How to Copy an Instagram Reel Link

Finding and copying the link to an Instagram Reel is one of those simple tasks that can somehow feel surprisingly difficult if you don’t know exactly where to tap. This guide cuts through the confusion and shows you exactly how to grab that link in seconds. We’ll cover how to do it from the Instagram app on any phone, from a desktop browser, and what to do if you run into any issues along the way.

So, Why Would You Need to Copy a Reel Link?

Before getting into the step-by-step, let's quickly pinpoint the common reasons why you'd want to grab a Reel link in the first place. You might be:

• Sharing with friends or colleagues: The most obvious one! You see a funny, inspiring, or trending Reel and want to send it directly to someone via iMessage, WhatsApp, Slack, or email.
• Reposting to other platforms: Want to share a great Reel on your X (formerly Twitter) feed, a Facebook page, or in a LinkedIn post? You'll need the direct link to do that.
• Saving ideas for later: As a content creator or social media manager, you might be building a swipe file of Reel ideas for inspiration. Copying the link into a notes app, spreadsheet, or a project management tool is a perfect way to keep track of content that caught your eye.
• Embedding on a website or blog: If you've created a tutorial or a product feature Reel, you might want to embed it directly into a blog post. The first step to embedding is always getting the URL.
• Client approvals and team collaboration: If you manage social media for a client or work with a team, you’ll constantly be sending links back and forth for feedback and approval before posting.

Whatever your reason, the process is quick once you find the right button. Let’s get into it.

How to Copy a Reel Link from the Instagram App (iPhone & Android)

This is by far the most common way you'll be grabbing a link. The steps are identical whether you're using an iPhone or an Android device, as the Instagram app interface is consistent across both platforms.

Step 1: Find the Reel You Want to Share

First, navigate to the specific Reel. You might come across it in one of a few places:

• Your main Home feed as you scroll.
• The dedicated Reels tab (the clapperboard icon at the bottom of the screen).
• Directly on a user’s profile page in their Reel grid.

Once you’ve got the Reel on your screen, you're ready for the next step.

Step 2: Look for the Share Icon

Look to the right side of the screen. You will see a vertical line of icons, including a heart (like), a speech bubble (comment), and a paper airplane. That paper airplane icon is the Share button. It's the universal symbol for sharing content within Instagram.

Tap that paper airplane icon.

Step 3: Find and Tap "Copy Link"

After tapping the share icon, a new menu will slide up from the bottom of your screen. This menu gives you options to send the Reel to your close friends, post it to your Story, or share it with other apps.

At the bottom of this menu, you’ll see a row of icons. Look for the button that says “Copy link.” It’s usually represented by a link icon (two interconnected chain links).

Tap "Copy link,” and that’s it! Instagram will briefly show a message like “Link copied to clipboard” at the top of the screen to confirm your action. The link is now saved to your phone's clipboard, ready for you to paste wherever you need it.

How to Copy a Reel Link from a Desktop Browser

For social media managers, marketers, or anyone who prefers working on a laptop or desktop, grabbing a Reel link from a web browser is just as easy. You actually have two incredibly simple ways to do it.

Method 1: Using the Three-Dot Menu (The Easiest Way)

This method feels most like the mobile app and is the most direct way to get the job done.

1. Navigate to the Reel: Go to Instagram.com and find the Reel you want to share. You can click on it from someone's profile grid or find it in your feed.
2. Click the Three-Dot Icon: When the Reel is playing, look for the three horizontal dots icon (...). It's typically located in the bottom-right corner of the Reel's frame, next to the audio information.
3. Select "Copy link": A small pop-up menu will appear with a few options. Simply click "Copy link." A "Link copied" confirmation will briefly appear on the Reel itself, and you're good to go.

Method 2: Grabbing the URL from the Address Bar

This second method on desktop is just as quick and feels very intuitive for anyone used to web browsing.

1. Open the Reel in Its Own View: First, click on the Reel so that it opens up in the larger, focused Reel viewer. When you do this, you’ll notice the URL in your browser's address bar changes to a specific address for that Reel. It will look something like this: www.instagram.com/reel/C7abcDEfghI/.
2. Highlight the URL: Click inside the address bar at the top of your browser window. The full URL should become highlighted automatically.
3. Copy the URL: Now, you can either right-click on the highlighted URL and choose “Copy,” or simply use the universal keyboard shortcut: Cmd+C on a Mac or Ctrl+C on a PC.

The link is now copied to your computer's clipboard, ready to be pasted.

What’s Inside an Instagram Reel Link? (A Quick Teardown)

Have you ever noticed that copied links sometimes look really long and messy? Understanding the structure can help you clean them up and share with confidence. A link you copy might look like this:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7abcDEfghI/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&,igsh=XYZ123ABC

Let's break that down:

• https://www.instagram.com/reel/ This is the standard base URL that tells the browser you're looking at an Instagram Reel.
• C7abcDEfghI/ This is the most important part. It’s the unique ID for this specific Reel. As long as you have this part, the link will work.
• ?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&,igsh=XYZ... Everything after the question mark (?) is a tracking parameter. Instagram uses these to know how the link was shared (e.g., copied from the web, shared via messenger, etc.).

Pro-tip: You can safely delete everything from the question mark onward to create a much cleaner, shorter link. The "clean" version of the link above would simply be:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7abcDEfghI/

Both the long and short versions will take you to the exact same Reel. The shorter one just looks tidier and is easier to read.

Common Problems and Quick Fixes

Things don't always go as planned. Here are a couple of common hiccups you might encounter and how to deal with them.

Problem: I can’t find the “Copy Link” button anywhere!

This can happen for a couple of reasons. Most of the time, it's because the Reel you're trying to share is from a private account. Instagram restricts sharing content from private profiles to protect the user's privacy. If you don't see a "Copy Link" option, check if the account has a lock icon next to its name. If it's private, you won't be able to get a publicly shareable link.

Problem: The link I copied and shared gives a "Content Unavailable" error.

This usually means one of two things has happened since you copied the link:

1. The original creator has deleted the Reel.
2. The account that posted the Reel has been switched from public to private.

Unfortunately, there’s no fix for this on your end. The original content is simply no longer accessible to the public.

Final Thoughts

Grabbing the link for an Instagram Reel is straightforward once you know where to find the paper airplane icon on mobile or the three-dot menu on desktop. These small but mighty buttons hold the key to copying, sharing, and cataloging your favorite pieces of short-form video content anywhere you need it.

If you find yourself copying a lot of Reels links for content inspiration, you probably know how quickly your notes and documents can get disorganized. We built Postbase to solve that exact problem. Our modern, visual planning calendar is perfect for pasting in those inspiration links and turning them into real posts for your own accounts. It’s the simple, drag-and-drop workflow we always wished we had for keeping ideas organized and turning them into a scheduled-out content plan.