Instagram is finally allowing users to download other people’s Reels to their phones so they can watch and share them outside the app.
While the feature is only available in the US at launch, these types of significant updates tend to make their way across the pond relatively quickly.
Still, it’s odd that it has taken Instagram so long to introduce downloads as rival TikTok has had the function for years.
The ease with which people can save TikToks is why the platform’s most popular videos are plastered across the internet, especially on other social media feeds.
Last week, Instagram head Adam Mosseri confirmed that users in the US could now download Reels shared by public accounts.
What that means is that if you haven’t set your account to private, others will be able to download your Reels without your explicit approval. Fortunately, you will be able to turn downloads off via your settings.
There’s no word on whether Instagram will watermark the videos in the way that TikTok and YouTube do.
Mosseri also did not state if the platform will restrict downloads from the accounts of younger users. For instance, TikTok does not permit downloads from accounts belonging to those aged 16 or younger.
How to download Instagram Reels
Once the update arrives in the UK, saving a clip to your phone will be as simple as tapping the share button and then pressing the download option.
Currently, you can save Reels to view on the Instagram app by tapping the icon with three dots on a post and hitting save. You can then view these clips from the profile section of the app.
Instagram’s owner, Meta, is keen for people to view more Reels, which are increasingly popping up in users’ feeds thanks to the company’s algorithm. Meta recently revealed that 40 per cent of the content people now see while scrolling Instagram is from accounts they don’t follow.
Since Reels were launched in 2020, AI recommendations have contributed to a 24 per cent rise in the amount of time people spend on Instagram.
