Best Ways to Download Instagram Photos Without Ads
Okay, correspondingly here’s the event 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 vacation pic that just hits right. And of course, you desire to save it. But ugh, you try a site or an app and… ads. Pop-ups. sketchy redirects. Some of them even start auto-playing music? Like, why.
So yeah, lets fix that. Ive been assay 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 tiny 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 on desktop (not the app, not your phone).

Go to the broadcast you want.

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

Dig on the tag that looks subsequent to it has the full-resolution pic.

Copy the URL. glue it in a further tab.

Right-click > Save image as

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

Use DustySave A indistinctive Tool Nobodys Talking nearly (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 upon Reddit mentioned it months ago. The interface is next 90s-level disgusting but zero ads, clean 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 by the side of (it was once), just keep checking.
This is next my backup plot taking into account anything else feels gross.

Use Telegram Bots Yeah, Really
Never thought Id tell this, but Telegram might be the MVP here.
There are bots bearing in mind @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 I use it:

Open Telegram.

Search for one of these bots.

Paste the Instagram link.

Boom it replies in the same way as the image.

Pro tip: create a Telegram cassette for media saves. Keeps anything tidy.
Little scolding though: some bots randomly die or stop working. It’s with 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, later upscale using LetsEnhance.io or Remini. Sounds extra, but trust me, works later magic. I following grabbed a blurry checking account state and turned it into printable personal ad air (dont ask why).
Is this overkill? Maybe. But its fun.

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

Enable developer mode.

Use an app next 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 upon iPhone If Youre That nice of Person
Apple fans, youre not left out. The Shortcuts app (yep, the one preinstalled) can pull off this.
You gotta install a custom Shortcut search for Instagram Media Downloader iOS Shortcut.
Itll accomplishment happening in your allocation sheet. Tap it after copying the Insta URL, and boom: media downloaded into Photos.
Annoying part? iOS might ask for access similar to 17 times. But hey, no ads.

Story Time: That One epoch I Clicked the incorrect Link
Okay, fast story. I later used this shady-looking downloader (not naming names, but it rhymed as soon as Insta-Grammer Saver). Clicked the download button and it redirected me to a casino. A literal slot machine game started auto-playing in substitute 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 later Caution
Theres one called Downloader for Instagram (yeah, tacky name, I know). Works upon Chrome, and you can bulk download too. But heres the business dont blindly install random extensions. Some are just click-farms in disguise.
Check reviews. Check permissions. If it’s asking to entry your entire browsing history, most likely skip it.
But if you find a unassailable one? Game changer.

Hidden Trick: Archive Page Snapshots
Bet you didnt see this coming. Wayback machine (archive.org) sometimes saves Instagram reveal snapshots. Not often, but occasionally.
Why is this cool? If the indigenous post gets deleted, it might still liven up there. Saved. Immortal.
No ads. No spam. Just… retro-cool internet preservation.
Try it: search the Insta URL upon archive.org and see instagram account profile if anything pops up. If it does, right-click the image and save.
Boom. Internet archaeology.

Why Not Just ask the Person?
I know. Wild thought, right? But for real if its a friend, an artist, a photographer… sometimes just DMing them like, Hey, adore your post, mind if I keep a copy? works wonders.
I did this subsequently a small travel blogger once. Not unaided did she say yes, she emailed me a full-res version. Made a other friend too.
Not the fastest method, but the most human.

Okay, But Are These Legal?
Ah. The gray area. Technically, downloading photos without 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 all good.
But yeah. Im not a lawyer. Just a weary insomniac in the same way as 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 subsequent to 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 way out.

Dont trust shady downloaders.

Browser extensions = feat subsequently caution.

Ask nicely. It works.

Archive.org is the strange backup method.

Dont be a jerk subsequently the photos.

There. Real, messy, human. Hopefully helpful.
So adjacent era you look that perfect pic and wanna keep it without 12 pop-ups, youll know exactly what to do.
Maybe even grin even if perform it.