Threads has been rolling out Reels — short-form vertical videos that appear in the feed alongside regular posts. If you’ve been scrolling and found a Reel you want to keep, the process is the same as saving any other Threads video, with one small thing worth knowing: the link format is slightly different, and some older downloader tools don’t handle it correctly.
This guide covers exactly how to save a Threads Reel to your device, what to do if a tool throws an error, and where the file ends up depending on whether you’re on Android or iPhone.
What Are Reels on Threads?
Reels on Threads are short vertical videos — the same format as Instagram Reels — that appear natively in the Threads feed. Meta has been gradually integrating Reels content between Instagram and Threads, which means some Reels you see on Threads are cross-posted from Instagram, while others are posted directly to Threads.
For downloading purposes, this matters because: if a Reel was originally posted to Instagram and cross-posted to Threads, the Threads link is what you use — not the Instagram link. The downloader fetches the file from wherever Threads is serving it, regardless of where the video originated.
Why Some People Have Trouble Downloading Reels
Threads updated its URL format in early 2025. Posts now use the threads.com domain instead of the older threads.net format. Some downloader tools that weren’t updated to handle this change return errors when you paste a Reel link.
If you paste a link and get an error, the most likely culprit isn’t the video itself — it’s the tool. A properly maintained downloader handles both URL formats without any issue.
How to Download Threads Reels — Step by Step
Step 1 — Find the Reel and copy the link
Open Threads and navigate to the Reel you want to save. Tap the three-dot icon in the corner of the post and select Copy link. The URL gets saved to your clipboard.
Step 2 — Open savethr.com and paste the link
To download Threads Reels without any fuss, open https://savethr.com/ in your browser — Chrome, Safari, or any other. Paste the Reel link into the input field.
Step 3 — Choose quality and download
Tap Download. You’ll see the available quality options — usually 720p and 1080p. Select the highest available and save the file. On Android it goes to your Downloads folder. On iPhone, tap Save Video when the iOS prompt appears to send it directly to Photos.
What If the Download Fails?
A few things to check if you hit an error:
The account is private. Reels from private accounts can’t be downloaded by any external tool — the content is locked behind authentication. This is expected behavior, not a bug.
The link is incomplete. Make sure you used Copy link from the Threads app, not just copying text from the screen. The app gives you the full URL; selecting text manually can give you a partial link.
The Reel has been deleted. If the creator removed the post between when you saw it and when you tried to download it, the link is dead. Nothing can be done at that point — which is exactly why saving promptly matters.
Does It Work for Cross-Posted Instagram Reels?
Yes. When an Instagram Reel appears on Threads, Threads serves its own copy of the file. You copy the Threads link — not the Instagram link — and the downloader fetches the version from Threads’ servers. You don’t need to find the original Instagram post.
Where Does the File End Up?
On Android, the Reel saves to your Downloads folder as an MP4 file. Your gallery app — Samsung Gallery, Google Photos, or whatever you use — scans this folder and the video shows up within a few seconds. If it doesn’t appear immediately, open your file manager, go to Downloads, and tap the file once to prompt the gallery to pick it up.
On iPhone, after tapping download in Safari, iOS shows a save prompt. Tap Save Video and the Reel goes directly to your Photos app. If you accidentally tap Save to Files, the file lands in the Files app instead — you can move it to Photos from there by long-pressing and choosing Share → Save Video.
Can You Download Multiple Reels at Once?
Not in a single operation — the process is one Reel per link. But since each download takes about ten seconds, doing several in a row is fast. Copy the first link, paste, download. Then move to the next.
The Short Version
Open the Reel on Threads, tap the three dots, copy the link. Go to https://savethr.com/, paste the link, choose quality, download. The file saves as MP4 in your Downloads folder on Android, or to Photos on iPhone if you choose Save Video. The whole thing takes under a minute — and the download Threads Reels process works the same whether the Reel was originally posted to Threads or cross-posted from Instagram.