Instagram to MP4: Convert an Instagram Link to a Video
When people search for “Instagram to MP4”, they usually want one thing: a video file on their phone or computer instead of a link. Good news, that’s simple. Even better, there’s very little actual converting involved, because Instagram videos already are MP4 files.
Turn an Instagram link into an MP4
- Copy the link. In the Instagram app tap the paper-plane icon, then Copy link. On a computer, click the three dots (⋯) on the post and choose Copy link.
- Open the video downloader and paste the link into the box.
- Press Download.
- Pick a quality. The first button is the best one available.
- Your device saves the video as an MP4 file.
What “converting” really means here
Instagram stores videos in MP4 format. So we’re not converting anything in the way a video editor would. We fetch the file Instagram already has and hand it to you. That’s also why it’s fast, and why the quality is whatever Instagram holds, no better and no worse.
Need a different format?
Our download is an MP4 only. We don’t make MP3 audio files, GIFs or other formats. If you need one, a free desktop tool can do it from the MP4 you just saved:
- VLC (Windows, Mac, Linux): open Media, then Convert / Save, and choose the format you want.
- HandBrake (Windows, Mac, Linux): good for making a video smaller, for example before emailing it.
- QuickTime Player (Mac): File, then Export As, to save at a lower resolution.
File size
A short Reel is usually a few megabytes. A long video can be hundreds. If your phone is short on space, pick a lower quality button when one is offered, or use HandBrake afterwards to shrink it.
If something goes wrong
- Nothing happens: check that the link is for a post, Reel or video, not for a profile, and that the account is public.
- It plays instead of saving: use the three dots on the player and choose Download. Our computer guide has more fixes.
- On a phone: see the guides for iPhone and Android.
As always, a download is for your own use. If you want to share someone else’s video, ask them first.