How to Save Instagram Stories

Instagram Stories disappear after 24 hours, so if there's one you want to keep — your own or someone else's public post — you need to save it before it's gone. Here's how to do that quickly.

Why Stories are easy to miss

Unlike a regular post, a Story doesn't stay on the profile grid. Once the 24-hour window closes, it's gone unless the poster added it to their Highlights. That makes timing the main thing to get right.

Step 1: Open the Story

Tap the profile's circle avatar to open their current Story. Note the username shown at the top — you'll need it in the next step.

Step 2: Copy the Story link

While viewing the Story, tap the three-dot menu (⋯) at the bottom right and select "Copy link." The link will look like: instagram.com/stories/username/12345678901/

Step 3: Paste it into the Story Downloader

Head to our Story Downloader and paste the link. The Story will be fetched and a download button will appear.

Step 4: Download and save

Click download on the Story you want. It saves to your camera roll or downloads folder in its original quality, with no watermark.

Can I view Stories anonymously?

Yes — using a downloader tool to pull a public account's Story doesn't register a view the way opening it in the Instagram app would. Only public accounts' Stories can be accessed this way.

What about Highlights?

If a Story has been added to the account's Highlights, it won't expire, so there's no rush — you can save it any time using the same steps above.

A note on using saved Stories

Saving a Story for personal viewing is one thing; reposting someone else's Story elsewhere is a separate question. See our guide on whether it's legal to download Instagram videos for more on that distinction.

Still have questions about how the tool works? Check the FAQ page for quick answers.