Instagram New Feature Update: Download Public Reels and Take Control of Your Content

Instagram has made a significant update by allowing its users to download public Reels. This new feature enables users to share Reels posted by others outside of the app. It’s worth noting that TikTok, a competing short video app, has offered this functionality for quite some time now, and it has gained popularity as users enjoy watching short videos with the TikTok watermark even when they are not on the platform.

Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, shared the exciting news during a recent Instagram broadcast In an exciting update, he made it known that individuals residing in the United States can now effortlessly save Reels directly to their camera roll.

To download a Reel, users simply need to tap on the share icon and select the Download option from the menu.

Mosseri mentioned that only Reels from public accounts will be eligible for download. Moreover, individuals with public accounts possess the choice to deactivate the feature of downloading Reels, provided that they opt for such a setting. While Mosseri did not specifically mention whether downloaded Reels would have a watermark, a picture he posted suggests that the downloaded videos will display the Instagram logo along with the account name. TikTok uses a similar approach by adding a watermark to downloaded videos. Instagram has consistently provided its users with the capability to download their personal Reels from their drafts, sans any watermarks.

In 2021, Instagram made the decision to stop promoting content with a TikTok watermark, or any watermark for that matter, on videos. In August of the previous year, YouTube took a step further by introducing a distinctive watermark in the form of their logo onto downloaded Shorts. This particular feature was incorporated into their own short video creation, aiming to discourage the widespread sharing of content across various platforms.

With Instagram now enabling users to download Reels, it could be seen as a strategic move to attract more viewers to engage with content on their platform.

Reels has become a focal point for driving growth and revenue for Meta in recent quarters. During Meta’s Q1 2023 earnings call, Mark Zuckerberg unveiled that the utilization of AI-driven Reels recommendations on Instagram has led to a notable 24% surge in the amount of time users spend on the platform.This indicates the significance of Reels in the platform’s overall strategy.