Best Ways to Download Instagram Photos Without Ads
Okay, for that reason 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 startling 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 repair that. Ive been psychoanalysis 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 upon desktop (not the app, not your phone).

Go to the reveal you want.

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

Dig approximately the tag that looks considering it has the full-resolution pic.

Copy the URL. paste it in a further tab.

Right-click > Save image as

Done.
No ads. No subjective sites. Just code and glory. Feels kinda similar to hacking. But without, yknow, the hacking.

Use DustySave A unidentified Tool Nobodys Talking approximately (Yet)
Okay so, this one… barely anyone knows. Not even popular 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 past 90s-level ugly but zero ads, tidy download, and works upon Stories too.
Go to: dustysave.me (if its still up). paste the URL of the post, click download, done. If the sites alongside (it was once), just save checking.
This is as soon as my backup plan considering all else feels gross.

Use Telegram Bots Yeah, Really
Never thought Id say this, but Telegram might be the MVP here.
There are bots in the manner of @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 photo album for media saves. Keeps all tidy.
Little rebuke though: some bots randomly die or Fun-ss stop working. It’s when 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, after that upscale using LetsEnhance.io or Remini. Sounds extra, but trust me, works in the same way as magic. I in the same way as grabbed a blurry checking account proclaim and turned it into printable personal ad environment (dont ask why).
Is this overkill? Maybe. But its fun.

Developer Mode upon Android If You when 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 next save 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 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 exploit stirring in your share sheet. Tap it after copying the Insta URL, and boom: media downloaded into Photos.
Annoying part? iOS might question for admission following 17 times. But hey, no ads.

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

Hidden Trick: Archive Page Snapshots
Bet you didnt look this coming. Wayback machine (archive.org) sometimes saves Instagram proclaim snapshots. Not often, but occasionally.
Why is this cool? If the original declare gets deleted, it might yet rouse there. Saved. Immortal.
No ads. No spam. Just… retro-cool internet preservation.
Try it: search the Insta URL on archive.org and see 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, love your post, mind if I keep a copy? works wonders.
I did this when a little travel blogger once. Not and no-one else did she tell yes, she emailed me a full-res version. Made a new pal too.
Not the fastest method, but the most human.

Okay, But Are These Legal?
Ah. The gray area. Technically, downloading photos without permission 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 gone 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 in the manner of 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 pretentiousness out.

Dont trust shady downloaders.

Browser extensions = accomplishment later caution.

Ask nicely. It works.

Archive.org is the strange backup method.

Dont be a jerk in the same way as the photos.

There. Real, messy, human. Hopefully helpful.
So bordering mature you see that perfect pic and wanna save it without 12 pop-ups, youll know exactly what to do.
Maybe even smile while put on an act it.