How to Save Videos From Instagram DMs

Which DM videos can you save?

Instagram has several kinds of video in chats, and each has different rules. Work out which one you're dealing with first.

How to save a regular video someone sent you

Regular videos (ones picked from the sender's library and not set to disappear) stay in the conversation until someone deletes them, so the simplest option is to leave them there.

On iPhone and Android

1. Tap Messages at the bottom of the screen and open the chat.
2. Tap the video to open it full screen.
3. Press and hold the video and look for a Save option. If it appears, tap it to save the file to your phone's photo library.

On a computer

In instagram.com chats, you can hover over a message, click Options and Forward it, but Instagram doesn't document a download button for chat videos on the web. The data export is the reliable desktop route.

How to save a reel someone shared with you

A reel sent in a chat is a link to the original post, not a copy. If a friend sends you a clip from a comedy account or a meme page, open the reel and use its share options. Downloading is only available if the reel comes from a public account and the creator hasn't turned downloads off. Downloaded reels carry an Instagram watermark and the creator's username, and Instagram says they can't be used commercially. You can always tap Save to bookmark it privately, as covered in our guide to saving Instagram photos and posts.

How to save a video you sent

• From your library: the original file is still in your phone's gallery.
• Recorded in the Instagram chat camera: Instagram's help pages don't describe a way to save these before sending, so record with your phone's own camera app first if you want a copy.
• Disappearing messages: Instagram says you can only forward or save disappearing messages you sent yourself. Press and hold your message to see the options.

Once you send a disappearing photo or video, Instagram says you can't view it again yourself.

Why disappearing videos can't be saved

Disappearing media is designed for one-time viewing. When sending, the sender chooses:

• View Once: the recipient can open it one time.
• Allow Replay: the video loops and can be opened and replayed one more time before it disappears.
• Keep in Chat: a preview image stays visible in the thread, not the video itself.

To replay, tap Photo or Video in the chat right after viewing. This only works if the sender chose Allow Replay, and the sender can tell you replayed it.

Do screenshots and screen recordings notify the sender?

Here's what Instagram's help pages say for each case:

Instagram's wording varies between pages and devices, and detection isn't guaranteed either way. Assume the sender may find out if you capture disappearing content, and remember that nothing stops someone photographing a screen with another phone. That's why Instagram advises using these features only with people you trust.

How to download all your chat videos at once

Your Instagram data export includes messages and the media in them.

1. Go to your profile, tap Menu, then tap Meta Account or Accounts Center.
2. Tap Your information and permissions, then Export your information.
3. Tap Create export, choose your Instagram profile and tap Next.
4. Select Export to device, then choose messages as the information type.
5. Set the date range, format and media quality, then tap Start export.

Instagram says exports can take up to 30 days and must be downloaded within 4 days of being ready. The file won't include messages you unsent, and deleted messages can't be restored. The same export can also back up your Stories; see downloading your Instagram Stories.

Respect the sender's privacy

A video sent to you privately isn't yours to share publicly. Before saving or forwarding someone's clip, ask yourself whether they'd expect it to leave the chat. Never save or share intimate images without consent; doing so can be illegal and violates Instagram's Community Guidelines.

If someone is pressuring you to send videos or threatening to share yours, you can report the message (reports on disappearing messages can include content for up to 14 days after it disappears, according to Instagram) and block the account.

Troubleshooting

• The video won't play. Update the app and check your connection; large videos may take time to load.
• The video disappeared. It was probably sent as disappearing media or in vanish mode, or the sender unsent it.
• No Save option. See the note above; use the data export instead.
• Export doesn't include a video. Unsent messages aren't included, and disappearing content is designed not to be kept, so don't expect to find it there.