How to Download the Audio From an Instagram Reel as an MP3
The VeeVi Team
10/17/2026
Instagram has no option to save a Reel's sound as an audio file, and its own Reel download doesn't help when the Reel uses licensed music: the downloaded video has no audio (TechCrunch). To get an MP3, paste the Reel's link into an Instagram audio downloader, which extracts the sound as it plays in the Reel and saves it as an MP3 file.
The quickest way: paste the link, save the MP3
- In Instagram, tap the share icon → Copy link on the Reel.
- Open the free Instagram audio downloader and paste the link.
- Click Get MP3, then Download MP3 when the conversion finishes.
The file is a 128 kbps MP3. It works in any browser, including on iPhone and Android, with no app or account. Without an account you can convert 5 Reels a day; a free VeeVi account raises that to 100 a day. A failed conversion doesn't count, and the MP3 is made on the fly and sent to your browser — no copy is kept on the server.
Every way to do it, compared
| Method | Reels with licensed music? | You get | What it takes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instagram audio downloader (e.g. VeeVi) | Yes — the audio as it plays in the Reel | MP3 (128 kbps) | A browser and a public Reel link |
| Instagram's own Reel download, then a converter | No — the downloaded video is silent | MP4 with an Instagram watermark, which you convert to MP3 (VLC, CloudConvert) | The creator must allow downloads; works for original audio only |
| Screen recording, then a converter | Yes | Whatever your phone records, re-encoded | Play the Reel to the end without interruptions or notifications |
Instagram added public Reel downloads worldwide in 2023, but creators can turn downloads off, and downloaded Reels carry a watermark with the account name (TechCrunch). That route is fine for a creator's original sound; for songs from Instagram's music library it gives you a video with no audio.
What you can't do
- Private accounts, deleted posts, photos, and silent videos. If the link doesn't open in a normal browser tab, or the post has no sound, there is nothing to convert. For a carousel, you get the audio of its first video with sound.
- Reuse licensed music in your own posts. Instagram's music library "is intended for personal, non-commercial use" (Instagram Help). Downloading a song for yourself is different from putting it in your own video or ad.
- Assume a creator's original sound is free to use. It belongs to whoever made it. Ask, or credit and link back where the platform allows it.
If you need music you can safely use in your own Reels and Stories, Instagram points to Meta's Sound Collection, which it describes as "entirely royalty free" (Instagram Help).
FAQ
Can I get the song from a Reel that uses Instagram's music library?
Yes. A link-based audio downloader returns the audio exactly as it plays in that Reel, including library songs. Instagram licenses that music for personal, non-commercial use, so keep the MP3 for listening or reference, not for reposting.
Does it work on iPhone?
Yes. Copy the Reel link in the Instagram app, paste it into the downloader in Safari, and the MP3 saves to the Downloads folder in the Files app.
Why did the conversion fail?
Usually the post is from a private account, has been deleted, is a photo rather than a video, or has no sound. Check that the link opens in a browser, then try again.