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Download Instagram Reels to your iPhone

Paste a Reel's link below in Safari and get the MP4 Instagram plays in its app, music included. Then move it into Photos from the Files app.

How to save an Instagram Reel to Photos on iPhone

  1. 01

    Copy the Reel's link

    On the Reel, tap the paper-plane icon, then Copy link.

  2. 02

    Download it in Safari

    Paste the link above, tap Get video, then Download MP4. Tap Download when Safari asks.

  3. 03

    Move it to Photos

    Open the Files app, go to Downloads, tap the video, tap Share, then Save Video.

Skip the copy and paste with a Shortcut

Build this once and "Download video" shows up in the share sheet of Instagram and every other app. It takes about a minute.

  1. 1.Open the Shortcuts app and tap + to start a new shortcut.
  2. 2.Tap the ⓘ button, turn on Show in Share Sheet, and set it to receive URLs and Text.
  3. 3.Add the URL Encode action. Its input is Shortcut Input.
  4. 4.Add the Open URLs action and set it to https://www.phylix.com/video-downloader?url= followed by the URL Encoded Text variable.
  5. 5.Name it "Download video". Next time, tap Share in Instagram, then More, and pick it.

How is this different from Instagram's own Download?

On some public Reels, Instagram's share menu offers a Download option. That copy carries an Instagram logo and the creator's username. This page gives you the file Instagram streams in its app instead.

Why save Reels this way

  • Works in Safari

    No App Store app, and no Instagram login typed into a site you don't know.

  • Music included

    The MP4 keeps the Reel's original audio track.

  • Video posts too

    Regular video posts and carousel video slides save the same way.

Supported links

  • instagram.com/reel/ABC123/
  • instagram.com/p/ABC123/
  • instagram.com/username/reel/ABC123/
  • instagram.com/share/reel/…

Frequently asked questions

Can I download Instagram Reels on iPhone without an app?

Yes. Everything happens in Safari: paste the Reel link here, tap Download MP4, then save the file to Photos from the Files app.

Where do downloaded Reels go on iPhone?

Into the Downloads folder of the Files app. Open it there, tap Share, then Save Video to add it to Photos.

Does this work for Instagram video posts as well as Reels?

Yes. Regular video posts and the video slides of a carousel download the same way as Reels.

Is the video downloader free?

Yes. There's no account, no ads and nothing to install. Each connection can look up 25 links every 5 minutes, which keeps the service quick for everyone.

Do you keep a copy of the videos I download?

No. The tool reads the public post to find its video file and hands you the link. When you tap Download MP4, the file passes straight through to your device and no copy stays on our servers.

Why does a direct link stop working after a while?

TikTok, Instagram and Facebook sign their video links and let them expire. TikTok's last a few hours, Instagram's and Facebook's a few days. Paste the post link again for a fresh one.

Can I download videos from private accounts?

No. The tool sees exactly what a logged-out visitor sees, so private accounts, close-friends posts and members-only groups can't be downloaded.

Is it legal to download these videos?

The video belongs to the person who made it. Save videos for your own offline viewing or with the creator's permission, don't re-upload someone else's work, and follow each platform's terms. PhylixTools isn't affiliated with TikTok, Instagram, Facebook or Meta.

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