How to Export a Reel from Instagram

You've created the perfect Instagram Reel - the timing is excellent, the cuts are clean, and the trend is spot on. Now, you want to get that video off of Instagram and onto your phone, computer, or another social platform. This article breaks down every simple and effective way to export a Reel, covering the best methods for different situations so you can easily save and reuse your hard work.

Why Would You Want to Export a Reel?

Before getting into the how-to, it's worth thinking about why you'd want to do this. Understanding your goal will help you pick the right method. Most people export Reels for a few key reasons:

• Repurposing Content: Your Reel could be a hit on TikTok, YouTube Shorts, or Pinterest. Exporting the video allows you to share it across different platforms without creating the same content from scratch. This is a huge time-saver for creators and brands.
• Creating a Backup: Social media platforms can be unpredictable. Accounts can be locked, content can be accidentally deleted, or glitches can happen. Saving your best-performing videos creates a valuable personal archive of your work.
• Offline Viewing and Sharing: Sometimes you just want to show a video to friends or family without needing to open the Instagram app. Having the file downloaded to your phone makes sharing quick and easy, even without an internet connection.
• Building a Portfolio: If you're a content creator, videographer, or social media manager, exported Reels serve as excellent clips for your professional portfolio or a "sizzle reel" to showcase your skills to potential clients.

Method 1: Using Instagram's Built-in "Save" Feature

Let's start with the simplest, most official way to download one of your own Reels directly within the Instagram app. This method is quick and safe, but it has one very important limitation you need to be aware of.

The Big Catch: If your Reel uses a song or audio clip from Instagram's music library, the downloaded video will have no sound. This is due to music licensing restrictions. If you only used your original audio (meaning, the sound recorded with your video), the audio will be saved just fine.

Here's how to do it:

1. Navigate to your Instagram profile and open the Reel you want to save.
2. Tap the three dots ( • • • ) icon, usually located in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
3. From the menu that appears, tap on "Save to your device."
4. The video will download and save directly to your phone's camera roll or photo gallery.

When to use this method: This is ideal for quickly saving Reels where the audio isn't important or when you've used your own original audio for a voiceover or background noise.

Method 2: Save Your Reel (With Effects!) Before Hitting Publish

This is a pro tip for every creator. The best way to get a clean, high-quality copy of your own Reel is to save it during the creation process, right before it goes live. This method often provides a version with all your edits, text, and GIFs intact, without the Instagram watermark.

The audio caveat still applies here - if you've added commercially licensed music from Instagram's library, it probably won't save with the video. However, unlike the first method, this allows you to preserve a master copy of your edit before Instagram compresses it for posting.

Follow these steps:

1. After you're finished editing your Reel clips, adding text, and applying effects, tap "Next" to go to the final screen where you write your caption and tag people.
2. Don't hit "Share" yet! Look for a small download icon at the top of the editing screen - it looks like an arrow pointing down.
3. Tap that download icon. Instagram will process the video and save it directly to your phone's camera roll.
4. Now you can share your Reel or exit the editor. You have a clean copy ready for use.

When to use this method: This should be your go-to process for every Reel you create. It's the best way to get a high-resolution backup of your visual work before publishing.

Method 3: Using Third-Party Websites and Apps

What if you want to download a Reel with its trending audio intact? Or if you want to save a video that someone else posted? This is where third-party tools come into play. These are websites and apps designed specifically for downloading public Instagram content.

The process is generally the same across platforms:

1. Open the Instagram app and find the Reel you want to export. It must be from a public account.
2. Tap the paper airplane (Share) icon.
3. In the menu that appears, tap "Copy link."
4. Open your phone's web browser and search for an "Instagram Reel downloader" website (many free options exist). Alternatively, you can use a dedicated downloader app you've installed from the app store.
5. On the website or in the app, you'll see a field where you can paste the copied link. Paste it in.
6. Tap the "Download" button. The tool will process the video, and you'll typically get a link to download the video file (usually MP4), with sound included.

A Quick Word on Safety and Etiquette

While third-party tools are very useful, you should be cautious. They are not affiliated with Instagram, and you should use them responsibly:

• Never share your password: A legitimate downloader will only ask for the public URL of the Reel. It will never request your Instagram login details. If it does, close it immediately.
• Be cautious of ads: These free services are supported by advertising, which can sometimes be intrusive or misleading. Be careful what you click on.
• Copyright still applies: Just because you can download someone else's video doesn't mean you have the right to re-upload it as your own. If you re-purpose another creator's content, always give them proper credit. Also, remember that a song's license on Instagram doesn't transfer to other platforms like YouTube.

Method 4: Good Old-Fashioned Screen Recording

If all else fails, or if you want a guaranteed method that doesn't rely on third-party websites, you can always use screen recording. Both iPhones and Android devices have this feature built in.

This captures everything exactly as it appears on your screen - video and audio included.

For iPhone Users:

1. First, ensure Screen Recording is added to your Control Center. Go to Settings >,, Control Center and add "Screen Recording" if it's not there already.
2. Open the Instagram Reel you want to save. Mute your phone if you don't want notifications showing during recording.
3. Swipe down from the top-right corner of your screen to open the Control Center.
4. Tap the record icon (a circle within a circle). After a three-second countdown, it will start recording.
5. Swipe up to close the Control Center and let the reel play through.
6. To stop, tap the red clock or status bar at the top of your screen and select "Stop."
7. The recording will be saved to your Photos app, where you can crop or trim as needed.

For Android Users:

1. Pull down the notification shade from the top of the screen to access Quick Settings.
2. Find and tap the "Screen recorder" tile. (You might need to add it via editing your Quick Settings panel.)
3. A small menu will appear. Make sure to select "Media sounds" to include audio from the app, not just your microphone.
4. Tap "Start recording." A countdown begins.
5. Navigate to the Reel and play it as needed.
6. When finished, pull down the notification shade again and tap the stop button on the screen recorder notification.
7. The recorded video will be saved in your gallery, ready for editing.

When to use this method: It's a universal solution that works for any video on any public or private account (as long as you can view it). The downside is slightly lower quality than a direct download, and you'll need to trim the ends afterward.

Best Practices After Exporting Your Reel

Now that you have the video file, consider these tips to optimize its use:

• Remove the watermark for other platforms: If your saved video includes an Instagram Reel watermark, you might want to remove it before posting to TikTok, which tends to lessen the reach of videos with other platform logos. Many online editors can help with this.
• Check audio licensing: Be cautious with the music included in your Reel. The trending song might not be licensed for use everywhere. Posting with copyrighted music could lead to removal or copyright claims. It's often better to export the video without sound and add audio later from the target platform's library.
• Optimize for each platform: Small edits - like adjusting captions or hashtags - can help your video perform better on different sites. Tailoring your content makes it more native and engaging for each audience.

Final Thoughts

Whether you use Instagram's built-in download feature, a third-party app, or screen recording, saving your Reels is straightforward. The best method depends on who owns the Reel, whether the audio is important, and how you plan to use the video.

Once you have your video, you can upload and adapt it for all your social channels. To make this process easier, platforms like Postbase allow you to plan, upload, and customize your content across multiple sites from a single visual calendar, saving you time and effort.