How to copy text from an Instagram post on Mac
Open the post on instagram.com, press ⌘ ⇧ 2 and drag over the text in the photo or video; it is in your clipboard when you let go. It works in any browser, in carousels and in Reels, because Copyable reads the screen rather than the page.
How to do it with Copyable
Open the post in your browser
Click the post to open it large. For a carousel, go to the slide with the text; for a Reel, wait for the frame you need.
Press ⌘ ⇧ 2 and drag over the text
The screen freezes, so a Reel or a story doesn’t move on while you select.
Paste it
The text is in your clipboard the moment you let go, and the panel next to your selection shows it. A web address in the picture shows up as a button you can open.
Without Copyable
The free ways, and where they stop working. If one of them covers what you need, you don’t need an app.
The caption
If the text is in the caption rather than in the picture, select it in the browser and copy it as usual.
Where it stops: Text inside the photo or video can’t be selected.
Google Lens in Chrome
In Chrome, right-click the page, choose Search with Google Lens and drag over the text. Lens can select and copy the text it finds.
Where it stops: Only inside Chrome, and the selected area is sent to Google.
Tips for Instagram
- Quote cards and infographics in a carousel: capture each slide, and the menu bar history keeps them in order.
- Text over a photo reads best when you select only the text, not the picture around it.
- A post in another language? On macOS 15 and later, switch to Translate before you drag.
Questions
Does it work with Stories and Reels?
Yes. Press ⌘ ⇧ 2 when the text is on screen. The screen freezes, so the story doesn’t move on while you select.
Do I need to download the photo?
No. Copyable reads what is on your screen; nothing is downloaded or uploaded.
Can I use it with Instagram on my iPhone?
Only when the iPhone screen is shown on your Mac, for example with iPhone Mirroring on macOS 15. On the iPhone itself, take a screenshot and use Live Text in Photos.
Copy text from anything on your screen
Copyable reads the text in any area you select with ⌘ ⇧ 2, on your Mac, without uploading anything. $4.99 once, plus tax where it applies. Requires macOS 14 Sonoma or later, Apple silicon or Intel.
Buy for $4.99