As an avid Instagram user, you‘ve likely found yourself wanting to save someone‘s profile picture before. Maybe it‘s a great photo of a friend you want to make your contact photo, a co-worker‘s headshot, or just a picture you want to use as inspiration for your own Instagram posts.
Unfortunately, as you‘ve discovered, Instagram doesn‘t allow you to download or save profile pictures within their app.
But don‘t worry! With the right tools, you can easily save any Instagram profile photo to your device. In this detailed guide, I‘ll show you the best methods for downloading Instagram profile pics on both mobile and desktop, using authorized third-party apps and sites.
By the end, you‘ll be able to expertly save any Instagram profile picture you want with just a few taps or clicks!
Why Instagram Doesn‘t Let You Download Photos
Before we get into the steps, let‘s first cover why Instagram doesn‘t allow users to download photos.
Instagram is designed as a closed, social media ecosystem. They want to keep users engaged within their app and platform for as long as possible.
Allowing easy downloading of images would essentially let users take content off of Instagram to use elsewhere. This goes against Instagram‘s intentions.
In addition, like most major social platforms, Instagram wants to protect user privacy and maintain control of how media is shared.
Users have privacy settings and choose what they want to share publicly. So Instagram avoids enabling the mass distribution or downloading of photos, as this could violate what users intended with their content.
However, Instagram recognizes that users have a legitimate interest and demand for downloading functionality in many cases.
That‘s why they sanction the use of authorized third-party apps and sites that use Instagram‘s API to provide downloading capabilities under certain conditions.
These services give users a way to save media while respecting Instagram‘s privacy protections and business model. It‘s a win-win solution that satisfies both parties!
Now let‘s dive into the best options for actually downloading Instagram profile pics to your smartphone or computer.
Best Apps for Saving Instagram Profile Photos on Mobile
For quickly grabbing Instagram profile pictures right on your iPhone or Android device, using a dedicated downloader app is by far the easiest route.
Here are the top-rated mobile apps for saving Instagram profile photos:
1. InsTake
InsTake is my personal favorite and go-to app for downloading Instagram pics on mobile. Here‘s why:
- Super fast downloading – Just search a username, tap the profile picture, and it saves to your camera roll in seconds.
- Intuitive interface – Clean, simple design makes it extremely easy to use.
- High-quality images – Downloads the full high-resolution photo for crisp clarity.
- Cross-platform capability – InsTake works equally well on both iOS and Android devices.
And with over 100,000 5-star reviews between the App Store and Google Play Store, it‘s clear InsTake is a winning choice loved by users across the globe.
Step-by-Step Guide
Here‘s exactly how to use InsTake to download a profile picture:
- Download and install the InsTake app from the App Store or Google Play Store. It‘s 100% free.
- Open InsTake and grant access to photos and storage when prompted. This allows saving images to your camera roll.
- Tap the search bar and enter the Instagram username of the account with the profile picture you want to download.
- Tap on the profile picture thumbnail to instantly download the full high-resolution image.
- You‘ll get a confirmation when the image is downloaded to your camera roll for easy sharing and saving!
It really couldn‘t be any simpler. Just like that, you can have any Instagram profile photo saved to your device in just seconds with InsTake!
2. InstaSaver
For Android users, InstaSaver is another excellent app choice specifically built for downloading Instagram photos and videos.
It offers straightforward profile picture downloading along with the ability to save posts, Stories and Reels.
Key Features:
- Simple single-tap downloading of profile pics
- Fast high-res image saving
- Download full image galleries with one click
- Supports Instagram photo, video, Reels and Stories
- Completely free with option to upgrade
So if you‘re on Android and want an app just for easy Instagram downloads, InstaSaver is a great pick.
3. Softorino Instagram Downloader
Softorino Instagram Downloader provides a super streamlined experience for saving Instagram photos on your iPhone or iPad.
Beyond profile pictures, Softorino can also download posts and Stories with ease.
Why it‘s great:
- Fast 1-click profile picture downloading
- Downloads high-quality images and video
- Also grabs Stories and posts
- Very intuitive iPhone-optimized interface
The only catch is that Softorino costs $4.99. However, the small price is well worth it for the best-in-class downloading experience if you use Instagram heavily on iOS devices.
Best Websites for Downloading Profile Photos on Desktop
If you prefer to save Instagram profile pics right on your Mac or Windows PC, using an online downloading website is the way to go.
Here are 3 excellent options for fast and easy profile photo downloading on desktop:
1. Gramho
Gramho is my top choice for simplicity and speed when downloading Instagram profile pictures on a computer.
Here‘s how you use it:
- Go to Gramho.com and enter the Instagram username into the search bar. Hit enter.
- The user‘s profile picture will appear on the results page. Click it to enlarge.
- Right click on the full-size profile photo and choose ‘Save image as‘.
- Select a save location on your computer and the picture will download for you to keep!
It takes just a few seconds and clicks to find any profile, preview the image clearly, and download the high-quality photo to your device or computer.
Gramho requires no registration, accounts or hassle of any kind. Just an incredibly quick and easy way to grab Instagram profile pics on the web.
2. DownloadGram
As another option, DownloadGram provides a very similar fast profile picture downloading experience.
How to use DownloadGram:
- Go to DownloadGram.com and enter the Instagram username in the search bar.
- Hover your mouse over the profile thumbnail that appears.
- Click the ‘Download full-size image‘ link.
- Your browser will prompt you to save the photo file. Choose a destination and download it.
Like Gramho, DownloadGram is completely free to use and very user-friendly for quickly getting the profile shots you want on desktop.
3. IMGInn
IMGInn is essentially the same as Gramho and DownloadGram in functionality. But it offers another quality option for easily grabbing Instagram profile pics online.
To use it:
- Enter the desired Instagram username in the IMGInn.com search bar.
- Click the profile thumbnail to enlarge it.
- Right click and choose ‘Save image as‘.
- Select a destination to download the image to your computer or device.
IMGInn makes it just as quick and painless to find a profile, preview the photo clearly, and save the high-res picture with one click.
So in summary, all 3 of these websites offer excellent free solutions for fast desktop Instagram profile picture downloading. Find the option that you like best!
How to Download Your Own Instagram Profile Photo
Beyond grabbing other people‘s Instagram profile images, you may also want to download your own current profile picture at some point.
Unfortunately, Instagram still doesn‘t allow you to download or save your own current profile photo within the app itself.
However, you can use the same third-party apps and sites we‘ve covered to grab your own profile pic!
Here‘s what to do:
- On iPhone: Use Softorino or InsTake to connect your account, navigate to your profile, and download your picture.
- On Android: Login with InstaSaver, go to your profile, and save your current profile photo.
- On Desktop: Search for your own username on Gramho, DownloadGram or IMGInn to save your profile picture.
It just takes a few extra steps to route through the third-party service. But the process to download your own Instagram profile picture is essentially the same as downloading someone else‘s photo!
Key Takeaways and Recommendations
To wrap up, here are some key points to remember:
- You can‘t natively download photos within Instagram. But third-party apps and sites fill the need for saving Instagram pictures.
- Dedicated mobile apps like InsTake provide the fastest and smoothest experience for downloading Instagram profile pics on your smartphone.
- For desktop, Gramho, DownloadGram, and IMGInn are all excellent website options for quick and easy profile photo downloading.
- The apps and sites covered are free or very inexpensive to use.
- You can use the same apps/sites to download your own Instagram profile picture by searching your username.
So next time you want to save someone‘s Instagram profile image or even your own, use one of these top-rated apps or sites! With the methods in this guide, you‘ll be able to easily download any Instagram profile picture you want.
