How to post YouTube videos on Instagram

Illustration showing a Biteable video play button on a screen transferring from a computer to a smartphone, symbolizing content sharing or syncing between devices.

Ever wished you could share a YouTube video on Instagram?

After all, YouTube is pretty popular. It’s the second largest search engine in the world. We watch approximately one billion hours of YouTube a day. Just think about that number for a second. One. Billion. Hours. That’s roughly 1,600 human lifetimes.

It’s a good bet, then, that some of that video content will be perfect for your Instagram audience, either as posts or Instagram stories. However, there’s no direct way to share YouTube videos to Instagram at the moment. That’s why we’ll show you this little-known workaround to upload videos to YouTube. Got your Instagram account ready? Let’s do this.

But before we get technical, there’s something else we need to talk about.

Why would I share YouTube videos to Instagram in the first place?

Why would you want to jump through the hoops to share YouTube videos on Instagram? Here are a few reasons you might consider it.

1. To create a teaser trailer

You can create a teaser trailer for a longer YouTube video and post it to Instagram, then use that to drive traffic back.

Or you can make a trailer for a video you’d like to promote — just make sure you’re giving credit where it’s due. If you run affiliate marketing promotions, this could be something to test and add to your toolkit.

2. To make a mash-up of older videos you own to create a new video

If you’ve been making YouTube content for a while but didn’t keep the original files from years ago, you can download some old favorites and create a mash-up. A trip down memory lane could be something your Instagram followers would love.

3. To use video footage in a transformative way

Under the Fair Use Act you can use videos as long as they’re used for transformative and educational purposes. You can use YouTube footage to illustrate a point or share an educational tidbit. Just make sure you double-check with the laws of the state or country you’re in.

Creating a video especially for Instagram

While creating videos just for Instagram can feel like a bit of a hassle, it doesn’t have to be. With Biteable, you can quickly and easily make gorgeous videos that match your brand colors and look great in your feed.

Just choose one of our Instagram video templates and get started for free.

Alright. Now it’s time to show you the sneaky tech workaround you can use to post a YouTube video to Instagram (and keep your social media feed fresh).

How to post YouTube videos to Instagram: your step-by-step guide

Instagram have made sharing videos from YouTube pretty difficult. Almost impossible, even. But there is a way, if you’re willing to jump through a few hoops. We’ll show you how to do this on your mobile device, but a similar method should be just as easy on your computer.

1. Download the video from YouTube

To do this on your iPhone, go to the App Store and download an app like Video Get. We found it by searching for “YouTube video downloader”, but almost any app that says it can download videos from YouTube will do. You can find a similar YouTube downloader app if you’re on an Android phone, too.

Depending on which app you end up with to download YouTube videos, they should walk you through the exact process of downloading a video from YouTube. Here’s how it works for Video Get.

1. Open up the app and click on File.
Screenshot of a mobile device screen showing an open file manager app with a highlighted video file named "youtube.mp4" and an advertisement at the bottom.
2. Select Download browser.
A screenshot of a file upload menu with options like "camera roll," "Dropbox," "Google Drive," and "Biteable video maker," highlighted by an arrow pointing to "camera roll.

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3. At the bottom of the screen you’ll see the browser box. Type in https://youtube.com, then use YouTube’s search or the video URL to find the video you want to download.
Screenshot of a Biteable video maker thumbnail titled "how to make a video with biteable" showing a stylized hand lifting a cloche, with view count and like buttons displayed.
4. When you click on a video file you want to download, Video Get will create a pop-up. Click Download and you're all set.
Screenshot of a smartphone browser download prompt for Biteable video maker with a highlighted "download" button and other options including a cancel button.

2. Get your YouTube video ready for an Instagram post

Instagram has a few video requirements: mainly, no uploading explicit stuff and you can only post videos to Instagram if they’re between 3 and 60 seconds long. If the YouTube video you want to share is longer, it’s time to do some editing.

If you’re using Video Get you can use their internal video editor to make some adjustments. Or you can use an editing app like FilmoraGo or Instasize.

Next, you need to move your video out of your downloading app and to your Camera Roll. To do that in Video Get, start playing the video, then click on the share icon in the bottom menu.

Screenshot of the Biteable video maker interface showing color adjustment tools and a timeline with a video preview above.
1. Next, click on Save to camera roll. If you’re prompted, the best video format for Instagram is MP4.
A screenshot showing a Biteable video maker digital pop-up menu with options such as "convert to mp3," "edit," "save to camera roll," "add to playlist," and "cancel,
2. Give the video its Instagram-worthy makeover. Add a filter, trim it, or add a custom cover. Make sure you take the video quality into consideration (you don’t want to be uploading low-quality content!).
Screenshot of the Biteable video maker interface displaying the timeline, various filters such as normal, clarendon, and gingham, alongside text editing options.
3. Log into the Instagram app. Add a caption, hashtags, and location tagging if it’s relevant, then hit that Share button.
Screenshot of a social media interface for creating a new post with Biteable video maker, with options to add a caption and share to Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr.

If the video you downloaded isn’t yours, and comes from someone else’s YouTube channel, make sure to attribute it to them and source the original.

Even if you’re just using parts of an original video, attribute where necessary. If you’re not sure, check the laws in your area — it’s always better to be on the right side of copyright law.

Ta-da! You have now done what many think is impossible and shared a YouTube video on Instagram.

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