How do I download an Instagram video?

Copy the post or Reel link from Instagram, paste it into socials.download, and save the file when it resolves. No account is needed.

Can I download Instagram Reels?

Yes. A Reel link works the same way as a normal post link.

Can I download an Instagram carousel?

Yes. Paste the post link and every image in the carousel is available, each saved separately. You do not need to go via the profile.

Does it work with private Instagram accounts?

No. Private accounts are not supported. We do not bypass login walls or privacy controls.

Are Instagram Stories supported?

Yes. Paste an account's profile or story link and its active Stories load, if it has any. They expire after 24 hours, so an account with nothing active simply shows nothing.

Will the account know I viewed their story?

No. Viewing a story is only recorded when a signed-in account watches it, and socials.download is not signed in to Instagram at all. There is no account of ours to attribute a view to.

Does socials.download add a watermark?

No. We do not add a watermark of our own. Whether a file already carries platform or creator branding is up to Instagram and the creator.

Instagram downloader

Download public Instagram videos and photos

The socials.download Instagram downloader saves supported public Instagram videos, photos, Reels, and carousel media directly to your device. Paste a public Instagram link and download the available file without creating a socials.download account. It also loads an account's active Stories anonymously — you are not signed in to Instagram, so nothing marks the story as seen. Private accounts are not supported.

Supported Instagram link formats

https://www.instagram.com/p/<shortcode>/ — a standard post
https://www.instagram.com/reel/<shortcode>/ — a Reel
https://www.instagram.com/<username>/ — a profile, for a preview grid
https://www.instagram.com/stories/<username>/ — an account's active Stories

Paste any of these on the home page.

What works, and what doesn't

Posts: supported
Photos: supported
Videos: supported
Reels: supported
Carousels: supported
Profile Preview: supported
Stories: supported
Observations: not part of the downloader
Graph Export: your own account only, from the data export the network gives you
Archive: not offered
Private Content: not supported

Limitations

Profile previews return up to 18 recent posts.
A carousel link opens the whole post, and each image can be saved separately. If the link names a specific image (Instagram adds ?img_index=), it opens on that one.
Stories only exist while the account has one active; they expire after 24 hours.
Story lookups depend on third-party relays we do not control, and are rate-limited. If they are busy or unavailable you are asked to try again rather than shown an error.
Private accounts are not supported.

Troubleshooting

You want a specific image out of a carousel.: Paste the post link and open the post — every image is there, and you can save them one at a time. If you copied the link while looking at a particular image, Instagram adds ?img_index= to it and the post opens on that image.
The profile shows fewer posts than the account has.: Profile previews return up to 18 recent posts. That is the depth Instagram's public endpoint gives us; it is not a bug.
Nothing loads for the account.: The account is probably private. We only reach publicly visible media, and we do not log in on your behalf.
Stories say to try again in a minute.: Story lookups run through a rate-limited path. That message means the limit was reached, not that anything failed. Waiting a moment and asking again works.
An account you know is posting shows no stories.: Stories expire after 24 hours, so there is often genuinely nothing active. If it persists for an account that is definitely posting, the relay we read stories through is having a bad day.

Mobile and desktop

On desktop the file downloads straight to your downloads folder. On a phone, saving opens your device’s native share sheet so you can put the file in Photos or Files. Either way there’s no app to install and no socials.download account.

File quality and watermarks

socials.download does not add a watermark of its own and does not intentionally transcode or recompress the file returned by the source endpoint. Whether the file already carries Instagram or creator branding depends on the media Instagram serves.

Copyright and authorization

Download only content you own, have permission to save, or are otherwise legally entitled to use. socials.download does not bypass private accounts, paywalls, login walls, or DRM.

Frequently asked questions

How do I download an Instagram video?: Copy the post or Reel link from Instagram, paste it into socials.download, and save the file when it resolves. No account is needed.
Can I download Instagram Reels?: Yes. A Reel link works the same way as a normal post link.
Can I download an Instagram carousel?: Yes. Paste the post link and every image in the carousel is available, each saved separately. You do not need to go via the profile.
Does it work with private Instagram accounts?: No. Private accounts are not supported. We do not bypass login walls or privacy controls.
Are Instagram Stories supported?: Yes. Paste an account's profile or story link and its active Stories load, if it has any. They expire after 24 hours, so an account with nothing active simply shows nothing.
Will the account know I viewed their story?: No. Viewing a story is only recorded when a signed-in account watches it, and socials.download is not signed in to Instagram at all. There is no account of ours to attribute a view to.
Does socials.download add a watermark?: No. We do not add a watermark of our own. Whether a file already carries platform or creator branding is up to Instagram and the creator.

Last tested on 2026-08-26 using a public test post. Platform behaviour can change without notice.