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Complete Guide · Updated June 2026

How to Download All Your Instagram Photos

You can download everything you've ever posted to Instagram — photos, videos, and stories — using Instagram's built-in "Download your information" tool. Here's exactly how to do it, plus the easiest way to turn that archive into a gallery you'll actually enjoy.

🕒 Last updated June 2026 📖 9 min read ✅ Works on iPhone, Android, and desktop
Quick Answer

To download all your Instagram photos and videos: open Instagram, go to Accounts Center → Your information and permissions → Download your information. Choose your account, select Photos and videos, set the format and media quality to High, and request the download. Instagram emails you a link to a ZIP file — usually within a few hours. If you'd rather see everything in one organized gallery instead of digging through folders, everkept turns that archive into a private gallery by person and year.

On this page

  1. Method 1: Instagram's "Download your information" tool
  2. Method 2: Save posts individually
  3. Method 3: Turn your archive into a gallery with everkept
  4. Side-by-side comparison
  5. Frequently asked questions

Method 1: Instagram's "Download Your Information" Tool

⏰ 5 minutes to request + a few hours to a few days waiting

Instagram (like Facebook, since both are owned by Meta) lets you request a complete copy of everything you've posted. This is the official way to get your full archive — all your photos, videos, and more — in one ZIP file.

How to request your Instagram archive

  1. 1
    Open your profile and go to Settings In the Instagram app, tap your profile picture (bottom right), then tap the menu (☰) in the top-right corner and choose Settings and activity.
  2. 2
    Open Accounts Center At the top of Settings, tap Accounts Center (the Meta hub that manages your Instagram and Facebook accounts together).
  3. 3
    Go to "Your information and permissions" In Accounts Center, tap Your information and permissions, then tap Download your information.
  4. 4
    Choose your account and what to include Tap Download or transfer information, pick your Instagram account, then choose Some of your information and select Photos and videos — or choose All available information if you want everything.
  5. 5
    Set the format, date range, and quality Choose HTML if you want a version that's easy to browse, or JSON if you plan to import it elsewhere. Set the date range (or leave it as "All time") and set Media quality to High so your photos and videos come back at full resolution.
  6. 6
    Submit the request and wait for the email Tap to create the file. Instagram will email you a download link when it's ready — usually within a few hours, up to a few days for large accounts.
  7. 7
    Download and unzip the file Open the email, follow the link (it expires after a few days), and download the ZIP. Unzip it to find your photos and videos organized in folders.
💡

On desktop? You can do the same thing at instagram.com or in Accounts Center on the web. The wording is identical: Accounts Center → Your information and permissions → Download your information.

Got your ZIP file? everkept turns it into a gallery organized by person and year — no folders to dig through.

Preview your gallery free →

Method 2: Save Posts Individually

⏰ About a minute per post

Instagram doesn't have a simple "save to camera roll" button for your own posts the way Facebook does. If you only need one or two specific photos, your options are limited but workable.

  1. 1
    Open the post Go to your profile and tap the photo or video you want.
  2. 2
    Take a screenshot for a quick copy For one image you just want to grab, a screenshot works for casual use — but it won't be full resolution and it captures whatever else is on screen.
  3. 3
    For full quality, use the archive instead Instagram doesn't offer a reliable one-tap "save original" for your own posts. To get the full-resolution files, the "Download your information" archive (Method 1) is the dependable path.

This is fine for grabbing one or two images. For anything more — or for getting full-quality files — the archive download is the way to go, and a tool like everkept makes the result actually usable.

Method 3: Turn Your Archive Into a Gallery With everkept

⏰ A few minutes to upload, then instant browsing

Instagram's archive gets you the files — but it hands you a ZIP full of folders and cryptic filenames. If you have years of posts, that's hundreds or thousands of photos and videos with no easy way to browse them.

everkept is built for exactly this. You upload the ZIP file you downloaded from Instagram, and everkept turns it into a private gallery — organized by the people in your photos and by year, with photos and videos together in one place. You can browse everything, preview it free, and download any photo or video (or your whole archive) in one click.

✨ Recommended

Your Instagram memories, back in your hands

Upload your Instagram archive and everkept organizes every photo and video by person and year. Preview your gallery free before you pay anything.

Preview your gallery free →

Works with Instagram and Facebook  •  Free to preview · one-time fee to unlock

Side-by-Side Comparison

Here's how the methods stack up across what matters most:

Method Time to access Pros Cons
Instagram archive (ZIP) A few hours to a few days ✓ Official / free
✓ Gets everything you posted		 ✗ Wait time
✗ Messy folders
✗ No browsing or sorting
Save individually Instant (per post) ✓ No wait
✓ Free		 ✗ Slow for many posts
✗ Often not full quality
everkept Minutes (after archive) ✓ Organized gallery
✓ By person and year
✓ Bulk download		 ✗ Needs the archive first
✗ Full gallery is paid

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I download all my Instagram photos at once?

Open Instagram and go to Accounts Center → Your information and permissions → Download your information. Choose your account, select "Photos and videos," set media quality to High, and request the download. Instagram emails you a link to a ZIP file, usually within a few hours. Then everkept can turn that ZIP into an organized gallery.

How long does Instagram take to prepare your photo download?

Smaller accounts often get the ZIP within a few hours. Accounts with thousands of posts and years of history can take up to a few days. Instagram emails you when it's ready, and the link expires after a few days — so download it promptly.

Can I download my Instagram photos on my phone?

Yes. The "Download your information" tool lives inside the Instagram app under Accounts Center, so you can request your full archive directly from your phone and download the ZIP when the email arrives.

Will downloading my Instagram photos delete them?

No. Downloading creates a copy — your posts stay on Instagram exactly as they were. Nothing is removed from your profile.

Should I choose HTML or JSON when downloading?

Choose HTML if you just want to browse your archive in a web browser. Choose JSON if you plan to import your data into another tool. everkept works with the archive either way.

Is there a way to see all my Instagram photos in a nice gallery?

Yes — that's what everkept is built for. Upload the archive you downloaded from Instagram and everkept organizes every photo and video by person and year, so you can browse everything in one place instead of digging through folders.

everkept

Your memories deserve better than a ZIP file

everkept turns years of Instagram photos and videos into a gallery you'll actually want to revisit — organized by person and year. Preview it free.

Preview your gallery free →

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