After years of user demand, Instagram has finally unveiled a long-awaited feature that has been highly sought after by its user base.

 In an effort to regain its competitive edge against rival social platform TikTok, Instagram has taken a significant step by introducing a highly anticipated feature to its Reels platform. Instagram has recognized the importance of allowing users to download short videos from Reels, enabling them to repost these videos across various social media platforms.

TikTok's ability to download watermarked versions of popular videos and share them across the internet has played a pivotal role in transforming the Chinese-owned platform into a global sensation. Instagram aims to leverage this strategy to attract new users to Reels, while also addressing the privacy concerns of its most conscientious members.

By offering this long-desired functionality, Instagram strives to enhance the appeal and competitiveness of Reels, providing users with more flexibility in sharing and promoting their content beyond the Instagram ecosystem. This move demonstrates Instagram's determination to keep pace with evolving social media trends and meet the expectations of its diverse user base.

In an effort to strengthen its position and compete with other platforms, Instagram has finally introduced a highly requested feature to Reels. Users can now rejoice as Instagram allows them to download short videos from Reels, enabling effortless reposting across various social media networks.

Instagram's CEO Adam Mosseri posted an announcement about the new download feature for Reels to his own Instagram, using the platform's new 'broadcast channels' feature Tuesday.

Instagram's CEO, Adam Mosseri, took to his own Instagram account on Tuesday to announce the introduction of the new download feature for Reels, utilizing the platform's innovative 'broadcast channels' feature.

Mosseri emphasized that this feature prioritizes the protection of private accounts by preventing their followers from downloading and sharing their Reels content. Additionally, it grants public Instagram accounts the option to disable the download feature if they wish to do so.

Although initially available only in the United States, Mosseri hinted at the potential for a global rollout in the near future, based on previous updates and expansions. Users can easily access the feature by tapping on the 'Share' icon of the desired Reel and selecting 'Download.'

While Mosseri did not explicitly mention watermarking for downloaded Reels, examples shared, as initially reported by TechCrunch, showed videos branded with the Instagram logo and the user's account name. It's worth noting that Instagram had previously informed creators in February 2021 about their intention to target and de-rank watermarked clips from other platforms, including TikTok.

With this latest move, Instagram appears to be taking on some level of risk regarding potential down-ranking retaliation, indicating their commitment to establishing Reels as a prominent feature in its own right.