Quick answer: Instagram has no "export to Sheets" button. With IShort, a free Chrome extension, you open any public account's /reels/ page, let it collect the Reels, click Copy, and paste into cell A1 of a Google Sheet. You get one row per Reel with URL, caption, type, views, likes, comments, duration, engagement %, date, hashtags and music (plus shares and saves when Instagram shows them). No API, no business account, no Instagram login. Then build the free Google Sheets template below: paste into the first tab and the summary tab fills itself. Need reach, watch time or demographics for your own Business account on auto-refresh? Use an API connector instead; we compare them below.
What Lands in Your Sheet (the Real Column List)
These are the exact columns IShort writes, in this order. Two groups only appear when the data exists, so the sheet has 11 to 14 columns.
| Column | What it contains | Always there? |
|---|---|---|
| URL | Link to the Reel or post on instagram.com | Yes |
| Caption | Caption text, cut to 100 characters on Copy and 200 in the CSV | Yes |
| Type | Reel, image or carousel | Yes |
| Views | Play count (Instagram hides it on some posts) | Yes |
| Likes | Like count | Yes |
| Comments | Comment count | Yes |
| Shares, Saves | Share and save counts | Only when Instagram returns them for at least one post |
| Duration | Video length, written as "45s" or "1:05" ("N/A" for photos) | Yes |
| Engagement % | (likes + comments) / views x 100, two decimals. Called "Engagement" in the CSV | Yes |
| Date | Post date, e.g. "Sep 3, 2026" | Yes |
| Hashtags | All hashtags in the caption, space-separated | Yes |
| Music | Song or audio title | Yes (blank when none) |
| Transcript | The AI transcript, if you generated one for that Reel | Only when at least one Reel has a transcript |
IShort stores more fields than it exports (for example shortcode, mentions, dimensions and audio type), and uses them for the analytics slides. They are not export columns.
Free Google Sheets Template for Instagram Reels
Build this once and reuse it for every export. It has three tabs, and the formulas look columns up by their header name, so they keep working when the Shares, Saves or Transcript columns appear or disappear.
Tab 1: "Paste here"
Leave it empty. After each export, click cell A1 and paste. The first row is the header row IShort writes.
Tab 2: "Summary"
| What you want | Formula (paste into any cell of the Summary tab) |
|---|---|
| Reels in the export | =COUNTA('Paste here'!A2:A) |
| Average views | =AVERAGE(INDEX('Paste here'!A2:Z,0,MATCH("Views",'Paste here'!A1:Z1,0))) |
| Median engagement % | =MEDIAN(INDEX('Paste here'!A2:Z,0,MATCH("Engagement*",'Paste here'!A1:Z1,0))) |
| Top 10 Reels by views | =SORTN('Paste here'!A2:Z,10,0,MATCH("Views",'Paste here'!A1:Z1,0),FALSE) |
| Breakout Reels (2x average views or more) | =FILTER('Paste here'!A2:A,INDEX('Paste here'!A2:Z,0,MATCH("Views",'Paste here'!A1:Z1,0))>=2*AVERAGE(INDEX('Paste here'!A2:Z,0,MATCH("Views",'Paste here'!A1:Z1,0)))) |
Tab 3: "Charts"
Add two helper columns next to the pasted data, then chart them:
- Weekday:
=TEXT(J2,"ddd")where J2 is the first Date cell. Chart average views per weekday with=AVERAGEIF(weekday_range,"Mon",views_range), one row per day. - Duration in seconds:
=IF(ISNUMBER(H2),ROUND(H2*1440),IF(RIGHT(H2,1)="s",VALUE(LEFT(H2,LEN(H2)-1)),""))where H2 is the first Duration cell. Google Sheets reads "1:05" as a time on paste; the formula turns it back into 65 seconds. Bucket the result (under 15s, 15-30s, 30-60s, 60s+) and chart average views per bucket.
Column letters move depending on whether Shares and Saves are present, so check the header row once and adjust J2 and H2 if needed. Looker Studio or Tableau: connect this Google Sheet as a data source, or import the CSV directly.
IShort vs Instagram API Connectors
Most results for "Instagram insights to Google Sheets" are API connectors (Coupler.io, Supermetrics, Coefficient and similar). They do a different job. Pick by what you need:
| IShort (Copy / CSV) | API connectors | |
|---|---|---|
| Works on accounts you don't own | Yes, any public account | No, only accounts you connect |
| Needs a Business account + Meta login | No | Yes |
| Reach, watch time, demographics | No (not public) | Yes, for your own account |
| Auto-refresh on a schedule | No, you export when you want | Yes |
| Setup time | Install the extension, open the Reels page | Connect accounts and authorise Meta |
| Price | Free plan: 500 reels included; paid from $10/month | Varies; check each vendor's pricing page |
Step-by-Step: Copy Instagram Reels Data into Google Sheets
- Install IShort from the Chrome Web Store (free, also works on Edge).
- Open instagram.com/username/reels/ for your account or any public account.
- Let IShort collect the Reels: scroll the grid, or press IShort's Scroll button to load the rest automatically.
- Open the IShort side panel from the toolbar icon. You will see every collected Reel with its stats.
- Click Copy (for Google Sheets) or CSV (for a file).
- Paste into cell A1 of the "Paste here" tab (Ctrl+V or Cmd+V). One row per Reel, header row included.
CSV Export vs. Copy to Clipboard
| Button | Best for | Format | Caption length |
|---|---|---|---|
| CSV | Excel, Numbers, archiving, Tableau | .csv file named reels_account_timestamp.csv | Up to 200 characters |
| Copy | Google Sheets, quick sharing | Tab-separated text | Up to 100 characters, line breaks removed |
Export Limits by Plan
| Plan | Reels you can collect and export | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 500 reels (one-time allowance) | $0 |
| Hobby | 10,000 reels per billing month | $10/month |
| Creator | Unlimited | $29/month |
Note: the limit counts Reels collected, not exports. You can press Copy or CSV as often as you like on Reels you have already collected.
Real Use Cases for Exporting Instagram Reels Data
Client Reporting
Export data monthly to create performance reports for clients. Show them exactly which content drives results, with real numbers to back it up.
Content Audits
Export all your Reels from the past 6 months and analyze patterns. What topics get the most engagement? What posting times work best?
Trend Tracking
Export weekly to track how your metrics change over time. See if your engagement rate is improving or if certain content types are declining.
Team Sharing
Export to CSV and share with your team for collaborative analysis. Everyone can filter and sort the data in their preferred tool.
Competitive Analysis
Export data from competitor profiles to benchmark your performance. See what types of content work in your niche.
Hashtag Research
Export data and filter by hashtags to see which ones correlate with higher views and engagement for your content.
What You Can Learn from Exported Data
- Outliers: sort by Views to find your top performers, then study their topic, hook and format.
- Length: bucket the Duration column (see the template) to see which length your audience rewards.
- Hashtags: filter the Hashtags column for a tag and compare average views with and without it.
- Audio: filter the Music column to compare Reels that used the same song or original audio.
- Trend: export monthly and track how median engagement % moves. See the Reels monthly report template.
Export vs. Instagram's Native Data Download
Instagram offers a "Download Your Information" feature in settings, but it's not designed for analytics. Here's how IShort's export compares:
| Feature | IShort Export | Instagram Data Download |
|---|---|---|
| Export Speed | Instant | Up to 48 hours wait |
| Format | Clean CSV/TSV ready for analysis | JSON files requiring technical parsing |
| Metrics Included | 11-14 columns per Reel, including engagement % | Basic post data, no metrics |
| Works on Other Profiles | Yes (any public account) | No (only your own data) |
| Ease of Use | One click | Multiple steps, technical knowledge required |
Other Ways to Use the Export
Excel: click CSV and open the file. Captions are wrapped in quotes, so commas inside them stay in one cell.
Tableau or Looker Studio: import the CSV, or connect the Google Sheet as a data source so each new paste updates your report.
Competitor exports: open a competitor's Reels page and export the same way; private accounts are not accessible. See the Instagram profile analyzer guide.
Scheduled exports: not supported. IShort runs when you open it; set a weekly reminder and paste into the same template.
Agencies: the Creator plan has no Reel cap. Keep one template per client and combine them with IMPORTRANGE.
Privacy & Data Security
IShort only reads data Instagram already shows in your browser. It never asks for your Instagram password. Collected post data is stored in your browser, and Copy and CSV are created on your computer; the export itself is not uploaded anywhere. (AI transcripts are the exception: the audio of a Reel you choose to transcribe is processed on IShort's servers.)
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I export my Instagram Reels data?
Export Instagram Reels data by installing the free IShort Chrome extension, opening your /reels/ tab, scrolling to collect, then clicking CSV or Copy. CSV saves to disk; Copy pastes straight into Sheets or Excel. You get 11-14 columns per Reel.
What data points does IShort export for each Reel?
IShort exports these columns per Reel: URL, Caption, Type, Views, Likes, Comments, Shares and Saves (when Instagram returns them), Duration, Engagement %, Date, Hashtags, Music, and Transcript (when one exists). That is 11 to 14 columns.
Is there a limit to how many Reels I can export?
Yes. Free covers your first 500 reels (one-time allowance), Hobby ($10/mo) covers 10,000 per billing month, and Creator ($29/mo) is unlimited. Paid limits renew with each monthly payment, and you can export as many times as you like. Below: tier-by-tier comparison.
Can I export data from other people's Instagram accounts?
Yes, IShort works on any public Instagram profile. Visit their Reels tab, scroll to collect data, and export. This is useful for competitor analysis, client reporting, or researching content in your niche.
What file format is the CSV export?
Standard .csv (comma-separated values) format that opens in Excel, Google Sheets, Numbers, and any spreadsheet application. The filename format is: reels_{account}_{date}.csv
How is clipboard export different from CSV export?
Clipboard export copies tab-separated data directly to your clipboard, which you can paste into Google Sheets or Excel without downloading a file. It's faster for quick analysis. CSV export downloads a file to your computer, which is better for archiving or sharing.
Does IShort export Instagram Stories or Posts data?
It exports Reels, photo posts and carousels from a profile (the Type column tells them apart). It does not export Stories.
Can I automate exports on a schedule?
Not yet. You need to manually trigger each export. However, exporting is instant (one click), and you can export as frequently as you want.
Will Instagram ban me for using IShort to export data?
No. IShort only reads publicly visible data that Instagram already shows in your browser. It never asks for your Instagram password and never acts on your account.