How To Download Instagram Reels: Save Your Fave IG Clips

For many social media users, scrolling through Instagram Reels has become an enthralling daily habit. And every couple of videos you watch, there will be one that is so magnetic and gripping. Maybe it’s a funny skit that made you laugh out loud or a personal anecdote you find inspiring. You might want to keep a copy of these remarkable, bite-sized videos for rewatching later. 

Today, we’ll teach you how to download Instagram Reels straight to your phone. Keep reading to see all your options!

5 Top Reasons To Learn How To Download Reels From Instagram to Gallery

People on Instagram—and any other hot social media platform, for that matter—love short-form video content. These addictive clips are quick, witty, entertaining, and oh-so bingeworthy.

And the proof is in the pudding! According to data from Socialinsider, Reels rake in a higher engagement rate than photos and carousels, averaging 1.23%. They also have an average reach rate of over 30%—the highest for any content format on Instagram. Avid scrollers eat up these bite-sized videos, and it shows!

Because Reels are an undeniable fan-favorite format, it makes sense for people to want to download these Instagram videos. But why would someone go out of their way to keep a soft copy of a video on their phone? Here are some of the many reasons why you should learn how to download Reels from Instagram to Gallery:

• You can go back and watch fun, entertaining, helpful videos even if you’re offline.
• You can use them as a reference when you want to create your own videos inspired by a specific trend.
• It makes video-sharing and sending easier for friends who aren’t on Instagram.
• It allows you to archive and keep a copy of the video even if the owner deletes it.
• You can use specific clips in the Reel to repurpose and stitch with your own videos.

How To Download Reels From Instagram on iPhone and Android

There are many clever ways to save an offline copy of your fave Reels straight to your device. Some are as easy as tapping a button on the Instagram app. Meanwhile, others are sneakier and more clever ways to download Reels if the download button isn’t available.

Excited to download awesome Reels and keep them in your camera roll? Let’s explore our top tips on how to download Reels from Instagram on iPhone and Android devices.

Download the Reels Straight From Instagram

The easiest way to download a Reel is by simply hitting the download button on the app. This built-in tool allows users to save their own Reels and, sometimes, those of others.

This is how you can download Reels from Instagram:

1. Open the Instagram app and look for the Reel you wish to download.

2. Click the three horizontal dots on the side of the screen.

3. Tap Download. This will save the video to your device with a watermark containing the Instagram logo and the owner’s username.

And that’s it, you’re done! Now, you know how to download a Reel from Instagram straight from the app.

Note that you can only download other people’s Reels if they have a public account. They also need to switch on the “Allow people to download your Reels” option before posting their video. You can’t download Reels from private accounts.

Record Your Phone Screen and Then Play the Reel

Not all hope is lost if the download button doesn’t appear in other people’s Reels. You can do something sneaky and use your device’s screen-recording feature to capture the video. Here’s how to do it in a few simple steps:

1. Swipe down on your device to open the control screen.

2. Hit the screen-record button.

3. Open the Instagram app and play the Reel you want to save in its entirety.

4. When the Reel is done, hit the stop recording button on the control screen again.

5. Head to your camera roll and trim the video to only capture the full length of the video.

Although this technique allows you to easily save any video you want, there is a big catch. You can’t open a Reel in full-screen mode. So, other elements on your screen during the recording—from the Reel’s caption to notifications—will appear in your recording.

Share the Reel to Your Story and Save It From There

Another sneaky tip on how to download an Instagram Reel is to share the video to your IG stories. Then, download that Story to your device. Here’s how to do it, step by step:

1. Open the Reel you want to download.

2. Click the paper plane icon on the bottom-right part of the screen to open the sharing options.

3. Select Add to Story. This opens the Story Editor screen with the Reel in it.

4. Resize the Reel to make it as big as possible.

5. Tap the three horizontal dots at the top of the screen.

6. Finally, hit Save to download it to your device.

How To Download Instagram Reels Without Watermark

The tips we’ve shared so far are great for downloading Reels for casual watching. But what if you want to download videos to repurpose them in your own content? Every technique we’ve gone through leaves some sort of mark, from the Instagram logo and username to the Reel’s caption. So, what can you do?

The only way to download a Reel without any unnecessary elements is by using a third-party app. Thankfully, there are many free websites available that specialize in downloading Reels, such as iGram and Publer.

All of these third-party tools pretty much work the same way. Here’s how to download Instagram Reels without watermarks with these apps, step by step:

1. Open the Instagram app and find the Reel you want to save to your device.

2. Tap the paper plane icon on the side of the screen.

3. Click Copy link.

4. Open your web browser and visit the third-party downloading app of your choice.

5. Paste the link into the website, then click the Download button.

From there, just wait for the site to fetch the video data. Be patient—it could take a while, especially for longer Reels. When the download process is complete, the video should appear in your phone’s gallery.

How To Download Instagram Reels on PC: Is It Possible?

If you’re not using your phone to explore IG, you might be wondering how to download Instagram Reels on PC. Unfortunately, there’s no download button available for Reels on the Instagram website. So, if you really want to save video content straight to your desktop, third-party apps are your only option.

You can follow the same steps above to download the Reel of your choice. The only difference is that you can’t get the Reel’s URL through the share button. Instead, copy and paste the Reel’s web browser link into the third-party website to start the download process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Use Your Fave Reels To Inspire Your Own Video Content for Fans To Eat Up!

Downloading Reels is a terrific way to keep them on hand even when you’re offline. That way, you won’t have to scour the social media platform to look for the Reel again. Just open your gallery to watch the video—easy-peasy!

Now that you know how to download Instagram Reels, you can use the best clips to inspire your own content. Need a trustworthy tool for saving Reels? Check out Path Social’s Video Downloader to get high-quality clips from Instagram!

When you come up with your own captivating Reels, Path Social can help get the word out. We’ll promote your content to your niche audience—just like we did for Hailey’s Clothing to deliver 1,000+ new followers. You produce enchanting content; we make sure people see it and discover your page. Boost visibility, engagement and your Instagram follower count with Path Social!