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Reel Downloader › Instagram Story Downloader

Instagram Story Downloader

Reel Downloader saves Instagram Stories right from the story viewer: the video or photo on your screen, with its sound, in one click. It's a free Chrome extension, and it works on the stories you can already watch while signed in to Instagram.

Add to Chrome · Free

Free. No account. For desktop Chrome.
On a phone? Use the web downloader.

The Reel Downloader panel beside a Instagram post, showing a saved file and its resolution

How to download an Instagram Story

  1. Add Reel Downloader to Chrome and open instagram.com.
  2. Open a story, from the row of stories at the top of your feed or from a profile.
  3. Click the round Download button in the story's own controls, next to pause and the "…" menu.
  4. The panel shows progress, then "Saved to your downloads." with the size and "With audio" for videos.

Stories save as MP4 videos or JPG photos, named after the account and the story, like instagram-accountname-DeH01XMEfPc.mp4.

Why this Instagram story downloader

Story downloaders get the same complaints again and again. Each one shaped how Reel Downloader works.

It saves the story you're watching

A common complaint is getting the first story of an account instead of the one on screen. Reel Downloader reads the story you're viewing: the story's own ID when Instagram shows it in the address, otherwise the story whose length or image matches what's on your screen. If it can't be sure, it saves nothing and tells you, instead of handing you the wrong file.

Sound included, and honest when there is none

Video stories save with their sound. Some stories are posted without sound; for those, the panel says "No audio" so you know it isn't a fault.

Files that play everywhere

Video stories save as H.264 MP4, so they open on Mac, iPhone, Windows, WhatsApp and video editors. Photo stories save as JPG.

No account with us, no limits

There is nothing to sign up for, no daily limit and no ads. Downloads happen in your browser and go straight to your computer.

Stories from accounts you follow, and your own

Instagram shows Stories only to signed-in people, so the extension works in the Chrome where you're signed in to Instagram. It saves:

It never gets around privacy settings: if Instagram doesn't let your account see a story, the extension can't save it either.

Instagram tells an account who viewed its stories. Opening a story to save it counts as a view, exactly like watching it. If Instagram first asks "View as …?", that's Instagram's own notice about this; press View story, then use Download.

Honest limits

Frequently asked questions

How do I download an Instagram Story on my computer?

Install Reel Downloader in Chrome, open the story on instagram.com and click the round Download button next to the pause button and the "…" menu. The video or photo is saved to your downloads folder.

Does it download the story with sound?

Yes. Video stories are saved with their sound. If the story was posted without sound, the panel says "No audio".

Will the person know I downloaded their story?

Downloading isn't shown to anyone. Opening the story counts as a normal view, the same as watching it.

Can I download someone else's story?

You can save stories your Instagram account can already see. Only download stories you own or have permission to reuse.

Can it download Instagram Highlights?

Not yet. Save the story while it's live.

Does it work on iPhone or Android?

No. Stories need your Instagram session in desktop Chrome. On a phone, the web downloader saves public Reels and posts.

Why did it say "Which story is this?"

That appears when the story on screen hadn't loaded yet, or when it couldn't be matched for certain. Start the story, or go to the next story and back, then click Download again. Nothing wrong is ever saved.

What else does Reel Downloader save?

Reels, videos, photos and every slide of a carousel. See the Instagram photo downloader and the carousel downloader.