Best Ways to Download Instagram Photos Without Ads
Okay, suitably here’s the business weve every 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 desire to keep it. But ugh, you try a site or an app and… ads. Pop-ups. sketchy redirects. Some of them even begin auto-playing music? Like, why.
So yeah, lets fix that. Ive been psychotherapy 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 upon desktop (not the app, not your phone).

Go to the state you want.

Right-click and select Inspect or hit Ctrl+Shift+I (Windows) / Cmd+Option+I (Mac).

Dig a propos the tag that looks in the same way as it has the full-resolution pic.

Copy the URL. paste it in a supplementary tab.

Right-click > Save image as

Done.
No ads. No unreliable sites. Just code and glory. Feels kinda with hacking. But without, yknow, the hacking.

Use DustySave A unidentified Tool Nobodys Talking approximately (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 disgusting but zero ads, tidy download, and works on Stories too.
Go to: dustysave.me (if its yet up). paste the URL of the post, click download, done. If the sites next to (it was once), just keep checking.
This is next my backup plot with all else feels gross.

Use Telegram Bots Yeah, Really
Never thought Id tell this, but Telegram might be the MVP here.
There are bots like @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 to see private instagram I use it:

Open Telegram.

Search for one of these bots.

Paste the Instagram link.

Boom it replies taking into account the image.

Pro tip: create a Telegram tape for media saves. Keeps all tidy.
Little caution though: some bots randomly die or end working. It’s in imitation of feeding a stray cat works until it doesn’t.

Screenshots But Upgraded
Yeah, yeah, I know. Just screenshot it. But what if you want quality?
Heres the move: screenshot it, next upscale using LetsEnhance.io or Remini. Sounds extra, but trust me, works subsequently magic. I following grabbed a blurry tab post and turned it into printable advertisement vibes (dont ask why).
Is this overkill? Maybe. But its fun.

Developer Mode on Android If You like Tinkering
Warning: this ones nerd-level.
On Android, you can go deep. Like, deep deep.

Enable developer mode.

Use an app behind InsTake Cache Viewer (Google it).

Browse Instagram, and the app will sniff the photo cache.

You can after that keep anything, even stuff you viewed hours ago.

Kinda creepy? A bit. But effective. Just dont use it to snoop.

Use Shortcuts on iPhone If Youre That kind of Person
Apple fans, youre not left out. The Shortcuts app (yep, the one preinstalled) can do this.
You gotta install a custom Shortcut search for Instagram Media Downloader iOS Shortcut.
Itll be active going on in your allocation sheet. Tap it after copying the Insta URL, and boom: media downloaded into Photos.
Annoying part? iOS might question for right of entry bearing in mind 17 times. But hey, no ads.

Story Time: That One grow old I Clicked the wrong Link
Okay, quick story. I taking into consideration used this shady-looking downloader (not naming names, but it rhymed behind Insta-Grammer Saver). Clicked the download button and it redirected me to a casino. A literal slot machine game started auto-playing in unorthodox tab.
I panicked, closed everything, cleared my cookies, felt in imitation of 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 bearing in mind Caution
Theres one called Downloader for Instagram (yeah, tacky name, I know). Works on Chrome, and you can bulk download too. But heres the thing dont blindly install random extensions. Some are just click-farms in disguise.
Check reviews. Check permissions. If it’s asking to door your entire browsing history, most likely skip it.
But if you locate a sealed one? Game changer.

Hidden Trick: Archive Page Snapshots
Bet you didnt look this coming. Wayback machine (archive.org) sometimes saves Instagram read out snapshots. Not often, but occasionally.
Why is this cool? If the indigenous make known gets deleted, it might still living there. Saved. Immortal.
No ads. No spam. Just… retro-cool internet preservation.
Try it: search the Insta URL upon archive.org and look if all 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 real if its a friend, an artist, a photographer… sometimes just DMing them like, Hey, love your post, mind if I save a copy? works wonders.
I did this past a small travel blogger once. Not forlorn did she say yes, she emailed me a full-res version. Made a further pal too.
Not the fastest method, but the most human.

Okay, But Are These Legal?
Ah. The gray area. Technically, downloading photos without right of entry 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 tired insomniac later too many bookmarked tools.

Recap (Messy, But Honest)
If you just skimmed this (no judgment), heres the not-so-clean summary:

Use inspect Element if you later 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 showing off out.

Dont trust shady downloaders.

Browser extensions = put-on following caution.

Ask nicely. It works.

Archive.org is the weird backup method.

Dont be a jerk next the photos.

There. Real, messy, human. Hopefully helpful.
So adjacent times you see that perfect pic and wanna keep it without 12 pop-ups, youll know exactly what to do.
Maybe even smile even though work it.