📅 January 2026 ⏱ 5 min read ✍️ VideoDL Team

How to Download Instagram Videos, Reels and Photos

Instagram still has no built-in way to save content to your device. This guide walks you through exactly how to use VideoDL to download any public Instagram content in a few steps — on iPhone, Android or PC. No login, no app install, completely free.

Basic steps — works on all devices

Find the Instagram post you want to save

Open Instagram in your browser or app. Go to the video, photo, Reel or Story you want. It must be a public post — private account content cannot be downloaded this way.

Copy the post link

On the Instagram app, tap the three-dot menu (⋯) at the top right of the post and tap Copy Link. On a browser, copy the URL directly from the address bar.

Paste the link into VideoDL

Open videodl.xyz and tap the Paste button — or press Ctrl+V on PC — to paste your link into the input box.

Download and save

Tap the Download button. Your file will be ready in a few seconds. Tap Save to Device to store it in your Downloads folder or Photos app.

💡 Tip: If the download button does nothing on mobile, try opening VideoDL in a different browser. Safari works best on iPhone, Chrome works best on Android.

Downloading on iPhone

iOS handles downloads differently, so there's one extra step.

  1. Use Safari browser on your iPhone for best results.
  2. After clicking Download, a video preview may appear — long-press it.
  3. Select "Save to Photos" or "Download Linked File".
  4. Find the file in your Photos app or Files app under Downloads.

If that doesn't work, try the Documents by Readdle app — it has a browser that handles file downloads on iOS without any fuss.

Downloading on Android

  1. Open Chrome or any standard browser and go to VideoDL.xyz.
  2. Paste the Instagram URL and tap Download.
  3. Tap Download when your browser asks for confirmation.
  4. Find your file in the Downloads folder or Gallery app.

Downloading on PC or Mac

  1. Open Instagram in one tab, copy the post URL from the address bar.
  2. Open VideoDL.xyz in another tab, paste the URL and click Download.
  3. The file downloads automatically to your Downloads folder.

How to download Instagram Reels

Reels work exactly like regular videos. Open the Reel, tap the Share button (paper plane icon), and select Copy Link. Paste into VideoDL and download. No watermark added.

How to download Instagram Stories

Stories disappear after 24 hours, so act quickly. Open the Story, tap the three dots at the bottom right and select Copy Link. If that option isn't there, copy the URL from your browser's address bar while the Story is open. Then paste into VideoDL as normal.

Common problems and fixes

Download button doesn't respond

An ad blocker or browser extension is likely interfering. Try opening VideoDL in a private/incognito tab, or temporarily disable extensions.

"Invalid URL" error

Make sure the link starts with https://www.instagram.com/. App-generated share links can sometimes have odd formats — try copying the URL directly from a browser instead.

Can't find the file after downloading

Check your browser's download history (Ctrl+J on PC). On mobile, check both your Downloads folder and your Gallery or Photos app.

Ready to download?

Go back to the homepage, paste your Instagram link and save your content in seconds.

⬇ Go to Downloader