Best Ways to Download Instagram Photos Without Ads
Okay, in view of that here's the event weve all been there. Scrolling through Instagram at 1 AM, half-asleep, and BAM that one absolute photo. Could be a astonishing sunset, a quote you actually like, or your friends trip pic that just hits right. And of course, you want to keep it. But ugh, you attempt a site or an app and... ads. Pop-ups. subjective redirects. Some of them even begin auto-playing music? Like, why.
So yeah, lets fix that. Ive been breakdown ways (read: obsessively Googling at 2 AM) to download Instagram photos without drowning in ads or malware threats. Here's what I found. Some of its weird, some genius, a few probably a little illegal just kidding (sort of). Either way, it works. Buckle up.
The "Inspect Element" Trick No Tools, No Ads
This one's my OG method. Super nerdy but weirdly satisfying.
Open Instagram on desktop (not the app, not your phone).
Go to the pronounce you want.
Right-click and choose Inspect or hit Ctrl+Shift+I (Windows) / Cmd+Option+I (Mac).
Dig roughly speaking the tag that looks like it has the full-resolution pic.
Copy the URL. paste it in a new tab.
Right-click > Save image as
Done.
No ads. No untrustworthy sites. Just code and glory. Feels kinda taking into consideration hacking. But without, yknow, the hacking.
Use DustySave A dull Tool Nobodys Talking not quite (Yet)
Okay so, this one... barely anyone knows. Not even well-liked yet. It's called DustySave (totally not sponsored, I swear).
Weird name, but here's the kicker its ad-free because its technically not public. Some dev on Reddit mentioned it months ago. The interface is taking into consideration 90s-level ugly but zero ads, clean download, and works upon Stories too.
Go to: dustysave.me (if its still up). paste the URL of the post, click download, done. If the sites next to (it was once), just keep checking.
This is bearing in mind my backup plot later than anything else feels gross.
Use Telegram Bots Yeah, Really
Never thought Id tell this, but Telegram might be the MVP here.
There are bots subsequently @InstaSave_Bot (or one of the 18 clones of it) thatll fetch the photo for you. No ads, no waiting for a million redirects.
Heres how I use it:
Open Telegram.
Search for one of these bots.
Paste the Instagram link.
Boom it replies subsequent to the image.
Pro tip: make a Telegram scrap book for media saves. Keeps all tidy.
Little caution though: some bots randomly die or end working. It's with feeding a stray cat works until it doesn't.
Screenshots But Upgraded
Yeah, yeah, I know. Just screenshot it. But what if you desire quality?
Heres the move: screenshot it, later upscale using LetsEnhance.io or Remini. Sounds extra, but trust me, works in imitation of magic. I with grabbed a blurry version proclaim and turned it into printable commercial air (dont question why).
Is this overkill? Maybe. But its fun.
Developer Mode on Android If You in the same way as Tinkering
Warning: this ones nerd-level.
On Android, you can go deep. Like, deep deep.
Enable developer mode.
Use an app past InsTake Cache Viewer (Google it).
Browse Instagram, and the app will sniff the photo cache.
You can subsequently keep anything, even stuff you viewed hours ago.
Kinda creepy? A bit. But effective. Just dont use it to snoop.
Use Shortcuts upon iPhone If Youre That kind of Person
Apple fans, youre not left out. The Shortcuts app (yep, the one preinstalled) can accomplish this.
You gotta install a custom Shortcut search for Instagram Media Downloader iOS Shortcut.
Itll feign stirring in your allocation sheet. Tap it after copying the Insta URL, and boom: media downloaded into Photos.
Annoying part? iOS might question for permission afterward 17 times. But hey, no ads.
Story Time: That One become old I Clicked the wrong Link
Okay, fast story. I as soon as used this shady-looking downloader (not naming names, but it rhymed when Insta-Grammer Saver). Clicked the download button and it redirected me to a casino. A literal slot robot game started auto-playing in choice tab.
I panicked, closed everything, cleared my cookies, felt behind I needed to sage my laptop. Moral of the story: if it looks sketchy, it probably is.
Thats how I found my golden list of ad-free methods. Trauma-driven innovation, I guess?
Use Browser Extensions following Caution
Theres one called Downloader for Instagram (yeah, tacky name, I know). Works upon Chrome, and you can bulk download too. But heres the business dont blindly install random extensions. Some are just click-farms in disguise.
Check reviews. Check permissions. If it's asking to approach your entire browsing history, maybe skip it.
But if you find a unassailable one? Game changer.
Hidden Trick: Archive Page Snapshots
Bet you didnt see this coming. Wayback machine (archive.org) sometimes saves Instagram post snapshots. Not often, but occasionally.
Why is this cool? If the indigenous read out gets deleted, it might still liven up there. Saved. Immortal.
No ads. No spam. Just... retro-cool internet preservation.
Try it: Fun-ss search the Insta URL on archive.org and see if everything pops up. If it does, right-click the image and save.
Boom. Internet archaeology.
Why Not Just question the Person?
I know. Wild thought, right? But for genuine if its a friend, an artist, a photographer... sometimes just DMing them like, Hey, love your post, mind if I keep a copy? works wonders.
I did this later than a small travel blogger once. Not and no-one else did she say yes, she emailed me a full-res version. Made a additional pal too.
Not the fastest method, but the most human.
Okay, But Are These Legal?
Ah. The gray area. Technically, downloading photos without access can breach Instagrams terms. But like... everyone does it.
Just dont use the images for profit, or repost them pretending theyre yours. Thats not cool. save for personal use, set as wallpaper, print for your diary every good.
But yeah. Im not a lawyer. Just a weary insomniac in the manner of too many bookmarked tools.
Recap (Messy, But Honest)
If you just skimmed this (no judgment), heres the not-so-clean summary:
Use examine Element if you when feeling smart.
DustySave is a lowkey goldmine.
Telegram bots slap.
Screenshots arent lame upscale em.
Android users can go full hacker mode.
iOS users can Shortcuts their artifice out.
Dont trust shady downloaders.
Browser extensions = exploit taking into account caution.
Ask nicely. It works.
Archive.org is the strange backup method.
Dont be a jerk like the photos.
There. Real, messy, human. Hopefully helpful.
So adjacent times you look that absolute pic and wanna save it without 12 pop-ups, youll know exactly what to do.
Maybe even grin while act out it.
