Why I Can't Download an Instagram Video and How to Fix It

If a Reel or Instagram video won't download, it's almost always one of these causes: the account is private, the content was deleted, the Story has already expired (Stories last 24 hours), you copied the wrong link, or Instagram is temporarily limiting access. Most have a fix in seconds. Here are all the causes, each with its solution.

This guide is specific to Instagram. For problems that can happen on any platform (the file won't play, slow download), check the general guide on why I can't download a video.

1. The account is private

This is the number-one cause. If the profile is set to private, its Reels, videos, and Stories are only visible to its approved followers, and no tool can download them because they require your logged-in session and the author's permission. We explain this in detail in downloading videos from private Instagram accounts.

Solution: you can only download Reels and videos from public accounts. If the account is public but it still fails, move on to the points below.

2. The content was deleted or is unavailable

If the author deleted the Reel, archived the post, or deleted/suspended their account, the video no longer exists and can't be recovered. You'll notice because opening the link in Instagram shows "This page isn't available" or "Couldn't load".

Solution: open the link in the app or browser. If Instagram itself won't show the content, no downloader will be able to get it.

3. The Story has already expired (Stories last 24 hours)

Instagram Stories automatically disappear after 24 hours. You can only download a Story while it's active and the account is public. If you try to save a Story that has already expired, there's nothing to download: Instagram has removed it.

• Solution: download Stories while they're still visible. If it's yours, you can also recover it from your personal archive in the app.
• Highlights: these are Stories the author chose to keep; if the account is public and they're visible, they're treated as active content.

4. You copied the wrong link

PullVid needs the link to the specific post, not the link to the author's profile. In the Instagram app, open the Reel or video, tap the three dots (⋯), and choose Copy link.

• If you copied the profile link instead of the post link, you'll get an error. Open the specific Reel first.
• Check that the link is complete. More detail in how to copy an Instagram link.

5. Instagram is temporarily limiting access

Instagram applies limits to curb automated access, and sometimes a public video takes a while to process or fails intermittently even though everything is fine. It's not a permanent failure.

• Wait a minute and paste the link again.
• Check that the content is visible on Instagram from your connection before trying to download it.
• Try a different connection (mobile data instead of Wi-Fi, or the other way around).

If the problem isn't the download but that the already-downloaded file won't open, that's covered in a downloaded video that won't play. And if you only wanted the Reel's sound, check how to download the music from a Reel.