How to Save a Video From Instagram

Instagram used to be only about photos, but videos are taking over! With hundreds of millions of people using Instagram Stories daily, the platform is buzzing with video content.

When you find a great video on Instagram, what do you do? That’s right, save it. In this article, we’ll share some of the easiest ways to save those must-watch videos.

Can You Save a Video From Instagram, And Why Do It?

Yes, you can save videos from Instagram whether you’re using desktop or mobile and in whatever format you want — Instagram posts, Reels, Stories, DMs.

Instagram videos, including feed and Reels, can be saved with just a few simple steps. You can even save Instagram Stories videos, despite their 24-hour expiration, with a few additional steps. But why do it?

For one, saving Instagram videos allows you to keep the ones you love so you can watch them whenever you want; there’s no need to search through your feed or the user’s feed. If you want to keep revisiting a video, it’s best to have it stored locally on your phone. You never know if the original poster will delete it or if you'll lose access to the account. The rule of thumb is to have your content where you can access it at all times.

How to Download Instagram Videos Directly

In the United States, Instagram users can download Reels directly to their camera roll. To do this, simply tap on the share icon > the download option.

Bear in mind that there’s no need to worry about unauthorized sharing of your Reels. Instagram head Adam Mosseri mentioned that Reels shared by private accounts can’t be downloaded. Also, public accounts have the option to disable the ability for others to download their Reels in the Account Settings or for specific Reels:

How to Save a Video From Instagram to Your Phone

InsTake

If you have an iOS device, InsTake is a good choice. Here’s how to save a video from Instagram to your camera roll on an iPhone with it:

1. Open the Instagram media you want to download.
2. Tap the share link option.
3. Select the InsTake Downloader app icon.

Alternatively, you can choose the copy link option from the menu, open InsTake Downloader, and paste the copied URL.

All Video Downloader

For Android, consider going for All Video Downloader.

1. Copy the video link from the source and paste it into the downloader app.
2. Choose the quality for the download (can’t exceed the original quality).
3. Wait for the download to complete, then find the downloaded video in the corresponding category within the app.
4. If needed, you can download the video from the app to your gallery by tapping the three dots in the menu.

You can also watch the video directly within the program, as well as adjust the playback speed, mute the sound, switch to night mode, or change the viewing orientation.

Third-Party Apps to Save Video From Instagram to Desktop

4K Stogram

Here’s how to download Instagram videos with 4K Stogram, a desktop solution available on Windows, macOS, and Ubuntu:

1. Install and open 4K Stogram on your computer.
2. Enter the Instagram account, hashtag, or location.
3. Choose from the search suggestions.
4. Click the settings button next to Download.

5. Adjust your preferences for Feed or Tagged posts, Stories, and Highlights.

6. Select Only Video under Content format.

7. Optionally, set specific dates in the Date range.

8. Click Download.

You can also use 4K Stogram to receive automatic updates from your public Instagram accounts, locations, and hashtags. Plus, you can save Instagram Highlights with their covers in separate subfolders.

Aqua Clip

If you’re looking for another way to save videos on your PC, consider using Aqua Clip. This is an app for Windows and Mac that offers quality ranging from 720p to 4K:

1. Aqua Clip on your PC.
2. Go to Instagram and find the video you want to download.
3. Copy the video URL from the address bar.

4. Paste the URL into Aqua Clip and click the download button.

5. Once the download is complete, play the video from the Downloaded tab in the application.

Advanced Method: Saving Through Source Code

Some don’t want to install video downloaders, so there’s an alternative: downloading through source code. Here’s how:

1. Find the Instagram video you want to download on your computer and open the page with the video.
2. Right-click anywhere on the page (or use the ⌘ + click combination on a Mac) and select Inspect or View page source, depending on your browser. This will split your browser window into two sections.

3. In the section that appears, you’ll see the source code of the page. Look for the line that contains the video link.

4. Press Ctrl + F (or ⌘ + F on a Mac) to open the Find box, type mp4, and press Enter. The link typically starts with src= and ends with .mp4.

5. Right-click (or press ⌘ and click) on the video link and choose Open in new tab" The video will start playing in a new tab.

6. Right-click (or press ⌘ and click) on the video in the new tab and select Save video as.

7. Choose the folder where you want to save the video on your computer and click Save.

How to Save Videos From Instagram to Gallery Online

Inflact

Here’s how to save a video from Instagram on your browser with Inflact:

1. Copy the link of the post from your desired platform, which is Instagram, in this case, using the app or web browser. You can do this by tapping the three dots and selecting Copy Link.
2. Paste the copied link into the Inflact Downloader tool. Simply insert the link into the designated box and click on the download button.
3. Choose the folder on your device where you want to save the downloaded content.

The downloading process will start automatically and may take anywhere from a few seconds to an hour, depending on the length of the video you’re downloading. Once completed, you’ll find the downloaded content in your device’s Downloads/Gallery folder.

FastDl

One of the online tools you can use is FastDl, which lets you download Instagram videos, photos, Reels, and IGTV content. It’s designed to work on a phone, tablet, or computer:

1. Copy the URL of the video, IGTV content, Reels, or carousel you’re interested in downloading.
2. Paste the copied link into the FastDl website.
3. Click Download.
4. You’ll see various quality options available for download. Choose the one that best suits your needs and download it.

AceThinker

Another popular tool is AceThinker. To use it, follow these steps:

1. Open the app and navigate to the video or Reel that you’re interested in.
2. Tap on the arrow under the post to reveal sharing options, then copy the post link.
3. Visit the AceThinker website and place the link into the main section.
4. Click Download.

These steps are generally the same regardless of the device you’re using.

Is It Legal to Download Instagram Videos?

Downloading Instagram videos for personal use is legal. However, repurposing the content, such as re-editing or reposting it as your own, may lead to copyright issues. If you repost a downloaded video, always credit the original owner to avoid potential problems.

How to Save a Video From an Instagram Story

Here’s how to save a video from Instagram Stories to your phone (if it’s yours):

1. Access your story within the Instagram app.
2. Select the three dots located in the lower-right part.
3. From the options that appear, choose Save.
4. Opt for Save Story to store the entire story as a single video or Save Video for the individual clip.
5. Confirm.

You can also opt to save stories as Highlights on your Instagram account for future viewing.

If you want to save someone else’s Instagram Story, you should know that the platform doesn’t provide an official way to do it, especially if it’s from a private account or close friends. It’s usually best to respect the intended audience and leave those stories as they are.

However, if you’re determined to save a story, you can use your phone’s Screen Record feature:

1. Swipe down to access the Control Center and tap the Recording icon. If you don’t see it, you can add it to your Settings.
2. Tap Record to start recording, then open the story. After it ends, return to the Control Center and tap the Screen Recording icon to stop.
3. The recorded video will be in your camera roll. You can trim it and crop it as needed.

Remember, Instagram doesn’t notify users if you screen record their Stories.

How to Save a Video From Instagram to Your Collection

You can save videos, including their captions and original posts, by using a feature called Collections. This lets you organize videos into folders within the Instagram app. You can create separate folders for videos, images, or any content you want, which makes it easy to find and view them later at your convenience.

Follow these steps to add videos to Collections:

1. Tap the bookmark icon beneath the video to add it to your app’s All Posts collection.
2. For a different collection, tap Save to Collection.
3. Choose an existing collection or create a new one by naming it and tapping Done.

You can view all saved Instagram videos in the All Posts category. To organize them into separate collections, go to the desired collection > the three dots in the upper right > Add to Collection.

Wrapping Up

That’s it! With all these instructions, you can keep your favorite clips handy and share them with friends, not via Instagram. Enjoy content whenever you want, wherever you are.