How to Save Instagram Videos to Your Camera Roll (iPhone & Android)
Instagram has a Save button, but it only bookmarks the post inside the app. It doesn’t put anything in your camera roll, and if the creator deletes the video, your bookmark goes with it. To keep a real copy on your phone you need the file itself. This guide shows how to get an Instagram video into the Photos app on an iPhone or the Gallery on Android.
Save an Instagram video to an iPhone camera roll
- Open the post in Instagram, tap the paper-plane icon and choose Copy link.
- Open Safari (not a browser inside another app) and go to the Instagram video downloader.
- Paste the link and tap Download, then pick the quality.
- Safari asks if you want to download the file. Tap Download.
- Tap the arrow next to the address bar, open Downloads and tap the video.
- Tap the share icon in the corner and choose Save Video.
The clip is now in Photos, in the Recents album and in Videos. Our iPhone Reels guide shows the same steps with screenshots of each tap.
Save an Instagram video to an Android gallery
- In the Instagram app, tap the paper-plane icon and choose Copy link.
- Open Chrome and go to the video downloader. Paste the link and tap Download.
- Tap the quality button. Chrome saves the MP4 to your Downloads folder.
- Open the Gallery or Google Photos. Most phones show the new video within a few seconds under Downloads or Videos.
If it doesn’t show up, open the Files app, find the video in Downloads and open it once. On some phones that’s enough to add it to the gallery. You can also move it into the DCIM or Movies folder.
Which quality should you choose?
The first button on the result is the best one available for that video. Choose it when you plan to watch the clip on a big screen or keep it for a long time. Pick the smaller one only if storage is tight. Our blog post on what to do when your phone is full helps, and the size guide explains what the numbers mean.
Common problems
- The video plays in the browser instead of saving. Tap the three dots on the player and choose Download, or press and hold the button.
- Nothing happens when you tap Download. Check that the account is public, and turn off any VPN or data saver for a moment.
- The file has no sound. See why a downloaded video can be silent.
Save only videos you made or have permission to keep, and credit the creator if you share them. Read the plain-language rules if you aren’t sure.
Frequently asked questions
Can Instagram save a video from someone else straight to my camera roll?
No. The Save button inside Instagram only adds a post to a private list in the app. It never creates a file on your phone, which is why people use a downloader.
Why is the video in Downloads but not in my gallery?
Some phones keep downloads in a Files or Downloads folder until you move them. On iPhone, open the file and tap Share, then Save Video. On Android, a gallery refresh or opening it once from Files usually makes it appear.
Does saving to the camera roll lower the quality?
No. The MP4 is copied as it is. The quality depends on what Instagram stored for that video, not on where you keep it.