While some countries across the world were busy taking down Tiktok and banning it, Instagram was in the process of introducing a brand-new feature called Instagram Reels. The highlight of this feature was to introduce a Tiktok-like user interface that allows users to create “Tiktok-like” short-form video content on Instagram.
Ever since its release in 2020, people have been consistently looking for ways to download Instagram reels without any hassle. At present, Instagram doesn’t offer any direct ways to download the Instagram reels videos to the camera roll.
However, there are a few workaround ways to navigate through the issue and save the Instagram reels to the camera roll in no time at all.
What are the Steps to Download Your Reels to your Camera Roll?
Before we walk you through some of the steps to download other people’s Instagram reels to your camera roll, you must understand the steps to download your videos to your camera roll.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Launch the app and then log into your Instagram account.
- Navigate to the profile tab.
- Find the reels that you wish to save from your Instagram profile.
- Next, tap on the three dots button on the reel’s interface
- Under that, you will find the option “Save to camera roll,” to save the video
These are all the steps that you need to follow to ensure that you can download your reels to your camera roll, be it for your Android or iPhone device.
Is There a Direct Way to Download Someone’s Instagram Reel Video?
When it comes to downloading someone else’s Instagram reel video from Instagram, there are no direct ways to do the same. Instagram doesn’t allow you to download the reels directly since there are no options available.
One of the main reasons behind that is due to copyright issues but the good news is that you can work around the issue.
Following are some factors you can pay attention to:
1. Screen record
When it comes to downloading the Instagram reel, the easiest way out of the process is to screen record while you play the Instagram reel in the foreground. Depending on the type of smartphone you are using, you can either navigate to the Control Center or go to the settings panel on your Android smartphone to access the screen recording option.
Once you enable the screen recording option, you can then go ahead and screen record until the Instagram reel has been saved entirely to your camera roll.
Following that, you can crop the video and resize things to make it look like it’s just the video and that you haven’t screen-recorded it.
2. Use a third-party app
If you want a more direct method to download your Instagram reels to your camera roll, we’d recommend that you use a third-party application.
There are quite a few different applications available on Android and iOS that you can use to download your Instagram reels. Some of the most popular applications include InSaver and InstDown.
3. Via stories
One of the most workaround methods to use download Instagram reels is via Stories. Not many know about this trick but it works like magic.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Find the reel that you want to download or save to your camera roll.
- Then, share the reel to your Instagram stories and tap on the three dots on the screen.
- From there, you should find a “Save” button.
- Click on that to download the video to your camera roll.
If you don’t want anyone to get a notification that you have shared something on your Instagram story, a quick workaround is to share the same with your Close friend’s list. Once you are done downloading the Instagram reel, you can then go ahead and delete the video entirely.
What are the Best Third-Party Reels Downloader Apps?
We touched base with a few third-party applications that can help you download Instagram reels in no time at all.
1. InSaver
As the name suggests, InSaver is an application that lets you download the reels that you like from Instagram in no time at all. The app is 100% free to use and doesn’t require you to make any kind of in-app purchases. Besides downloading Instagram reels, the app also enables you to repost posts, stories, and videos too.
2. Reels Video Downloader
Reels video downloader is another popular Instagram reels downloading app that you can consider using. Like InSaver, the app is 100% free to use and has a very simple user interface, meaning that you shouldn’t have a hard time navigating through the app in no time.
3. Instant Save
Next up on the list of the best third-party reels downloader app is Instant Save. The app is available for both Android and iOS devices, meaning that you won’t have a hard time downloading the app without any hassle.
4. Video Downloader for Instagram
Last on the list is a video downloader for Instagram, which allows you to download reels, images, and even videos to your camera roll in no time at all. Also, the app is 100% free, meaning that you shouldn’t have to worry about paying anything at all.
Irrespective of which Instagram reels downloader you are using, the steps to using these apps are pretty much the same.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Start by downloading the app that you wish to use to download the Instagram reels using.
- Next, install the app and ensure that you give the app access to the relevant information to enable it to download the reels easily.
- Navigate to Video Downloader.
- Select the reel that you wish to download.
- Next, click on the three dots on the page of the reel and click on “Copy Link.”
- Go back to the app you just downloaded and paste the link you copied.
- Once done, then go ahead and tap on the download option to download the reel directly to your camera roll.
You can navigate to your camera roll and find the Instagram folder to simplify the download process from there.
Can I use Instagram directly to Download Instagram Reels?
From the beginning, we have discussed how Instagram doesn’t have a built-in option to download Instagram reels directly.
However, this is currently only the case for Android devices. Instagram has recently released a new feature wherein it has introduced an in-built feature that allows users to download the Instagram reels directly to their camera roll.
What you have to do is tap on “Share” in the Reels that you wish to download. From there, you need to tap on “Download” and let the download process start.
Is it Possible to Download Instagram Reels on a Desktop?
There could be multiple reasons why you need to download Instagram reels directly to your devices, including your desktop.
Much like smartphone devices, there are third-party applications that you can use to download different Instagram reels too.
Some of the most popular apps include:
- Loom
- Camtasia
- OBS Studio
- QuickTime
These are just a handful of third-party apps that can help you navigate the issue in no time at all.
How to Save Instagram Reels to Watch Later?
Sometimes, if you don’t have enough storage in your device to download the Instagram reels, what you can do is save the Instagram reel temporarily to your profile.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Open the specific reel that you wish to save in your profile.
- Tap on the three dots and find the “Save” option.
- Tap on Save.
This will help you save the Instagram reels to your saved collection in your profile and access it at your convenience at a later date.
How to Repurpose Instagram Reels Content?
When it comes to repurposing your Instagram reel content, there are multiple ways to get that done. Firstly, you can download your reels and then use them across other platforms to further increase engagement on your account.
Besides that, many people also download other people’s Instagram reel content and post them as short-form videos on other platforms like Instagram, YouTube shorts, and even Tiktok.
While repurposing can be a good way to create engagement, when it involves other people’s Instagram reels, we’d recommend that you be careful with the copyright issues involved in the process. The last thing you want to do is end up sharing copyrighted content that gets you into trouble at a later date.
Using repurposed content is also an easy way to reach a wider range of audience with minimal effort, which is a bonus.
Conclusion
If you have been confused about downloading Instagram reels from the app, we hope this article gives you all the insights that you are potentially on the lookout for. Besides that, you also keep in mind that you have to look into some of the workaround methods to be able to download the reels. There are no direct methods available at present.
