How to send original video on Instagram
Posts, stories, and Reels are for viewers. Videos get shorter. The image is compressed again. DMs seem more private, but they also modify the file to fit their limits. None of these methods preserve the 380 MB of footage in its original form.
Your client needs the edit, color notes, and subtitles. These are not included in the published video.
| Method | 420 MB of footage |
|---|---|
| Post or Reel | Compressed and trimmed |
| Story | Even shorter and more compressed |
| File sent in a DM | Compressed, with a lower size limit |
| We upload to your account | No |
| Link pasted into a message | Recipient downloads the original file |
The example above includes the footage, a short preview you add, a cover image, subtitles, and color notes.
Share a preview, deliver the original
You can show a short preview in the chat. That file is 22 MB and may still be reduced in size on Instagram. The 380 MB original file is available through the link. We don’t create the short copy ourselves.
| Published copy | Footage available through the link | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Viewing | Editing and delivery |
| Duration | Instagram trims it | Your file’s full duration |
| Subtitles | Added over the video separately | SRT included separately; we don’t embed it |
| Color notes | None | Included in the same transfer |
| Access | Instagram account | A browser is enough |
TikTok also publishes video. See the TikTok sharing guide. To send footage, see the large video file guide.
Keep the password separate from a public link
Anyone who can see a comment or public reply can access the link posted there. Password-protect unreleased work. Don’t include the password in the same comment. A link in a bio may not be clickable on every account. Add the file link to a message.
| Location | Who can download |
|---|---|
| Public comment | Anyone who sees it |
| DM | People in that chat |
| Password-protected link | Anyone with the password |
| No Instagram account | A browser is enough |
| Story metrics | Not a download notification |
420 MB is not a publishing limit
A transfer this size is free. The link stays available for 7 days. Instagram’s duration limit is not our file size limit. Footage over 5 GB requires a plan.
| File size or action | SendGB | |
|---|---|---|
| 15-second story | Published, but the original is not delivered | Not needed |
| 420 MB transfer | Original not delivered | Free |
| 2 GB | Reduced to publishing dimensions | Free |
| Over 5 GB | Original not delivered | SendGB Extra or SendGB Exceed |
| Uploading to your account | Your responsibility | We don’t access it |
Don’t upload a video to Instagram as if it were the original. Send the link.
How to send
- 1
Add the original
Add the footage for your client to the upload area. Don’t mistake the copy you uploaded to Instagram for the original. Sending 420 MB is free.
- 2
Paste the link
Paste the link into a DM or reply. Don’t upload the file to a story. Don’t post the password in a public reply.
- 3
The recipient downloads
The recipient downloads from the link and does not create an account. A browser is all they need. The link stays available for 7 days. Free transfers up to 250 MB stay available for up to 90 days. The footage is not compressed.
What happens to your file?
- The original video is not resized to fit Instagram’s dimensions.
- The small preview remains a separate file. We don’t create it; you add it.
- Subtitles are not embedded in the video.
- If you provided your email address, you receive one notification when the download starts.
What we don’t do
- We don’t upload posts, stories, or Reels. We don’t access your Instagram account.
- We don’t restore Instagram’s compressed copy to its original form.
- A link in a bio may not be clickable on every account. A link in a message opens in a browser.
- A download notification does not mean the story was viewed.
Frequently asked questions
Does Instagram preserve the original video?
No. Posts, stories, Reels, and DMs modify video to fit their duration and size limits. That copy is not the original file your client needs for editing. The original file is available through the link.
Can I send the video in a DM?
DMs also compress video and trim it to fit their limits. You cannot send 380 MB of footage in its original form through a DM. Add only the link to the DM.
Do you access my Instagram account?
No. We don’t upload posts. We don’t share stories. There is no app that connects to Instagram.
Is adding a link to my bio enough?
A public link may not be clickable on every account. To deliver the file, add the link to a message or reply. The recipient downloads from the link in a browser and does not create an account.
Is the small preview the same as the original?
No. You add the short, smaller preview separately. We don’t create a story version from the 380 MB of footage. Both files can be included in the same transfer.
Are subtitles embedded in the video?
No. The SRT file is sent alongside the video. We don’t embed text in the video. We don’t trim its duration either.
Should I post the password in a public reply?
No. Anyone who sees the link can download. Password-protect unreleased footage, and don’t include the password in a public post.
Is sending 420 MB free?
Yes. No registration is required for transfers up to 5 GB. The link stays available for 7 days. Instagram’s own duration limit does not determine those 7 days.
Does a download notification count as a view?
No. If you provided your email address, you receive one notification when the download starts. That notification does not confirm that the story or Reel was viewed. A download notification is not an Instagram metric.
Does TikTok work the same way?
Both platforms convert video to a publishing format. On both, the original file is delivered through a link. TikTok is covered on a separate page. The client downloads from the link and does not create an account.
Send a download link instead of uploading the video to Instagram
A 420 MB transfer cannot go through a story or DM in its original form. You can share the link without registering.
Start sending