Instagram Live Downloader

The honest truth about downloading Instagram Lives

We need to set expectations here. Downloading an Instagram Live stream while it's actively broadcasting isn't something this tool does. Live streams are real-time and Instagram doesn't expose a downloadable file during the broadcast. What we can help with is downloading live replays and lives that creators have shared to their feed or IGTV after the broadcast ended.

When can you actually download a Live?

After a live broadcast ends, the creator has a few options. They can share the replay to their feed as a regular video post, save it to IGTV, or let it disappear. If they share it as a post or IGTV video, it becomes a normal video on Instagram's servers, and that's when this tool can grab it. The URL works just like any other Instagram video post.

What about live replays?

Instagram used to let viewers watch live replays for 24 hours after a broadcast. That feature has changed over time. Currently, unless the creator explicitly shares the live to their profile, there's no publicly accessible replay to download. If you see a live replay available on someone's profile, copy that URL and paste it here.

Quality of live recordings

Live streams on Instagram are broadcast at lower quality than pre-recorded uploads. They're typically around 720p and the bitrate fluctuates based on the creator's internet connection during the stream. If the connection was unstable during parts of the broadcast, you'll see that in the downloaded file too. There's no way to enhance the quality after the fact.

Your best option during a live broadcast

If you absolutely need to capture an ongoing live stream, screen recording is your only real option right now. Both iOS and Android have built-in screen recording features. It's not ideal since you'll get whatever resolution your screen displays, but it's the only method that works during an active broadcast.