The fastest way to copy an Instagram comment

On most phones and computers, you can copy an Instagram comment by pressing and holding it until a menu appears, then selecting copy. The exact steps depend on whether you are using the Instagram app, a web browser, or a third-party tool.

Instagram's built-in copy function works on both iOS and Android. If you are reading comments on a desktop computer, the process is slightly different — you may need to right-click instead of long-press. Some comments contain links or special formatting that may not copy exactly as they appear on screen.

Key Takeaways

  • Press and hold a comment on the Instagram app until a menu appears, then tap Copy to save it to your clipboard.
  • On a computer, right-click the comment text and select Copy from the menu that appears.
  • Copied text goes to your device's clipboard and can be pasted into messages, notes, or documents.
  • Instagram does not provide a way to copy multiple comments at once, so you will need to copy each one separately.
  • Comments with links, emojis, or special characters usually copy correctly, but formatting like bold or italic text may not transfer.

Copying comments on the Instagram app

Open the Instagram app and find the post whose comments you want to copy. Scroll down to the comment section and locate the specific comment you need. Press and hold your finger on the comment text — not on the person's name or profile picture, but on the actual words of the comment itself.

A menu will pop up with several options. Look for the word "Copy" and tap it. The comment text is now saved to your clipboard. You can paste it into any other app by opening that app, tapping where you want the text to go, and selecting Paste from the menu that appears.

If the menu does not appear, try pressing and holding for a full second or two. Some comments may have additional options like Report or Share, but Copy should always be available unless Instagram has restricted that particular comment.

Copying comments on Instagram's website

Go to Instagram.com in your web browser and find the post you want. Scroll down to see the comments section. Locate the comment you need and right-click directly on the comment text with your mouse.

A context menu will appear with options including Copy. Click Copy to save the comment to your clipboard. You can then paste it into a document, email, or any other application on your computer by pressing Ctrl+V (Windows) or Command+V (Mac).

If right-clicking does not work, try clicking once on the comment to select it, then use Ctrl+C or Command+C to copy. Some browsers may require you to triple-click the comment text first to select all of it before copying.

What happens to formatting when you copy

When you copy an Instagram comment, the plain text transfers to your clipboard, but special formatting usually does not. If someone wrote a comment using Instagram's text styling tools — like bold, italic, or strikethrough — those styles will not appear in the copied version. You will get only the words themselves.

Emojis, line breaks, and hashtags copy correctly and will appear exactly as they were in the original comment. Links also copy as clickable text, though the link destination stays the same regardless of how it appeared on Instagram. If a comment contains a mention (like @username), it copies as plain text without the link to that person's profile.

Copying comments with links or special characters

Comments that include URLs, hashtags, or @ mentions copy as regular text. The link itself transfers to your clipboard, but when you paste it into another app, it may or may not be clickable depending on that app's settings. Most messaging apps and email clients will recognize a pasted URL and make it clickable automatically.

Special characters like emojis, accented letters, and symbols copy without any problems. If you are copying a comment in another language, the text will paste correctly as long as your device supports that language's character set.

Why you might not be able to copy a comment

If the copy option does not appear when you press and hold a comment, the comment may have been deleted or hidden by Instagram. Comments that violate Instagram's community guidelines are sometimes removed automatically, and you cannot copy text that is no longer visible.

On some older phones or browsers, the copy function may not work reliably. If you are having trouble, try updating your Instagram app or switching to a different browser. If a comment belongs to a private account and you do not follow that person, you may not be able to interact with their comments at all.

Alternatives if the standard copy method does not work

If pressing and holding does not bring up a menu, try taking a screenshot of the comment instead. You can then use your phone's built-in text recognition tool to extract the words from the image. On iPhone, open the screenshot in Photos, tap Edit, and look for a text recognition button. On Android, Google Lens can extract text from images.

Another option is to manually type out the comment if it is short. This is slower but works when the copy function fails. You can also ask the person who wrote the comment to send it to you directly through Instagram's direct message feature.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I copy multiple comments at once?

No. Instagram does not have a feature to select and copy multiple comments together. You will need to copy each comment one at a time using the press-and-hold or right-click method.

Will the person who wrote the comment know I copied it?

No. Instagram does not notify users when someone copies their comment. The copy function is completely private and leaves no trace on the post or in the person's notifications.

Can I copy comments from someone else's private account?

Only if you follow that account and can see the post. If the account is private and you do not follow them, you cannot see their comments or posts at all, so there is nothing to copy.

What if I copy a comment and then the person deletes it?

The text you copied will remain in your clipboard and in any document where you pasted it. Deleting the original comment on Instagram does not affect the copy you already made.

Does copying work the same way on Instagram Stories?

No. Instagram Stories do not have a comments section visible to other users. Only the person who posted the story can see replies, and those replies cannot be copied using the standard method. You would need to take a screenshot instead.