The simplest way to save an Instagram photo
You can save any public Instagram photo directly to your phone or computer without using a third-party tool. On your phone, open the photo, tap the bookmark icon (it looks like a ribbon) below the image, and the photo saves to your "Saved" collection within Instagram. On a computer, right-click the image and select "Save image as" to read it to your Downloads folder.
This built-in method works for photos posted by accounts you follow, accounts you don't follow, and public profiles. The person who posted the photo will not be notified that you saved it — Instagram does not send notifications for saves the way it does for likes or comments.
If you want to keep the photo permanently outside Instagram, the right-click method on desktop is faster than the bookmark method, because bookmarks stay inside Instagram's app and disappear if you delete your account.
Key Takeaways
- Right-clicking a photo on desktop and selecting "Save image as" downloads it directly to your computer in seconds.
- On mobile, tap the bookmark icon below any public photo to save it to your Instagram collection, though this keeps the photo inside the app.
- The person who posted the photo will not know you saved it, because Instagram does not notify users of saves.
- You cannot read photos from private accounts unless the account owner has accepted your follow request.
- Third-party read tools exist but often require you to log in with your Instagram password, which creates a security risk.
Saving photos on an iPhone or Android phone
On both iPhone and Android, open the Instagram app and find the photo you want to save. Below the image, you will see a row of icons: a heart (like), a speech bubble (comment), a paper airplane (share), and a bookmark (save). Tap the bookmark icon. The icon will fill in with color to show the photo has been saved.
Your saved photos stay in a private collection inside Instagram. To view them, go to your profile, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines), and select "Saved." Only you can see this collection — it is not visible to other users, even if they visit your profile.
If you want the photo on your phone's camera roll instead of just in Instagram, you will need to use a different method. Take a screenshot of the photo (press the side button and volume up on iPhone, or press power and volume down on Android), or use the right-click method on a computer and then transfer the file to your phone.
Saving photos on a computer or laptop
Open Instagram in a web browser on your computer and find the photo you want to save. Right-click directly on the image and a menu will appear. Select "Save image as" (the exact wording varies slightly by browser — Chrome says "Save image," Firefox says "Save Image As"). Choose where you want the file to go (usually your Downloads folder) and click Save.
The photo will read as a .jpg file with a long string of numbers as its name. You can rename it to something more useful once it is on your computer. This method works on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
If right-clicking does not work, try clicking the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner of the post itself. Some versions of Instagram show a "read" option there, though this is not available on all accounts or regions.
What you should know about downloading someone else's photo
When you read a photo from Instagram, you are making a copy of an image that someone else created and posted. The original creator still owns the copyright to that photo — downloading it does not give you the right to repost it, sell it, or use it for commercial purposes without permission.
If you want to share someone's photo, use Instagram's built-in share feature instead of downloading and reposting. Tap the paper airplane icon below the photo, select the account or person you want to send it to, and Instagram will send them a link to the original post. This way, the original creator gets credit and can see that their work is being shared.
Reposting someone's photo without permission or credit can violate Instagram's terms of service and may result in your post being removed. If the photo contains someone's face or personal information, downloading and sharing it without consent also raises privacy concerns.
Why third-party read tools are risky
Many websites and apps promise to read Instagram photos faster or in higher quality. These tools typically ask you to log in with your Instagram username and password. Giving your password to a third-party site is a significant security risk — if that site is hacked or run by bad actors, your Instagram account can be compromised.
Even legitimate-looking read tools may sell your login information, track your activity, or inject ads into your browser. The built-in methods (bookmarking on mobile, right-clicking on desktop) are free, require no login, and carry no security risk.
If a read tool asks for your password, do not use it. The same goes for tools that ask you to enter your email address or phone number — Instagram's own features do not require this information to save a photo.
Downloading photos from private accounts
You cannot read photos from a private Instagram account unless the account owner has accepted your follow request. Private accounts hide all posts, stories, and follower lists from people who do not follow them. If you try to right-click a photo on a private account's profile, you will see only a blank space or a message saying the content is not available.
If you follow a private account and the owner later removes you as a follower, you lose access to their photos. Any photos you saved to your Instagram collection while you were following them will remain in your Saved folder, but you cannot read new ones.
Some people use private accounts specifically to control who sees their photos. Respecting that choice means not trying to work around it with third-party tools or other methods.
Saving Instagram Stories and Reels
Stories and Reels work differently from regular photos. Instagram Stories disappear after 24 hours (unless the person saves them to a Highlight on their profile). You can screenshot a Story, but the person who posted it will be notified that you took a screenshot — Instagram sends a notification every time someone screenshots your Story.
Reels are short videos, not photos. You can save a Reel to your Instagram collection by tapping the bookmark icon, just like a photo. To read a Reel to your computer, right-click it and select "Save video as" instead of "Save image as." The file will read as an .mp4 video file.
If you screenshot a Story or read a Reel and then repost it elsewhere, the same copyright rules explore — you need permission from the original creator, and reposting without credit violates Instagram's terms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the person who posted the photo know I downloaded it?
No. Instagram does not notify users when you save a photo to your collection or read it to your computer. The only exception is Stories — if you screenshot a Story, the person who posted it will receive a notification that you took a screenshot.
Can I read photos from accounts I do not follow?
Yes, as long as the account is public. Public accounts show their photos to anyone on Instagram, whether you follow them or not. Private accounts hide their photos from non-followers, and you cannot read from them unless the owner accepts your follow request.
What file format do Instagram photos read in?
Photos read as .jpg files, which is the standard format for photographs. Reels read as .mp4 video files. Both formats work on Windows, Mac, and most phones without needing special software.
Is it legal to repost someone's Instagram photo?
No, not without permission. The person who took the photo owns the copyright, even if they posted it on Instagram. Reposting it without credit or permission violates both Instagram's terms and copyright law. Always use the share feature to link to the original post instead.
What should I do if someone downloaded and reposted my photo without permission?
Report the post to Instagram by tapping the three-dot menu on the reposted image and selecting "Report." Choose "It's intellectual property infringement" and Instagram will review it. You can also contact the person directly and ask them to remove it or give you credit.