Instagram Reels have become massively popular since their launch in 2020. These short, entertaining videos are shown to millions of viewers thanks to Instagram’s algorithms favoring video content.
As a user, you may want to download Reels to save your favorites for offline viewing, reuse someone else’s content, or edit videos to upload as original Reels. Unfortunately, Instagram does not have a native “Download” button for Reels.
This blog post will teach you four simple methods to download Instagram Reels on mobile (Android and iOS) and desktop devices. We’ll also explain how to save Reels without actually downloading them.
So whether you want to download your own Reels or save someone else’s public videos, you’ll learn multiple tricks to do that here!
Download Method | Devices Supported | Key Features |
---|---|---|
Built-in Instagram Tool | Mobile and Desktop | – High quality downloads – Simple direct saving |
Screen Recording | iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac | – Records natively – Captures audio |
Third-Party Apps | Mobile and Desktop | – Fast one-click saving – Additional utilities |
Desktop Browser Tools | Windows and Mac | – No app installs needed – MP4 format downloads |
The easiest Reels to download are the ones you have posted from your Instagram account. As the content creator, the app lets you save your videos to your camera roll or gallery. Here are the steps:
Saving your own Reels allows you to re-use them later in other apps or upload to other platforms. The video quality remains high in the downloaded file.
Recently, Instagram launched its own built-in Reels downloader feature. It lets you save public Reels from other profiles right within the app. However, this is slowly rolling out to users worldwide. Follow these steps if you already have it:
This Instagram download feature preserves the quality of the original video. You may receive a notification indicating the Reel was downloaded with or without audio. Certain audio tracks are prohibited from being downloaded due to copyright rules.
If you still don’t see a native Reels download button, move on to the next solutions.
If Instagram’s download tool isn’t available in your country yet, your next best option is to screen record Reels. Both iPhone and Android guide you through recording your device’s display with just a few taps.
You can then crop the full screen recording to only keep the Reel portion before sharing it elsewhere.
Screen recording also captures audio alongside video. You can edit the Reel recording further before posting or sharing.
Dedicated Reel downloader apps simplify the process of saving videos from Instagram without needing workarounds. They are available on both iPhone and Android app stores for free with ads or paid ad-free versions. Some popular options are:
Here are the general steps to use such tools:
Some apps may have additional editing tools, options to repost content, and more nifty features. However, all of them enable easy downloading without screen recording.
You can also download Instagram Reels from a desktop web browser to your computer. This lets you save the videos without needing a mobile device. Here are some methods:
Both Windows and Mac operating systems have built-in screen recorders – QuickTime on Mac and Game Bar on Windows 10. You can also install third-party software like OBS Studio.
To download Reels:
Alternatively, you can right-click on the playing Reel and choose “Save Video As”. However, this does not always work. Recording the screen is more reliable.
Instead of recording displays, simply paste the Reel link in an online downloading tool like IG Download or DownloadGram. Click on icons to save it to your computer.
Some web-based apps may require registration before enabling downloads. This method is the fastest way to save Instagram Reels on Windows and Mac.
Add downloader extensions like NinjaGram or FastSave to your Chrome or Firefox web browser. Then visit the Reel link on Instagram and click on the extension’s icon to download the video in MP4 format. No account signups needed.
Browser add-ons integrate seamlessly with Instagram for quick and easy Reel saving. However, you need to enable extensions before using them.
If you wish to access Reels easily later on without actually downloading them, use Instagram’s Save feature instead. Here’s how:
To view saved Reels:
This creates your own playlist of favorite Reels you can watch offline. It also lets you reshare videos easily.
After downloading Reels using the above tricks, you may want to edit them before reposting or sharing elsewhere.
Use apps like InShot (mobile) and Kapwing Studio (desktop) to trim, resize, add music, insert effects, include text, and more. Some editing ideas are:
Get creative with edits to reuse public Reels legally!
A common concern is whether downloading public Instagram Reels infringes on copyrights.
Technically, other users’ content is protected by intellectual property laws. Instagram’s terms prohibit remixing Reels without permission.
However, downloading short clips for personal offline viewing should qualify as fair use legally. Just don’t reupload copies on sites to claim ownership.
Transformative reuse by adding substantial edits can also avoid legal issues. But try to credit the original creator wherever possible with the @username or #hashtag.
Only embed others’ Reels in your blog or website using the public embed codes. Don’t upload direct rips without any changes.
In case of receiving copyright notices, promptly remove the infringing Reel copy respectfully.
Despite following the downloading guides accurately, you may encounter issues like:
Here are some things to try fixing download problems:
If Repeated failed attempts occur, it’s best to get in touch with the involved app’s developer support teams. Describe the exact issue for troubleshooting help.
So far we’ve focused only on saving Reels from the main Reels tab. But you can also download Reels that others upload within regular photo/video posts on their Instagram feed.
The process remains the same – use the built-in download option if available or try the screen recording method. The advantage is that feed posts may get higher visibility in some cases compared to standalone Reels.
Instead of manually searching for viral Reels to save, let Instagram recommend popular videos to you directly.
The algorithm detects massively shared Reels based on content and captions. So you can easily find the current hottest viral hits to save offline.
Tired of repeating steps to download one Reel at a time? Use multi-downloading tools to grab batches of videos simultaneously.
For example, the All-in-One Downloader app has an option to paste up to 20 links together and hit download. The videos get queued up and saved sequentially to your device.
On Windows and Mac, use an extension like Chrono Download Manager – add Reels to a list, set quality/format preferences, schedule downloads. This makes obtaining multiple Reels quicker compared to individual downloads.
The best part about having Reels saved offline is you can access them anytime without internet. Curate playlists of your favorite downloaded videos easily.
On Android, iOS, Windows, etc open the local folders containing Reels. Select the ones you want, right click > add to playlist. Give a fun name and keep adding more downloads to the playlist over time.
You can also make playlists directly within downloading apps like InShot. The playlists sync across mobile devices using cloud accounts. Shuffle play videos for entertainment!
We briefly discussed legality issues earlier. Here are more details on safely reusing Reels without fully copying:
The goal is adding “value” for audiences in some form without merely reposting the exact same thing. This qualifies as permitted fair use allowing parts of copyrighted materials under laws.
But assess risks before publishing if unsure. Being non-commercial and transformative tips scales towards safer territory legally.
How much of a Reel can you reuse before it becomes problematic? No clear quantitative thresholds exist – judges evaluate qualitative substantiality.
But as a rule of thumb, utilizing beyond 15 seconds of content from a 30 second Reel, over 30 seconds from a 60 second Reel could raise eyebrows.
Keeping total inclusion of original footage under 50% with new value-adding visuals/audio is recommended. This proves you created something differentiated.
Too much repetition without bringing anything freshly meaningful to viewers lacks transformations. So be reasonable about reuse lengths depending on context.
Downloading Instagram Reels is incredibly easy on both mobile and computer devices thanks to built-in tools and third-party apps.
You can save your own Reels as the creator using the Save option. For public videos, utilize Instagram’s newish download button if you have it.
Otherwise, screen recording the Reel and using dedicated apps work reliably in all countries. The same downloader tools also let you save Instagram photos, Stories, IGTV videos, and more.
Once collected on your device, you can manage your favorite Reels like playlists for quick viewing. Consider basic editing before reposting to give proper credits. Avoid simply making unaltered copies without any substantial transformation.
We hope this ultimate guide helps you out with capturing and customizing interesting Reels off Instagram without hassles!
Learn more about INSTAGRAM REELS
No, downloading Reels from public accounts for personal use should not be illegal. However, reuploading exact copies without substantial changes or credits can violate intellectual property laws. Use parts of Reels to create transformative remixes legally.
Instagram may restrict downloading Reels with copyrighted third-party music or content due to label agreements. You may also encounter tech glitches like poor internet connections, outdated app versions, or device compatibility issues hindering downloads.
Usually no – private content that requires following the creator to access cannot be downloaded by outsiders. You’d need permission and access from the Reel’s owner to save their non-public videos. Some specialized tools claimed otherwise earlier but no longer work reliably.
Simply reuploading others’ Reels verbatim without adding anything new or giving credits amounts to piracy. However, if you’ve made effortful edits by trimming, remixing, re-contextualizing content combining other media, then uploading derivative Reels is usually legally safe and ethical.
Certain Reels may have licensed commercial music that platforms don’t permit downloading. In such cases, only the video portion gets saved without audio during downloads. Screen recordings typically still capture audio cleanly regardless of music rights. Try other downloader apps if built-in tools falter.
Unfortunately, once you permanently delete your own Reels, there is no way to recover or download those videos again through Instagram. However if you had downloaded the Reels to your device storage earlier before deletion, those files still remain accessible in your camera roll or local folders.
Some highly-rated and reliably working Instagram Reel downloader apps are InSaver, InstaSave, ReelDown, All-in-One Downloader, Repost for Instagram, DownloadGram, 4K Stogram. They offer great features beyond just saving Reels like scheduling reposts, analytics, editing tools, private profile access, and more for free or premium.
No, when users block you on Instagram, interaction with their public profile content is fully invisible. So if you download Reels from an account that has blocked you, the creators have no way of finding out about it while keeping you blocked. Your access remains incognito.
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Certain portions of the text in this article might have been created using AI tools and subsequently edited by the author to improve the overall quality and clarity of the content for readers.