |
| Container | MP4 (H.264), playable everywhere. |
| Audio | AAC, carried through untouched. |
A creator who films in 4K still ends up with a 1080p file on Instagram’s servers, so “4K reel download” claims are upscaling — inventing pixels rather than recovering them. Nothing here is re-encoded, so what you save is what Instagram stores.
How to avoid the dangerous downloaders
This is a category full of hostile sites. A few rules will keep you out of trouble.
- Never enter your Instagram login. Downloading a public post requires no authentication whatsoever. A site that asks for your username and password is harvesting accounts, full stop.
- Do not install a browser extension for this. Extensions with permission to read instagram.com can read your session too. A plain website cannot.
- Be wary of .exe or .apk downloads. Saving a file needs no installed software. An installer offer is malware more often than not.
- Ignore “you must allow notifications” gates. That is an ad-spam subscription, not a technical requirement.
- Check the file you got. IGDownPro returns .mp4 video or .jpg image files. If a download arrives as .zip, .exe, .apk or .scr, delete it without opening it.
For a deeper comparison, use our nine-point Instagram downloader safety checklist.
The legal picture
This is a summary for orientation, not legal advice — if the stakes are real, ask a lawyer in your jurisdiction.
Copyright in an Instagram post belongs to whoever created it, not to Instagram and not to you. Instagram’s terms grant the platform a licence to host and display the work; they grant other users nothing beyond viewing it in the app.
Whether a download is permitted depends on the content, purpose and jurisdiction. Public visibility is not permission to reuse a work. Re-uploading, compiling, advertising with or otherwise distributing someone else's post generally requires permission from the rights-holder.
Practical guidance: ask the creator, credit them visibly, and take it down promptly if they object. If you own content that has been downloaded and reposted, our DMCA policy explains how to file a notice.
Frequently asked questions
How do I download an Instagram reel on my iPhone?
Copy the reel link, open IGDownPro in Safari, paste and press Download. Safari puts the MP4 in the Files app; tap the download arrow beside the address bar, tap the file, then use the share sheet and choose 'Save Video' to move it into Photos.
How do I download an Instagram reel on Android?
Identical: copy the link, paste it into IGDownPro in Chrome and press Download. The MP4 lands in your Downloads folder and usually appears in Google Photos or your gallery app automatically.
Will the creator know I saved their reel?
IGDownPro does not sign in to your Instagram account or interact with the Reel through your session. Platform behavior can change, so we do not promise how Instagram may treat every request or notification in the future.
Why does my reel have a TikTok watermark?
Because it was in the source file. Creators who cross-post from TikTok upload a video with the branding already burned into the frames — no downloader can remove it without cropping or blurring the picture.
Does the downloaded reel keep its audio?
Yes. The MP4 keeps the audio track Instagram serves with the reel. IGDownPro does not currently create a separate MP3 file.
Why did my reel download fail?
In order of likelihood: the account is private, the reel was deleted, you copied a profile link rather than the reel's own link, or Instagram is briefly rate-limiting requests. Re-copy from the reel's share menu and retry after a minute.
Try it now
Head to the Instagram Reels Downloader and paste a link, or jump to a related tool: videos, igtv or carousels.
Prefer to start from the beginning? The Instagram downloader accepts any public link — post, reel, story or profile — and works out which tool it needs.