How to Download Instagram Reels Without an App
No sketchy apps, no login: how to save public Instagram Reels as clean HD MP4s in your phone’s browser.
By Downloaderize Published 2 min read
Instagram’s own Save button keeps Reels inside the app, and its Download option (when a creator allows it) adds Instagram’s watermark. If you want a clean MP4 of a public Reel on your phone, you don’t need a downloader app, just your browser and IG Downloader. Here is how on Android and iPhone.
Why avoid downloader apps?
Apps that download Instagram videos aren’t allowed in the official app stores for long, so many come as APK files from unknown sources, full of ads or asking for your Instagram login. You never need to give a downloader your password. A website that works with the public link is simpler and safer.
Step 1: copy the Reel’s link
- Open the Reel in Instagram.
- Tap the Share (paper plane) icon.
- Tap Copy link.
For a post with a video or photos, tap ⋯ at the top of the post, or the paper plane under it, and choose Copy link.
Step 2: download it
- Open your browser (Chrome, Safari, Samsung Internet) and go to ig.downloaderize.com.
- Tap Paste, then Download.
- Choose the HD MP4 to save the video with sound, or the audio to keep just the sound.
Step 3: find it on your phone
- Android: the Reel is in Downloads, and appears in Google Photos or your Gallery under Download.
- iPhone: it’s in Files → Downloads. To add it to Photos, tap the video, then Share → Save Video.
The tool site’s guide where are downloaded Instagram Reels saved? covers every device.
What can and can’t be downloaded
| Content | Works? |
|---|---|
| Public Reels | Yes, HD MP4 with sound, or audio only |
| Public video posts | Yes |
| Public photo posts and carousels | Yes, full-size photos, every slide |
| Posts from private accounts | No |
| Stories and Highlights | No: Instagram only shows them to logged-in users |
| Live videos | No |
More on that in why private Instagram posts can’t be downloaded.
Tips
- Add IG Downloader to your home screen (Safari: Share → Add to Home Screen; Chrome: ⋮ → Add to Home screen) so it opens like an app, without being one.
- Download over Wi-Fi if you’re saving many Reels.
- On a computer? The same steps work in any desktop browser; see downloading Instagram videos on a computer.
Credit the creator
Saving a Reel to watch later is personal use. Reposting it is a different thing: ask the creator and credit them properly. Our guide on reposting with credit explains the etiquette and the rules.
Try IG Downloader
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