What gets lost on Instagram

A Reel you liked is gone from your feed after one scroll. Stories delete themselves 24 hours after posting. Carousels let you swipe through the slides but give you nothing to save at full quality, and a screenshot comes out cropped and soft. This extension is for keeping the originals instead.

It places a download button right on each Instagram post, Reel and Story. One click saves the media file at its original quality to your computer. Carousels are separated into their individual photos and videos, so every slide becomes its own file. Stories and Highlights can be captured before the 24-hour window closes, and profile pictures come down at their real resolution rather than the small round crop you normally see.

Saving a whole profile

When you want everything, batch mode queues an entire profile. The extension works down through the posts, saves each media item, and files the results in folders named after the username. A download history means later sessions skip anything you already have. It all runs locally in the browser, with no data collection and no cloud processing.

Feature list

• A download control built into Instagram's own pages, next to each post, Reel and Story
• Each carousel slide extracted as a separate image or video
• Reels saved as full-quality MP4, pulled directly from Instagram's media servers
• IGTV uploads and other long-form videos
• Stories and Highlights captured before they auto-delete, plus whole Highlight collections in batch
• Profile pictures at their actual resolution instead of the tiny circle
• Post details kept alongside the media: caption, hashtags, timestamps and engagement data
• Batch mode that queues all content on a profile page automatically
• Duplicate tracking so nothing is downloaded twice
• Username-based folders for automatic organization

From install to archive

• Prepare: add the extension to your browser and activate it, then log into Instagram as usual so it can work through your signed-in session.
• Browse: open a post, Story, Reel or profile. Buttons show up automatically wherever there's supported content.
• Download: click the button on a single post, or turn on batch mode on a profile to queue all available media in sequence.
• Sort: files arrive in your downloads folder grouped by username, and duplicate detection keeps repeat sessions clean.

Compatibility and coverage

Runs on Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Brave and Opera, on Windows, macOS and Linux. Safari and mobile browsers aren't supported. Region: Worldwide.

Not covered: private accounts you aren't approved to follow, Instagram Live while it's broadcasting, direct messages, and disappearing media sent in DMs.

Things to keep in mind

• Quality matches whatever resolution the creator originally uploaded.
• Batch mode relies on Instagram loading more content as the profile page scrolls.
• Nothing can be viewed or saved without an active Instagram login in that same browser.
• Live broadcasts can't be recorded in real time; at most, a posted replay may be saveable.
• Private profiles work only if you're already an approved follower.

Permissions explained

• downloads: saves images, videos and Stories to your device and runs the batch queue when exporting a profile.
• activeTab: spots Instagram posts, Stories and Reels on the current tab so download controls appear where they belong.
• storage: holds your settings, the download history and the duplicate-tracking records in the browser's local storage, so they survive between sessions.
• notifications: tells you when a batch profile download completes or a single download runs into trouble.
• scripting: inspects page data and the responses from Instagram's internal API to find media source addresses and the related metadata.
• host_permissions: restricts access to instagram.com plus the CDN domains Instagram serves media from, for detecting and fetching files.

FAQ

Is it possible to keep a Story after it would normally vanish?

Yes, as long as you save it within the 24-hour window. Both photo and video Stories can be captured, and Highlights that creators pinned to their profile are available too.

Are Instagram Reels supported?

Yes. The extension finds the Reel's video source and saves it as an MP4 at the highest resolution available, which is the original quality.

What happens with posts that contain several photos?

Each photo and video in the carousel is detected separately. You can save them one by one or as a group, and every slide ends up as its own file.

Will I get the profile photo in full size?

Yes. Instead of the small cropped thumbnail Instagram displays, you get the original upload, which is far larger and sharper.

What about private accounts I'm approved to follow?

Those work, because the extension uses your own Instagram session. Accounts you can't already see stay off limits; privacy settings aren't overridden.

Is there a way to save everything from one profile?

Yes, batch mode queues every post on the profile page. Files are stored in folders by username, so archives of different accounts stay separate.

How are repeat downloads avoided?

The extension remembers which items you've saved and skips them automatically during batch runs, keeping the archive tidy and saving bandwidth.

Does any post information come along with the media?

You can keep the caption, hashtags, timestamps and the author's details next to the downloaded files, so you always know where each item came from.

Will it run in my browser?

It will if you use Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Brave or Opera on Windows, macOS or Linux. Safari and mobile browsers aren't supported for now.

Is this legal?

DISCLAIMER: We are not attorneys and do not offer legal advice. Laws vary by country and platform. For any legal question please consult a qualified legal professional.

We give you full control over download speeds because we believe users should decide how they use their software.

That said, here are a few widely accepted best practices for safe, responsible downloading:

• Only download content you created, own, or have explicit permission from the rights holder to access.

• Protect your personal data by respecting platform rules and rate limits with reasonable download speeds to avoid automated abuse systems putting your account at risk.

• Protect your privacy by using a reputable VPN for IP protection before initiating downloads — this is the VPN we recommend & use.