Last updated 6 October 2026 · 6 min read
Short answer: saving a Reel to watch later is one thing. Posting it again is another, and for that you need the creator's permission unless the video is yours or the law gives you a specific exception. Tagging the creator or writing "no copyright intended" does not count as permission.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Copyright law differs from country to country, and if money or a business is involved, talk to someone qualified where you live. What follows is the common ground that applies almost everywhere, plus the parts of Instagram's own rules that people tend to miss.
The creator owns the video the moment it exists
In most countries, copyright is automatic. Nobody has to register anything. As soon as someone films and edits a Reel, they own the copyright in it. Posting it publicly on Instagram doesn't change that. It gives Instagram a licence to show the video on its platform, but it doesn't give everyone else the right to copy it and post it somewhere else.
Being able to download something and being allowed to republish it are separate questions. A downloader answers the first one. Only the creator, or the law, can answer the second.
Credit is not permission
This is the most common misunderstanding we see. People repost a Reel, tag the original account, add "all rights to the owner" or "no copyright intended", and assume that makes it fine. It doesn't. Credit is good manners and you should always give it, but it doesn't replace permission. If the creator reports the repost, the tag won't stop it from being taken down.
When reusing a Reel is usually fine
- It's your own video. Saving your own Reels to keep a backup or post them on another platform is exactly what a downloader is good for.
- You have permission. Ideally in writing. A direct message saying yes is fine; screenshot it and keep it.
- The licence allows it. Some creators release work under licences such as Creative Commons. Read the conditions, which often require credit or forbid commercial use.
- You're keeping it for yourself. Saving a video to watch offline, without sharing it, carries far less risk than posting it again. The trouble almost always starts with republishing.
Fair use and fair dealing
Many countries allow limited use of someone else's work without permission for purposes like commentary, criticism, news reporting, teaching or parody. In the United States this is called fair use; the UK, India and several other countries use a narrower idea called fair dealing.
These exceptions are judged case by case. Courts generally look at why you used the work, how much of it you used, whether you changed or added to it, and whether your version could replace the original for its audience. A reaction video that pauses to discuss the original is on much firmer ground than a straight repost with a caption. Neither is guaranteed to be safe, and "it's only 15 seconds" is not a rule anywhere.
The music problem
Even with the creator's blessing, a Reel can contain something they don't own: the music. Instagram has licensing deals that let people use popular tracks inside Instagram. Those deals cover Instagram, not whatever you do with the file afterwards. Post the same video on YouTube or TikTok and the track can be muted, blocked or claimed by the label, even though it was fine where it started.
What Instagram already lets you do
If you want to share someone's Reel on Instagram itself, the built-in tools are the safest route, because they keep the creator's name attached and stay within Instagram's rules:
- Share to your story. Your followers see the original, and tapping it takes them to the creator's post.
- Remix. Records your video alongside the original. Creators can turn this off for their Reels.
- Collab posts. If you are making something together, inviting the creator as a collaborator puts the post on both profiles.
- Instagram's Download option. Some public Reels can be downloaded from the share menu, with a watermark showing the creator's username. The watermark is the point: it keeps the credit on the file wherever it goes.
How to ask for permission
Most creators respond better to a short, specific message than to a vague one. Something like this works:
Hi! I loved your Reel about [topic] from [date]. Would you be OK with me reposting it on my [Instagram / TikTok / Page], with credit to @yourusername in the caption? It's for [personal account / a small business / a school project]. Happy to take it down any time you ask.
Say exactly where it will go and how you will credit them. If they say no, or don't reply, take that as a no.
What happens if you skip permission
The creator can report the post to Instagram as copyright infringement. Instagram usually removes it, and repeated reports can lead to restrictions on your account or having it disabled. On other platforms the equivalent is a DMCA takedown or a copyright strike. Pages built on reposted content tend to vanish without warning for exactly this reason.
Where SaveReel stands
We built SaveReel for keeping your own videos, saving things you have permission to use, and watching public content offline. We don't store the videos people download, and we respond to copyright notices. If you are a rights holder, our DMCA & Copyright page explains how to reach us.