Instagram Story Saver: Download Stories & Highlights
Paste a public username and save any story in one tap.
Works with public accounts only. Story Saver isn't affiliated with Instagram.
Instagram Story Saver is a free tool that downloads stories and highlights from public Instagram accounts. Instagram stories disappear after 24 hours, and Instagram doesn’t give you a button to save other people’s stories. This Instagram story downloader lets you keep a copy of stories from public accounts, so you can watch them offline or save something you were featured in before it’s gone.
How to download Instagram stories with Story Saver
- Copy the username. Open the public Instagram profile and copy its username (for example nasa) or the full profile link.
- Paste it into Story Saver. Paste the username or link into the box above and tap Get Stories. For stories the owner saved, open the Highlights tab.
- Download the story. The account’s current stories appear in a few seconds. Tap a story to watch it full screen, or tap Download to save the photo or video to your device.
Download Instagram stories on iPhone, Android or PC
iPhone and iPad
Open Story Saver in Safari, fetch the stories and tap download. Safari saves the file to the Downloads folder in the Files app. Open it there and tap Share → Save Image or Save Video to move it to your Photos.
Android
Use Chrome or any browser. Downloaded stories go to your Downloads folder and usually show up in your Gallery or Google Photos straight away.
Windows and Mac
Open Story Saver in any browser, fetch the stories and click download. The file is saved to your computer’s Downloads folder in its original format.
What you can download
- Public accounts only. If an account is private, its stories can only be seen by approved followers, so no downloader can fetch them.
- Stories from the last 24 hours. Once a story expires, it’s no longer public, so it can’t be fetched.
- Photos and videos. Both photo and video stories can be saved to your device.
- Highlights. Stories the owner saved to a highlight stay public, so you can view and download them any time from the Highlights tab.
How to save your own Instagram stories
You don’t need a downloader for your own stories. Instagram has built-in options:
- Save a story you’ve posted: open your story, tap More (⋯) and choose Save.
- Find old stories: go to your profile, open the menu and tap Archive. Your expired stories are kept there if story archiving is turned on.
- Save stories automatically: in Settings, open Archiving and downloading and turn on saving stories to your camera roll.
- Get every story at once: request your data through Instagram’s Export your information option in Accounts Center. Instagram emails you a file with all your stories.
Tips if a download doesn’t work
- Check the username. Copy it from Instagram instead of typing it, so dots and underscores are correct.
- Make sure the account is public. Private accounts show no stories.
- Check that there’s an active story. If the profile picture on Instagram has no coloured ring, there’s no story to download right now.
- Try again in a minute. Instagram sometimes limits requests for a short time.
- Use the latest browser. Update Safari or Chrome if the download button doesn’t respond.
Is it okay to download Instagram stories?
Saving public stories to watch later for yourself is common. The photos and videos still belong to the person who posted them, though. Don’t repost, edit or use someone’s story commercially without their permission, and follow Instagram’s Terms of Use. If you want to share a story, the safest option is to ask the creator or share it inside Instagram.
Why use Instagram Story Saver?
- No login needed. You never enter your Instagram username or password.
- Free. No sign-up, no subscription and no watermark on your downloads.
- Works anywhere. iPhone, Android, Windows and Mac, right in your browser with nothing to install.
- Fast. Paste a username and see the current stories in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
Is this Instagram story downloader free?
Yes. Story Saver is free to use, with no sign-up, no subscription and no watermark.
Do I need an Instagram account to download stories?
No. You don’t need to log in or even have an Instagram account. Just enter the username of a public account.
Can I download stories from a private account?
No. Stories on private accounts can only be seen by approved followers, so Story Saver only works with public accounts.
Can I download Instagram highlights?
Yes. Enter the username, open the Highlights tab and tap a highlight. You’ll see every story saved in it, and each one has its own Download button. This works for public accounts only.
Why can’t I see any stories for an account?
Usually the account is private, it hasn’t posted a story in the last 24 hours, or the username has a typo. Check the profile on Instagram and try again.
Where are downloaded stories saved on my iPhone?
Safari saves them in the Downloads folder of the Files app. Open the file and tap Share, then Save Image or Save Video, to add it to your Photos.
Can I download Instagram stories on my computer?
Yes. Story Saver works in any browser on Windows and Mac, and downloads go to your Downloads folder.
Can I download old or expired stories?
Not from other accounts. Stories stop being public after 24 hours unless the owner adds them to a highlight. Highlights you can open and save from the Highlights tab. For your own old stories, use your Instagram Archive or download your data from Accounts Center.
Will the person know I downloaded their story?
Instagram doesn’t send a notification when someone saves a story. You also don’t sign in with your own account to use Story Saver. Instagram can change how it reports views at any time, though, so please respect people’s privacy.
Is Story Saver connected to Instagram?
No. Story Saver is an independent website and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Instagram or Meta.
Only want to watch, not save? Our Instagram story viewer plays stories and highlights full screen without logging in.
Posting your own content too? The Instagram carousel splitter turns one wide photo into seamless swipeable slides, and the Instagram font generator gives your captions bold and fancy text. You’ll find every tool on our homepage.