How to Copy an Instagram Link

Grabbing a link from Instagram should be simple, but it can feel surprisingly clunky depending on what you’re trying to share and which device you’re on. Knowing exactly where to find and copy the correct URL is a small but mighty skill for anyone looking to share content, drive traffic, or build their brand. This guide breaks down exactly how to copy the link for Instagram profiles, posts, Reels, and even Stories, so you can stop fumbling and start sharing.

Your Digital Front Door: How to Copy Your Instagram Profile Link

Your Instagram profile link is your primary social address. It's the URL you'll put in your email signature, on your business card, or in your bio on other social platforms. There are a few ways to get it, ranging from super easy to just typing it out yourself.

The Easiest Method: Using the Share Profile Feature (Mobile App)

Instagram has a built-in feature on its mobile app designed for exactly this purpose. The steps are almost identical for both iPhone and Android users.

For iPhone and Android Users:

• Open the Instagram app and go to your profile by tapping your picture in the bottom-right corner.
• Right below your bio and follower count, tap the "Share Profile" button.
• A small panel will pop up from the bottom of the screen. Simply tap "Copy link".
• That’s it! The link to your profile is now copied to your clipboard, ready to be pasted anywhere you need it.

The Browser Method: Quick and Easy on Your Desktop

If you're already on your computer, this is by far the fastest way to grab your profile link. It’s a simple copy-and-paste action you do every day on the web.

1. Open your preferred web browser (like Chrome, Safari, or Firefox).
2. Navigate to Instagram.com and log in if you aren't already.
3. Click on your profile picture in the top-right corner and select "Profile" from the dropdown menu.
4. Once your profile page loads, just click on the URL in the address bar at the very top of your browser. It should be highlighted automatically.
5. Copy the URL by right-clicking and selecting "Copy," or by using the keyboard shortcut (Ctrl+C on Windows or Cmd+C on a Mac).

The DIY Method: Manually Writing Your URL

Sometimes the quickest way is to just type it out yourself, especially if you know your username by heart and don’t want to open the app. The format is incredibly straightforward.

• Your Instagram profile URL is always: https://www.instagram.com/YourUsername/

Simply replace "YourUsername" with your actual Instagram handle. The biggest thing to watch out for here are typos. Make sure you spell your username exactly right - including any underscores (_) or periods (.) - or the link will lead to a "Sorry, this page isn't available" error.

Sharing a Moment: How to Copy an Instagram Post Link

Perhaps you want to share a specific photo, video, or carousel post on your blog, in a newsletter, or in a message. Grabbing a direct link to an individual post ensures people land exactly where you want them to.

On the Instagram Mobile App (iPhone or Android)

The process is the same whether you’re on iOS or Android and works for single images, videos, and multi-image carousels.

1. Navigate to the post you want to share.
2. Tap the three dots (...) located in the top-right corner of the post, directly above the image or video.
3. From the menu that appears, tap the "Link" button (it looks like a small chain icon and often says ‘Link’ right next to it).
4. A confirmation message will appear at the bottom of the screen saying, "Link copied to clipboard." Now you're ready to paste it.

This is extremely useful for directing people to a specific product photo, an event announcement, or any piece of content you want to highlight outside of the Instagram app.

On a Desktop Browser

Just like with your profile, getting a link to a specific post from your desktop is as simple as copying the URL from your browser's address bar.

1. Go to Instagram's website and find the post you want to share. You can get there from a profile's grid or by clicking on a post in your feed.
2. Once the post is open in its own individual view, move your cursor to the address bar at the top of your browser.
3. Click to highlight the URL and copy it.

The copied URL will take anyone directly to that specific Instagram post, making it perfect for embedding on websites or sharing in documents.

Viral Potential: Get the Link to an Instagram Reel

Reels are one of the most shareable forms of content on the platform. Whether you want to send a funny Reel to a friend or cross-promote your own viral masterpiece, getting the link is essential.

On the Instagram Mobile App (iPhone or Android)

The process for Reels is slightly different from standard posts because the interface is built for vertical video.

1. Open the Reel you want to share so it's playing full-screen.
2. On the right-hand side of the screen, look for the vertical row of icons (Like, Comment, Share). At the bottom of this row, tap the three dots (...).
3. A menu will slide up from the bottom. Tap the "Link" button.
4. The link to the Reel is now saved to your clipboard.

On a Desktop Browser

Sharing Reels from a desktop is just as easy as sharing anything else from the Instagram website.

1. Find and open the Reel you want to share.
2. With the Reel open, look up at the address bar in your browser.
3. Copy that URL. It will look something like https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8q8B1.../.

For 24 Hours Only: The Ins and Outs of Story Links

Copying a Story link is a bit different because of the ephemeral nature of Stories. The most important thing to remember is that you can really only copy the link to your own active Story, and that link will expire once the Story does (after 24 hours).

How to Copy Your Own Story Link

1. Open Instagram and tap your profile picture at the top of your feed to view your own active Story.
2. While viewing your Story, tap the three dots (...) labeled "More" in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
3. From the pop-up menu, tap "Copy link".

You can now paste this link, but be mindful of its 24-hour lifespan. If you want a more permanent link, add the Story to a Highlight on your profile first, and then you can direct people to your profile to view it.

You generally cannot copy a link to someone else's Story directly from the app interface, as this feature is designed for creators to share their own content.

Okay, But *Why* Do I Need These Links?

Now that you know how to get the links, here are some of the most common reasons why this is such a useful skill for growing your social presence:

• Building Your "Link in Bio" Page: Tools like Linktree, Later, or Carrd all rely on you being able to paste direct links to your products, blog posts, or promotions.
• Cross-Promoting on Other Platforms: You can drop a link to your latest Instagram Reel in your X feed, add your profile link to your TikTok bio, or mention it in a YouTube video description to push traffic between platforms.
• Embedding Content on Your Website: Many websites allow you to embed an Instagram post directly on a blog page. To do this, you first need the post’s URL.
• Email Marketing and Newsletters: Drive your engaged email audience back to your Instagram page by linking directly to a giveaway announcement, a new product, or just your main profile.
• Brand Collaborations: When pitching potential partners, you often need to provide a direct link to your profile or to specific posts that showcase your best work.
• Sharing with Friends and Colleagues: And of course, sometimes you just see a great post or a hilarious Reel and want to text it to a friend without having to say "go to this page and scroll down until you see the photo of the cat."

Common Questions Answered

Can I copy a link to a private account's post?

You can, but it won't be very useful. Anyone who clicks the link will need to be following that private account to see the content. If they don't, they'll simply land on a "This Account is Private" page, keeping the content hidden.

Why does my link open the App Store instead of Instagram?

This is a common issue on mobile, especially if the person clicking the link doesn’t have the Instagram app installed. Their phone defaults to sending them to the App Store or Google Play Store to download it. It's often related to "deep linking" and isn't something you can directly control, but the link itself is correct.

What's the difference between "Copy Link" and using the "Share" button?

Using the "Share" button opens up your phone's native sharing options, allowing you to send the content directly to an app like Messages, WhatsApp, or AirDrop. "Copy Link" just saves the raw URL to your clipboard, giving you more flexibility to paste it wherever you want, like in a document or a website field.

Final Thoughts

Copying links from Instagram isn't complicated once you know where the right buttons are hidden. Whether you're sharing your complete profile for networking, a specific post for a campaign, or a Reel just for fun, it’s a fundamental skill for making the most of what you create and share on the platform.

While grabbing links manually is great for one-off shares, we know that managing a consistent content calendar involves so much more than juggling URLs. At Postbase, we designed our platform because we got tired of fighting tools that made simple things difficult. Getting an entire view of your content strategy with a visual calendar, scheduling posts across all your platforms at once, and managing all your DMs in one unified inbox helps you focus on creating great content, not just on the tiny administrative tasks that eat up your day.