On a computer you don’t need anything extra – no desktop app and, frankly, it’s better to avoid browser extensions that ask to “read and change all your data on all websites”. Your browser and a link are enough.
Step by step
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1
Copy the link
On instagram.com, open the post and copy the address from the address bar, or click ⋯ › Copy link.
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2
Paste it into insta4dl
Open insta4dl.com in another tab and press Ctrl+V (⌘+V on a Mac). It starts loading as soon as you paste.
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3
Save the file
Click “Download video” or “Download photo”. The file goes to your Downloads folder.
Saving lots of posts quickly
Keep Instagram in one tab and insta4dl in another. Copy a link, switch tabs, paste – the download is ready before you’ve moved the mouse. Your recent lookups appear as small buttons under the input box, so you can go back to one without hunting for the link again. They’re stored only in your browser and the “Clear” button removes them.
Carousels and whole story sets
When a post has several slides, “Download all as ZIP” gives you one archive with every photo and video, numbered in order. Windows and macOS both open ZIP files with a double-click.
When the video opens instead of downloading
Some browser settings play MP4 files in a new tab. Right-click the “Download video” button and choose Save link as… (Chrome, Edge, Firefox) or Download Linked File (Safari).
Picking a good folder
If you collect a lot of reference material, tell your browser to ask where to save each file (Chrome: Settings › Downloads › “Ask where to save each file”). It’s an easy way to keep inspiration, tutorials and your own posts in separate folders.