Instagram lets you save your own stories, but not other people's. If you want to keep a public story, such as a recipe, a coupon code or a tutorial, before it disappears after 24 hours, here's how to do it on iPhone without installing any app.
Method 1: IGPVSTORY in Safari (no app)
- Open Instagram, go to the profile and tap ⋯ → Copy profile URL, or just note the username.
- Open Safari and go to igpvstory.com/story-downloader.
- Paste the link or username and tap Get stories.
- Under the story you want, tap Download. Safari asks to confirm, so tap Download again.
- Tap the blue download arrow in Safari's address bar to see the file.
Move it to your Photos app
Downloads go to Files → Downloads. Open the file, tap the Share icon and choose Save Image or Save Video. It now appears in Photos.
Method 2: Save your own story
Open your story, tap ⋯ More → Save. You can also turn on Settings → Archiving and downloading → Save story to camera roll so every story is saved automatically.
Method 3: Screen recording
Control Center → Screen Recording works in a pinch, but quality is lower and it captures the interface too. The downloader gives you the original file.
Troubleshooting
- Video opens instead of downloading: long-press the Download button and choose Download Linked File.
- "No stories": the account may have no live stories, or be private. See fixes.
- File won't play: update iOS. MP4 (H.264) plays natively.
Respect copyright
Keep downloads for personal reference. Ask permission before re-posting anyone's content.
On Android or a computer? Read how to download stories on Android and PC.
Saving highlights and profile pictures on iPhone
The same process works for highlights and profile photos. Open the Highlights Viewer or Profile Viewer in Safari, search the username and tap the download button. Then save from Files to Photos as above.
Using Chrome or Firefox on iPhone
Chrome on iOS saves downloads to Files → On My iPhone → Chrome. Firefox uses its own Downloads panel in the menu. From there, use Share → Save Video or Save Image to move the file to Photos.
Create a Shortcut for faster saving
Power users can create an Apple Shortcut that takes a copied profile link, opens IGPVSTORY with ?u= and the username, and lets you pick a story. Open the Shortcuts app, create a new shortcut with "Get Clipboard" → "URL" (https://igpvstory.com/story-downloader/?u=[Clipboard]) → "Open URLs", and add it to your Share Sheet.
What quality will I get?
Instagram stories are typically 1080×1920 pixels. Videos are H.264 MP4 files up to 60 seconds per segment. IGPVSTORY doesn't re-encode, so you get exactly what the provider returns.
Storage tips
- Create a "Saved stories" album in Photos to keep downloads organised.
- Delete files from Files → Downloads after moving them, so you don't store everything twice.
- Turn on iCloud Photos if you want downloads to sync to your Mac.
Is it legal to download someone's story?
Saving a public story for personal reference is widely tolerated, much like taking a screenshot. Copyright still belongs to the creator, though. Republishing, using it commercially or removing credits without permission can infringe copyright. When in doubt, ask the creator. Most are happy to give permission if you credit them.
Frequently asked
Does the person know I saved their story? No. There's no download notification, and IGPVSTORY doesn't use your account. Can I save stories from private accounts? No, only public ones. Does it work on iPad? Yes, the steps are identical.
