Instagram Photo Downloader: Official Ways to Save Photos
Looking for an Instagram posts downloader? Instagram already lets you keep a full copy of your own photos, and save other people's posts privately. Here's how, step by step.
Quick answer
- Your photos: export your information in Accounts Center.
- Future posts: turn on saving original photos to your phone.
- Others' photos: save to a Collection, or ask the creator.
Download a photo
Which method do you need?
| You want to save | Official way |
|---|---|
| Your own photos, from now on | Turn on saving original photos to your phone |
| All your past photos and posts | Export your information from Accounts Center |
| Your own carousel posts | The export includes every photo in each carousel |
| Someone else's photo or carousel | Save it to a Collection, or ask the creator for the files |
Download all your own photos
Instagram's export gives you a copy of what you've shared.
- Open Instagram and go to your profile, then the menu (☰) and Settings.
- Open Accounts Center, then “Your information and permissions”.
- Choose “Export your information” (it may be called “Download your information”).
- Pick your Instagram account and choose to export to your device.
- Select the information you want, the date range, the format and the media quality.
- Confirm with your password and submit the request.
Menu names can differ slightly by app version.
Tips for a good export
- Choose high media quality if you want the best version of your photos. The file gets bigger.
- HTML is easiest to open and browse. JSON is for apps and developers.
- Instagram lets you know when the file is ready. You then have a few days (4, at the time of writing) to download it.
- The export is password-protected, so only you can request it.
Keep your photos automatically as you post
Instagram has a setting that saves a copy of every photo you post to your phone's gallery. Look for the option to save original photos (called original posts on some phones) in your archiving and downloading settings, and turn it on. From then on, nothing you post is only on Instagram.
Save other people's posts with Collections
Collections are private bookmarks inside Instagram. The post stays with its creator, and you can find it again any time.
- 1
Tap the bookmark icon under any post. It's saved to “All posts”.
- 2
To sort it, press and hold the bookmark, then pick or create a Collection.
- 3
Find your Collections later in your profile menu, under “Saved”.
If the creator deletes the post, it disappears from your Collection too.
Carousel posts: what to know
A carousel is one post with several photos or videos you swipe through. Searching for an Instagram carousel downloader usually means you want one specific slide.
- Your own carousel: the data export includes every photo and video in it.
- Someone else's carousel: saving it to a Collection keeps all slides together.
- Need one slide as a file? Ask the creator. Tell them which slide number you mean.
Want to look through every slide without the app? Paste the post link into our Instagram Posts Viewer and swipe inside Instagram's official embed.
Photos belong to their creators
- A public photo is not free to reuse. The creator keeps the copyright.
- Credit is not the same as permission.
- Re-posting without permission can get your own post removed.
- Using someone's photo for business always needs their OK.
Rights holders can reach us through our DMCA page.
How to ask a creator for a photo
Send a short, clear message. For example:
“Hi! I love your photo from [date]. Could you send me the file? I'd like to [keep it for myself / share it on my page with credit]. Is that OK with you?”
Say exactly how you'll use it, and respect a “no”.
Related guides
Saving videos instead? Read the Instagram Video Downloader guide. All content types: the Instagram Downloader guide. Only want to look? Use our Instagram Viewer.
Instagram photo downloader FAQ
Is there an official Instagram photo downloader?
For your own photos, yes: Instagram's export tool gives you a copy of everything you've posted. For other people's photos, Instagram offers Collections, which save posts inside the app.
Can I download all my Instagram photos at once?
Yes. Export your information from Accounts Center, choose your posts and a high media quality, and Instagram prepares a file with your photos.
Is there an Instagram carousel downloader?
For your own carousels, the export includes every photo. For someone else's carousel, save the post to a Collection or ask the creator to send you the photos.
Can I save someone else's photo to my phone?
Instagram doesn't offer a download option for other people's photos. Save the post to a Collection, or ask the creator for permission and the file.
Does saving a post to a Collection notify the creator?
No. Collections are private to you. The creator only sees a total count of saves in their insights, not who saved their post.
Can I use someone's photo if I credit them?
Credit alone isn't permission. Ask the creator first, especially before re-posting or using the photo for business.