Paste the link that failed into the box above and try once more first. A lot of errors are temporary: Instagram slows down requests from time to time, and a second try a minute later goes through. If the same message comes back, find it below.
Error messages and what they mean
These are the exact messages this downloader shows, with the reason behind each one.
| Message starts with | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| "That doesn't look like an Instagram Reel, post or IGTV link." | The link isn't a /reel/, /reels/, /p/ or /tv/ link. Profile links, Story links and links from other apps don't work. | Open the video itself and copy its link (see below). |
| "This post is private, age-restricted or a Story…" | Instagram won't share it without signing in. | Only public Reels and posts work. Ask the creator to send you the file. |
| "This post only has photos, no video." | It's a photo post or a photo carousel. | Long-press the photo in the Instagram app to save it. |
| "This post is unavailable…" | The post was deleted, the account was made private, or the link is mistyped. | Open the link in Instagram to check it still plays. |
| "This video is longer than 30 minutes…" | The current length limit is 30 minutes. | Reels and most video posts fit. Very long videos don't, for now. |
| "This video has no sound, so there's nothing to save as MP3." | You picked MP3 on a silent video. | Switch to MP4 video. |
| "Instagram is slowing us down right now." | Instagram is limiting requests for a moment. | Wait a minute and try again. |
| "Too many requests right now." | More than 10 tries in a minute from your connection. | Wait a minute. |
| "This download link has expired." | Download links last about 15 minutes. | Paste the Instagram link again. |
If you see "We couldn't fetch this video" or "Instagram didn't respond", it's a hiccup between us and Instagram. Try again in a minute. If one particular post fails every time while others work, Instagram may not be serving that post to logged-out visitors.
Copy the right link
Most "not working" reports are really "wrong link". In the Instagram app:
- Open the Reel or video post itself, not the profile.
- Tap the paper-plane (Share) icon.
- Tap Copy link.
A good link contains /reel/, /reels/, /p/ or /tv/ followed by a code, like instagram.com/reel/ABC123xyz/. Anything after a ?, such as igsh=, is tracking and is removed automatically. The Instagram Reels download page lists every link shape that works.
Private posts, Stories and age-restricted videos
These three fail for the same reason: Instagram only shows them to signed-in accounts. This downloader never asks for your Instagram login and never uses anyone's account, so it can't see them. Any site that offers private or Story downloads has to sign in to Instagram somehow. Be careful about giving your Instagram password to a download site.
Photo carousels and mixed posts
A post with several slides works if at least one slide is a video. You get the first video in the post. A post that has only photos returns the photo-only message.
Asked to sign in with Google?
You get 2 downloads every 24 hours without signing in. After that, the tool asks for a free Sign in with Google, and then there's no daily limit. Your link is remembered, so after signing in the download carries on. Details are on pricing.
The download worked but you can't find the file
- iPhone: Safari puts videos in the Files app under Downloads, not in Photos. See save Instagram video to iPhone for moving it into Photos.
- Android: look in the Downloads folder or your browser's download list.
- Computer: check your browser's downloads; the file name starts with the creator's username.
If the download didn't start on its own, tap the Download button that appears under the box.
Still has a watermark?
Files from this tool never have one. If your video has the Instagram logo and a moving @username, it came from Instagram's own Download button instead. Why Instagram downloads have a watermark explains the difference.
For a clean HD copy of a public Reel or video, go back to the Instagram video downloader without watermark and paste the link.