Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Social Media
  3. News

In a privacy-motivated move, Instagram finally has a download tool

By
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Instagram is notoriously tough when it comes to actually getting a copy of those photos you’ve uploaded, with only third-party workarounds creating options to download images. But as parent company Facebook faces criticism over data and privacy, Instagram now has a new download tool. Instagram recently confirmed that web users now have something similar to what Facebook has had in place for eight years, a Download Your Data option that will allow Instagrammers to save their data.

The tool allows users to download what they’ve shared on Instagram, which will include photos, videos, comments, profile information and more. The tool could also be used to save images if users opt to leave the platform or to open up the possibility of uploading the same data to another network.

After logging in on a desktop browser, users can access the feature by navigating to the settings from the profile page. The download option is under privacy and security, under data download. Users have to type in an email, and Instagram will prep the file and email the data within 48 hours. The tool downloads everything, so users that only want a single photo may still have reason to use third-party workarounds.

Related

Instagram says the tool will be coming to the mobile app, but that it is still rolling out on iOS and Android, so users won’t see the tool in the app just yet.

The change comes both as Facebook is facing what could be the harshest criticism yet in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica debacle. Meanwhile, new privacy laws go into effect next month in Europe.

Facebook originally said some privacy changes would only be available in the European Union countries where the General Data Privacy Regulation goes into effect. Facebook has since changed its stance, allowing the data protection tools worldwide (though some parts of the law, like the fines Facebook faces for messing up with data, are only in the European Union). One part of that law requires a user’s data to be portable, which is likely the reason behind Instagram’s new download tool.

Facebook already has a Download Your Data tool — but that same option had some users realizing that the network tracked texts and calls on Android devices. A New York Times reporter who downloaded his own data pointed out the file contained friends he had removed, his entire contact list, and even a list of advertisers that had acquired his contact information from a feature (that’s now being phased out) allowing companies to upload information collected elsewhere to Facebook.

The tool could be a welcome addition to Instagram — and not just for privacy reasons. Instagram doesn’t currently have a native option that allows you to download photos from the platform. So if you lose your device and Instagram becomes the only place those images exist, you have to use a third-party app in order to download those files. Instagram hasn’t commented on whether the images and videos inside the download tool will use a reduced resolution or if the download can be at the maximum file size.

Updated on April 24:  The download tool is now available. 

Editors’ Recommendations

Topics
Hillary K. Grigonis
Hillary K. Grigonis
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Hillary never planned on becoming a photographer—and then she was handed a camera at her first writing job and she's been…
Bluesky barrels toward 1 million new sign-ups in a day
Bluesky social media app logo.

Social media app Bluesky has picked nearly a million new users just a day after exiting its invitation-only beta and opening to everyone.

In a post on its main rival -- X (formerly Twitter) -- Bluesky shared a chart showing a sudden boost in usage on the app, which can now be downloaded for free for iPhone and Android devices.

Read more
How to make a GIF from a YouTube video
woman sitting and using laptop

Sometimes, whether you're chatting with friends or posting on social media, words just aren't enough -- you need a GIF to fully convey your feelings. If there's a moment from a YouTube video that you want to snip into a GIF, the good news is that you don't need complex software to so it. There are now a bunch of ways to make a GIF from a YouTube video right in your browser.

If you want to use desktop software like Photoshop to make a GIF, then you'll need to download the YouTube video first before you can start making a GIF. However, if you don't want to go through that bother then there are several ways you can make a GIF right in your browser, without the need to download anything. That's ideal if you're working with a low-specced laptop or on a phone, as all the processing to make the GIF is done in the cloud rather than on your machine. With these options you can make quick and fun GIFs from YouTube videos in just a few minutes.
Use GIFs.com for great customization
Step 1: Find the YouTube video that you want to turn into a GIF (perhaps a NASA archive?) and copy its URL.

Read more
I paid Meta to ‘verify’ me — here’s what actually happened
An Instagram profile on an iPhone.

In the fall of 2023 I decided to do a little experiment in the height of the “blue check” hysteria. Twitter had shifted from verifying accounts based (more or less) on merit or importance and instead would let users pay for a blue checkmark. That obviously went (and still goes) badly. Meanwhile, Meta opened its own verification service earlier in the year, called Meta Verified.

Mostly aimed at “creators,” Meta Verified costs $15 a month and helps you “establish your account authenticity and help[s] your community know it’s the real us with a verified badge." It also gives you “proactive account protection” to help fight impersonation by (in part) requiring you to use two-factor authentication. You’ll also get direct account support “from a real person,” and exclusive features like stickers and stars.

Read more