Instagram has rolled out an in-app feature to download Reels on the platform which is available only for smartphones.
Reels are an important feature for the company since it competes with TikTok and similar short-format video services.
Up till now, users had to use a third-party app or hidden tricks to download Reels from the platform.
YouTube rivalry
Last August, YouTube started including a logo-based watermark on downloaded Shorts to discourage cross-platform sharing.
So this move by Instagram could be a tactic to attract people to watch more content on the platform.
How it looks
The platform has added a download button in the share menu, and the downloaded reel will be saved to your smartphone’s camera roll.
If these options aren’t showing up users will need to update the app.
Only for US users
Adam Mosseri, the head of the company made the announcement saying that users in the United States will be able to download Reels on their devices.
Mosseri did not specify when the download reels feature would be available to Instagram users outside the U.S.
India alone accounts for 229 million users.
But despite the popularity, users in India will still not be able to use this feature yet.
Only from public accounts
Only Reels posted by public accounts will be eligible for download.
Public account holders will have the ability to decide if they want to turn on the download option.
Official statement
“In the US, we’re rolling out the ability to download reels shared by public accounts to your camera roll.
Just tap the Share icon on a reel you love and select Download.
Worth mentioning, Reels shared by private accounts can’t be downloaded and public accounts can turn off the ability for people to download their reels in Account Settings,” he said.
How to download Instagram Reels
First of all, make sure that it is posted by a public account.
Open the Reel you want to download.
Tap on the share icon on right edge.
Tap on “Download”.
