Backup your Instagram chats

[nerdslife_team]

Instagram, while super popular, is missing a key feature found in many other social apps: easy data backup. Unlike WhatsApp, you can’t directly back up your chats, photos, and other data. But don’t worry, there are workarounds to keep your precious memories safe.

Instagram does let you download all your data, which is useful for keeping a local copy. You can also take screenshots of your messages and photos, which is a simple way to save them.

Method 1: Download your Instagram data on your phone

Here’s how to download your Instagram data, including those important chats, right from your phone.

1. Open Instagram and go to your profile by tapping your profile picture in the bottom right corner.
   

   

2. Tap the hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) at the top right.
   

   

3. Tap on ‘Accounts Center’.
   

   

4. In Accounts Center, find and tap ‘Your information and permissions’.
   

   

5. Tap ‘Download your information’.
   

   

6. On the next screen, select ‘Download or transfer information’.
   

   

7. Choose whether you want to download “All of your information” or “Select types of information”. If you want to download only your chats, select the second option.
   

   

8. If you chose ‘Select types of information’, check the box next to ‘Messages’ and tap ‘Next’.
   

   

9. Tap on ‘Download to device’. This downloads the data to your phone. You can alternatively choose to transfer it to a different destination.
   

   

10. Choose the desired date range, confirm your email, and hit ‘Create files’. Instagram will email you when your data is ready for download.
    

    

Method 2: Download your Instagram data from the web

Prefer using your computer? You can download your Instagram data, including chats, through a web browser.

1. Open Instagram in your web browser and log in.
2. Click ‘More’ in the bottom left corner.
   
   
3. In the pop-up menu, click on ‘Your activity’.
   
   
4. On the subsequent page, select ‘Download your information’.
   
   
5. Click ‘Continue’ to proceed.
   
   
6. Then, click on ‘Download or transfer information’.
   
   
7. Choose whether to download all your data or select specific types. To get just your chats, pick the second option.
   
   
8. Select the checkbox next to ‘Messages’ and then click the ‘Next’ button.
   
   
9. Click ‘Download to device’ to begin the download process.
   
   
10. Customize your download by selecting a date range, file format, and media quality. Confirm your email, and then click ‘Create files’. Instagram will send you an email notification once your data is ready to download.
    
    

Method 3: Take screenshots of your data

A simple, though less comprehensive, method is taking screenshots of your conversations and saving them to your device. Just be aware that Instagram notifies users when you screenshot in Vanish Mode or ‘view-once’ photos.

1. Navigate to the Instagram chat you want to preserve.
2. Press the Power + Volume down buttons simultaneously to capture a screenshot. Alternatively, use whatever screenshot method your device supports.

Things to know

• While you can download your Instagram data, you cannot re-upload it back to the platform. This method is purely for offline backup.
• You can export your Instagram messages to Google Drive or iCloud for backup, but they can’t be restored directly to Instagram.
• Be cautious of third-party tools promising easy Instagram backups, as their effectiveness can be questionable.