Overview
Instappa (instappa.com) provides free tools to resolve downloadable media from public social media URLs. This policy explains what information is collected when you use the site, how it is used, and which third-party services are involved.
We do not require account registration to use the downloader.
Information you provide
When you use a downloader page, you may submit:
- A public social media URL you want to resolve
- Browser interaction data needed to complete the request (for example, a bot-check token)
Submitted URLs are processed to return temporary download links. We do not use submitted URLs to build a personal profile or sell URL history to third parties.
Information collected automatically
When you visit Instappa, standard web and security data may be processed, including:
- IP address (used for rate limiting and abuse prevention)
- Browser type, device type, and approximate region derived from network data
- Pages visited, referrers, and on-site events such as download attempts
- Timestamps and error codes when a resolve request fails
Our API applies per-IP rate limits to protect service availability. Rate-limit state is stored temporarily and is not linked to a named user account.
Cookies and local storage
Instappa and its service providers may use cookies or similar technologies to:
- Run short-lived session tokens after bot verification
- Measure site usage through analytics
Instappa does not currently serve advertising, and no advertising cookies are set. If advertising is introduced in future, this policy will be updated before it goes live and third parties, including Google and other advertising providers, may then place and read cookies on your browser or use web beacons or similar identifiers when ads are served.
You can limit cookies through your browser settings. Blocking certain cookies may prevent the downloader from working because bot verification and session tokens rely on them.
Visitors in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom and Switzerland see a cookie
choice on first visit: Accept enables analytics cookies (Google Analytics 4
via Google Consent Mode), or Essential only continues without them, and
no analytics cookies are set until you choose. Elsewhere, including when your location
cannot be determined, analytics cookies are on by default. Everyone can change their choice anytime via Cookie settings in
the site footer; Essential only turns analytics off. Your preference is
stored in local storage on this device (instappa_consent_v1). Advertising
signals stay off for everyone.
Advertising
Instappa does not currently show advertising. No ad code runs on any page and no advertising cookies are set. The disclosures below describe what would apply if advertising were introduced, and are kept here so the terms are visible in advance.
If ads are enabled in future, third-party vendors including Google may use cookies to serve ads based on a user's prior visits to this website or other websites, which would enable Google and its advertising partners to serve ads based on your visit to this site and/or other sites on the Internet.
You can opt out of personalized advertising across the web at any time by visiting Google Ads Settings or YourAdChoices. For more information about how Google uses data from sites that use its services, see How Google uses information from sites or apps that use our services.
Third-party services
We use the following categories of third-party providers:
- Cloudflare — hosting, CDN, security, and Turnstile bot protection. See Cloudflare's privacy policy.
- Google Analytics 4 — aggregated usage measurement (page views, download funnel events). See Google's privacy policy. You can opt out via the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
- Google AdSense — not currently in use. No ad code runs on this site today. See the Advertising section for the disclosures that would apply if it is introduced, and How Google uses advertising cookies.
Media files themselves are fetched from the originating platform or its CDNs when you open a download link. Instappa does not permanently host your downloaded videos on our servers.
Browser extension
The Instappa Chrome extension is a separate client that talks to
api.instappa.com using an install-scoped session. When you install it, the
extension generates a random install identifier stored in Chrome local storage and
exchanges it for a short-lived access token. That identifier is used for rate limiting
and monthly quota — not for building an advertising profile.
The extension may process:
- The Instagram page URL you choose to download (from the current tab or an in-page control)
- Your install identifier, session token, and quota counters on our API
- IP address and similar network data for abuse prevention (same as the website API)
The extension is limited to public Instagram content. Private or
login-walled media is refused. It does not use the Chrome cookies
permission, does not read Instagram login cookies (including sessionid),
does not require an Instagram account, and does not sell your download history.
Pro features (when purchased) still follow the public-only rule:
- Profile archive — downloads public posts, stories, and highlights from a public profile you open (cancelled archives keep files already saved).
- Profile Rank — ranks a public profile's posts or reels by likes, comments, or views and exports CSV/JSON locally in your browser.
- Seen Guard — optional Pro toggles that suppress story view receipts and DM mark-as-read signals in the Instagram tab you are using (local only; not true anonymity).
You can clear extension data or remove the extension in Chrome settings at any time.
Data retention
URL resolution data is handled transiently for the purpose of returning download links. Analytics and security logs are retained only as long as needed for operations, abuse prevention, and aggregated reporting — typically on rolling windows defined by each provider's standard retention settings.
We do not sell your personal information.
Children's privacy
Instappa is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided personal information through the site, contact us and we will take appropriate steps to delete it.
International visitors
Instappa is operated from the United States. If you access the site from another country, your information may be processed in the U.S. or in regions where our providers operate.
Your choices and rights
Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, or delete certain personal information. Because we do not operate user accounts, most requests relate to analytics or communication records held by our providers.
For privacy questions or requests, email hanska@instappa.com.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy when our tools, providers, or legal requirements change. The “Last updated” date at the top will reflect the latest revision. Continued use of Instappa after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.