How to download Instagram Reels on iPhone
You can save a public Reel on an iPhone using only Safari and the Instagram app you already have. No extra app, no login. Menu names vary slightly between iOS versions, so treat the labels below as a guide.
Steps
- In the Instagram app, open the public Reel, tap the paper-plane Share icon, then tap Copy link.
- Open ReelGrab in Safari. Tap Paste (allow the paste prompt if iOS asks), then Get download link.
- When the result appears, tap Download video and confirm Download if Safari asks. Safari shows a download arrow in the toolbar and saves the file to the Files app.
- To send it straight to your Photos library, tap Save to Photos instead (it turns on once the video has finished preparing), then choose Save Video in the share sheet.
Where does the file go?
Safari saves downloads to the Files app, in the Downloads folder (this location can be changed in Settings › Safari › Downloads). To move it to Photos, open the video in Files, tap Share, then Save Video.
Safari-specific things to know
- The video link is temporary. Download soon after generating it; if it stops working, paste the Reel link again.
- Content blockers or Private Browsing can interfere with downloads. Try turning them off for this site.
- If Paste does nothing, long-press the input box and choose Paste instead.
- If the Instagram link opens the app instead of Safari, copy the link from the app first; don't tap it.
Common iPhone problems
- "Not a Reel link": make sure the link contains
/reel/. Profile, Story and photo-post links aren't supported. - Nothing happens when I tap Download video: wait for the preview to finish loading, then tap again, or use Save to Photos. If it still fails, turn off content blockers and Private Browsing for this site.
- Fails every time: the Reel may be private, deleted or restricted. See why a Reel won't download.
Can I download any Reel?
No, only public ones that the media service can retrieve. Music or other rights don't change that, and downloading doesn't give you permission to reuse the video.