Instagram Reels Downloader

Instagram Reels Downloader - MP4 files of any public reel, in bulk

The Instagram Reels Downloader saves public Instagram reels as MP4 files in your Apify storage and returns a download link for each one, with plays, likes, caption and duration.

Use it as an Instagram reel downloader for single links, or download Instagram reels of whole profiles: give it usernames and it takes each profile's newest reels, page after page. Measured: 13 nasa reels in 18 seconds, and 2 reels downloaded and stored in 23 seconds, without an Instagram login.

The Instagram Reels Downloader can also store each reel's audio track and cover image, so one run gives you the video, the sound and the thumbnail.

Why choose this Instagram Reels Downloader

• Whole profiles, not one link at a time. maxPerProfile 13 on nasa returned 13 reels in 18 seconds by following the Reels tab page after page.
• A stored copy, not a link that dies in days. Instagram's own reel links are signed and expire fast (a link read on 2026-10-03 carried an expiry of 2026-10-07). The Instagram Reels Downloader stores the MP4 in your Apify storage and gives a fileUrl that outlives that link.
• Measured file size and resolution. A 38.6-second reel is a 12.1 MB MP4, downloaded in 11 seconds; a mrbeast reel measured 1080 x 1920 pixels.
• Pinned reels and dates under control. skipPinnedPosts leaves out reels pinned to the top of the Reels tab, and a date window picks a period: 2 mrbeast reels, links only, in 9 seconds.
• No login, no cookies. Every token and query id is read from Instagram's public pages on each run, and the Apify platform test run succeeded with 2 reels in 55 seconds.

What you get: one row per reel

Each dataset row of the Instagram Reels Downloader is one reel file with its data.

Field	Meaning
url	Public link of the reel
shortCode	Instagram short code
id	Instagram media id
ownerUsername	Account that posted it
caption	Caption text
timestamp	Publication time (UTC, ISO 8601)
likesCount	Likes count
commentsCount	Comments count
videoPlayCount	Plays of the reel
videoDurationSec	Reel length in seconds
mediaType	Always video
productType	clips for reels
isPinned	Pinned to the top of the Reels tab (Instagram's own flag)
itemIndex / itemCount	Position of the video in the post / number of items in it
width / height	Frame size in pixels, as Instagram reports it
fileUrl	Download link of the stored MP4 (Apify key-value store)
fileKey	Name of the stored file
sizeBytes	Stored file size in bytes
status	stored, linkOnly (files switched off) or failed
downloadError	Why a file was not stored, for example a size above maxFileSizeMb
cdnUrl	Instagram's signed MP4 link
cdnUrlExpiresAt	When that signed link expires
coverUrl	Instagram's link to the reel cover
audioUrl	Instagram's link to the audio-only track
inputUrl	The username or link you entered
scrapedAt	When this row was read

With downloadCover or downloadAudio on, rows also carry coverFileUrl, audioFileUrl and audioSizeBytes. Export the dataset as JSON, CSV, Excel, XML or HTML, or read it through the Apify API.

Use cases

Download Instagram reels of any public profile, in bulk

Agencies and archivists download Instagram reels by the profile. Put the usernames in usernames, set maxPerProfile, and the Instagram Reels Downloader reads each Reels tab until the limit: 13 nasa reels took 18 seconds.

This is the way to download all reels from Instagram profile pages, the newest first, and to download all reels from Instagram account after account in one run. The Instagram Reels Downloader handles many accounts per run, and a failing account never stops the others.

An Instagram reel downloader for single links

For one clip, paste the reel link into startUrls. The Instagram Reels Downloader works as a plain Instagram reel downloader: one URL in, one MP4 and its link out, plus the plays and likes of the reel.

Mix links and usernames in the same Instagram Reels Downloader run if you need both; the Instagram reels downloader by profile and the single-link mode share one dataset.

Reels downloader for agencies: save Instagram reels by username

A reels downloader that runs on a schedule keeps a client's reels archived without anyone opening Instagram. Save Instagram reels into Apify storage, then send the links to Google Sheets, Make, Zapier or n8n with an integration or a webhook.

Each row of the Instagram Reels Downloader keeps the caption and the play count, so the archive is searchable later. Instagram reels downloader batch runs on a schedule are the usual setup for agencies.

IG reels downloader with a date window

The IG reels downloader settings onlyPostsNewerThan and onlyPostsOlderThan pick a period ("7 days", "1 month" or a date), and skipPinnedPosts drops the old reels creators pin to the top.

In the test, the Instagram Reels Downloader skipped mrbeast's pinned reels and returned the 2 newest in 9 seconds.

Instagram reels to MP4 files in your own storage

Instagram reels to MP4 is the core job: the Instagram Reels Downloader stores the one MP4 Instagram publishes for each reel, unchanged, with width, height and sizeBytes in the row.

A 38.6-second reel was 12.1 MB. Instagram reel to MP4 for one link works the same way, and the stored file outlives Instagram's own link for as long as your plan's data retention keeps it. That makes the Instagram Reels Downloader an Instagram reels video downloader you can audit: size and frame are in every row.

Instagram reels audio downloader: the sound track as .m4a

Turn on downloadAudio and the Instagram Reels Downloader becomes an Instagram reels audio downloader. It stores the separate audio-only track Instagram publishes as an .m4a file, next to the MP4.

For the 38.6-second test reel that track was 326,100 bytes. Use it for transcription, sound research or captions; the format is .m4a (AAC). As an Instagram reel audio downloader for one link, the Instagram Reels Downloader needs only that link and the switch.

Instagram reels thumbnail downloader: every reel cover

Turn on downloadCover and the Instagram Reels Downloader works as an Instagram reels thumbnail downloader: each reel's cover image is stored as a .jpg and linked in coverFileUrl.

Use the covers for a content calendar, a moodboard or a report; coverUrl holds Instagram's own link too. For a single post it is an Instagram reel thumbnail downloader: paste the link and the Instagram Reels Downloader stores that one cover.

Instagram reels saver for research

Researchers use the Instagram Reels Downloader as an Instagram reels saver: a dated copy of every public reel they cite, with the numbers it had on the day.

People who rip Instagram reel files for analysis get the plays, likes, comments and caption in the same row as the MP4. Whether they type reels downloader, downloader Instagram reels or IG reels downloader, the Instagram Reels Downloader does the same job.

How to use the Instagram Reels Downloader

1. Open the Instagram Reels Downloader in Apify Console.
2. Add usernames with maxPerProfile, or reel links in startUrls.
3. Switch on downloadAudio or downloadCover if you need the sound or the thumbnail.
4. Keep the default RESIDENTIAL proxy, start the run and open the dataset when it says Done.

That is how to download Instagram reels for offline viewing: the stored MP4 plays anywhere, with no app and no Instagram account.

Input fields

Field	Type	Default	What it does
usernames	array	["nasa"]	One per line: a username (nasa), an @handle (@nasa) or a profile URL (https://www.instagram.com/nasa/).
startUrls	array	[]	Single reel links.
maxPerProfile	integer	5	How many of each profile's newest reels to download.
maxFileSizeMb	integer	300	Larger files are skipped and reported.
downloadFiles	boolean	true	Off: return the signed Instagram links only (faster, no storage).
downloadAudio	boolean	false	Stores the separate audio-only track Instagram publishes (.m4a).
downloadCover	boolean	false	Stores the reel's cover image (.jpg).
onlyPostsNewerThan	string	-	Leave out reels published before this date: 2026-09-01, an ISO time or relative ("7 days", "2 weeks", "1 month"). UTC.
onlyPostsOlderThan	string	-	Leave out reels published after this date (same formats). Combine with "newer than" for a date range.
skipPinnedPosts	boolean	false	Leave out reels pinned to the top of the Reels tab.
maxItems	integer	0	Stops the whole run after this many dataset rows. 0 means only the per-target limits apply.
proxyConfiguration	object	RESIDENTIAL	Instagram limits logged-out visitors per IP address; the Actor switches to a fresh IP when one is blocked.

The Instagram reels downloader with username input is the bulk mode; reel links are the single mode. Example input:

{
  "usernames": ["nasa", "natgeo"],
  "maxPerProfile": 13,
  "skipPinnedPosts": true,
  "downloadAudio": true
}

Run it through the Apify API

Every Apify Actor is a REST API, so the Instagram Reels Downloader can be your Instagram reels API for downloads: start a run with a POST request and read the dataset when it finishes. It is not Instagram's or Meta's official API; it reads the public pages any visitor sees.

The same call pattern works for every Instagram downloader API task in this family. A Python example that starts the Instagram Reels Downloader with the Apify client:

from apify_client import ApifyClient

client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN>")
run = client.actor("neuro-scraper/instagram-reels-downloader").call(
    run_input={"usernames": ["nasa"], "maxPerProfile": 13})
for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items():
    print(item["fileUrl"], item["videoPlayCount"])

Instagram Reels Downloader pricing, speed and limits

The Instagram Reels Downloader uses pay-per-event pricing: one result event per dataset row (one reel file). The price is $2.99 per 1,000 results on the Apify Free plan, $2.89 on Bronze, $2.69 on Silver and $2.49 on Gold and above, plus the platform usage of your run.

On the Apify Free plan a run is capped at 30 rows. Those rows are charged like any other; a paid plan removes the cap. Set a maximum cost per run and the Instagram Reels Downloader stops cleanly when it is reached.

Speed measured in the Instagram Reels Downloader tests (home connection, no proxy, 2026-10-03):

Test	Rows	Time
prefill input (regression)	10	61 s
2 reels of a profile (stored)	2	23 s
NEW skip pinned reels, links only	2	9 s
pagination check: maxPerProfile 13 (links only)	13	18 s

Limits, stated plainly:

• Public reels only. Private accounts, stories and highlights need a login, and the Instagram Reels Downloader never logs in.
• One MP4 per reel: Instagram's other qualities are video-only streams without sound, so the Instagram Reels Downloader offers no quality choice. Sizes vary by upload.
• Signed links (cdnUrl, coverUrl, audioUrl) expire within days. Stored files follow your Apify data retention (Free plan: the 10 most recent runs for 4 months); a named storage keeps them indefinitely.
• To download all Instagram reels, bulk or not, the limit is per profile (maxPerProfile) plus the run-wide maxItems.
• Respect copyright: the Instagram Reels Downloader makes a copy, not a license; download only reels you may reuse.

Frequently asked questions

How do I download Instagram reels?

Add the reel links or the usernames to the Instagram Reels Downloader and start the run. Every reel is stored as an MP4, and its fileUrl opens or downloads it.

Can I download all reels from an Instagram profile at once?

The newest ones, up to maxPerProfile, in one run. The Instagram Reels Downloader follows the Reels tab page after page; 13 nasa reels took 18 seconds.

Can you download Instagram reels for offline viewing?

Yes. The Instagram Reels Downloader stores a normal MP4 file, so the reel plays offline on any device once you download it from the fileUrl.

Can I download only the audio of a reel?

Not on its own. With downloadAudio on, the Instagram Reels Downloader stores the .m4a audio track next to the MP4 of the same reel, in the same row.

Do downloaded reels have a watermark?

The Instagram Reels Downloader stores the file exactly as Instagram serves it and adds nothing. Whether those files carry a watermark has not been measured yet, so no claim is made here.

Can I convert Instagram reels to MP4 or MP3?

MP4, yes: every stored reel is an MP4. MP3, no: the audio track the Instagram Reels Downloader stores is .m4a; convert it with any audio tool if you need another format.

Can I download reels from a private account?

No. Private accounts show their reels only to approved followers, and the Instagram Reels Downloader reads public content only. Nothing in the input of the Instagram Reels Downloader changes that.

Can I download the cover image of a reel?

Yes. Turn on downloadCover and the Instagram Reels Downloader stores each cover as a .jpg, linked in coverFileUrl.

Is the Instagram Reels Downloader free?

No, it is pay per result: $2.99 per 1,000 reels on the Apify Free plan, less on paid plans. Free-plan runs are capped at 30 rows, and every row is charged.

How long do the reel links work?

Instagram's signed links expire within days; each row shows the exact time in cdnUrlExpiresAt. The stored MP4 behind fileUrl follows your plan's data retention (Free plan: the 10 most recent runs are kept for 4 months); name the key-value store to keep it indefinitely.

Related Instagram Actors

Actor	Link
Instagram Hashtag Scraper	neuro-scraper/instagram-reeel-scraper
Instagram Reels Scraper	neuro-scraper/instagram-reels-scraper
Instagram Posts Scraper	neuro-scraper/instagram-posts-scraper
Instagram Trends Scraper	neuro-scraper/instagram-reels-scraper-and-downloader
Instagram Location Scraper	neuro-scraper/instagram-reels-scraper-and-downloader-advanced
Instagram Comments Scraper	neuro-scraper/instagram-reels-scraper-and-downloader-premium
Instagram Profile Scraper	neuro-scraper/instagram-reels-scraper-downloader-pro
Instagram Video Downloader	neuro-scraper/instagram-video-downloader
Instagram Scraper	neuro-scraper/instagram-video-scraper
Instagram Search Scraper	neuro-scraper/instagram-video-scraper-advanced
Instagram Image Downloader	neuro-scraper/instagram-video-scraper-and-downloader
Instagram Keyword Scraper	neuro-scraper/instagram-video-scraper-and-downloader-fastest

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