How to find a video you saw on Instagram
If you only watched it, look in ☰ → Your activity → Watch history, which shows recently watched Reels. If you liked it, open Likes; if you saved it, Saved; if you sent it to someone, the chat.
Step by step
- On Instagram, tap your profile picture and then the menu ☰.
- Open Your activity and then Watch history.
- Scroll through the Reels you watched recently or use the date filters to get to the day you watched it.
Not in your watch history?
Reels watch history came to Instagram in October 2025 and shows what you watched recently, not everything that has ever crossed your screen. If it doesn't help, search based on what you did with the video:
- Liked it: ☰ → Your activity → Likes.
- Saved it: ☰ → Saved. See how to search there.
- Sent it to someone: look in your Direct or WhatsApp chat.
If the Watch history menu doesn't show up, update the app: the feature is rolling out gradually to all accounts.
Search for what you remember
In Instagram search, pair the subject with a concrete detail. “Blue counter restaurant Curitiba” finds more than “good restaurant”. Open the results and check that it's the same video: similar covers can fool you.
If what stuck with you was the audio, follow the guide to find a Reel by what was said.
When the video won't open anymore
If the link doesn't open, the creator may have deleted the Reel or closed the account. In that case, it's not coming back, and no app that asks for your password can recover it. For an old Reel that still exists, use the walkthrough to find a Reel saved months ago.
Sources
Reels watch history was announced by Instagram and detailed by 9to5Mac in October 2025.
