How to Download Instagram Photos and Videos

Instagram's save button only bookmarks a post inside the app. To get the actual files — including every slide of a carousel — you use a post downloader that pulls the originals in full quality.

Whether it is a single photo, a 10-slide carousel or a video, the app keeps the files locked inside itself. You can bookmark, but you can't get the file onto your camera roll or desktop. A post downloader gets you the real thing: full-resolution images and clean video, saved to your device and ready to use.

How do you download an Instagram post?

Copy the post link inside the app, paste it into a post downloader in any browser, and save the files it returns. The whole thing takes about 20 seconds and needs no account, no extension and no app install. 4 steps:

1. Copy the post link (tap ⋯ → Copy link), or grab the public @username.
2. Open the Instagram post downloader.
3. Paste it in.
4. Save what you want — photos as JPEG, videos as MP4, every carousel slide included.

What about multi-slide posts?

Carousels work the same way here: paste the post link and every slide comes down, not just the cover. The full walkthrough, including why the app itself refuses to do it, lives in how to download Instagram carousel posts.

What formats do the files come in?

Single photos save as full-resolution JPEG. Video posts save as MP4 with the original audio. Mixed carousels — part image, part clip — come down with each piece in its right format. You're not choosing "photo mode" or "video mode"; the tool reads the post and gives you what's actually there.

Do you get original quality, or a compressed copy?

Files save at the resolution they were uploaded, with nothing stamped in the corner. Right-clicking an image on the web usually gives you a compressed thumbnail of about 640 px; this pulls the full-resolution file Instagram stores, which for a modern upload is 1080 px on the long edge. No re-compression on our end means what you save matches what the account posted.

What do people use post downloads for?

4 uses cover almost every request we see, and none of them involve reposting someone else's work as your own:

• Moodboards and inspiration — designers pull reference into their own libraries.
• Competitor archives — marketers save a rival's campaign before it's edited or deleted.
• Backing up your own grid — so a lost password doesn't erase years of posts.
• Keeping a memory — a friend's photo you want off the app and onto your phone.

Where do the files land on each device?

On Android, downloads go to the Downloads folder and show up in the gallery on their own. On iPhone, Safari puts them in Files, and moving one into Photos takes 2 taps: open the file, tap Share, choose Save Image or Save Video. On Mac and Windows they land in the Downloads folder, ready to drag into whatever you are building.

Is it legal to download someone else's photos?

Saving a public post for personal use — reference, a moodboard, a copy of a friend's photo — is ordinary browsing behaviour and generally fine. Republishing it as your own is not, and no downloader changes the copyright on an image. If you plan to post what you saved, ask the creator and credit them.

What can't it do?

Public posts only — private accounts stay private, and any site claiming otherwise wants your login. Downloads are for personal use and reference; the media still belongs to whoever posted it, so credit and permission matter if you re-share.

FAQ

Can I download a multi-slide post?

Yes — see the carousel guide for the full walkthrough.

Are videos included?

Yes — video posts save as MP4 in original quality, with sound.

Is it free and anonymous?

Free with no cap, and no login means nothing ties the download to you.

How do I save to my iPhone camera roll?

Download the file, tap Share, then Save Image/Video to move it from Files into Photos.

Can I download my own posts to back them up?

Yes, if your account is public. For a private account, use Instagram's official data export.