The Instagram app doesn't have a copy button for comments, so open the post in a web browser instead. On a computer, sign in on Instagram's website, highlight the comment with your mouse and copy it. On a phone, copy the post's link, open it in Chrome or Safari and long-press the comment text to select it.
Here's why the app won't help. In most versions, pressing and holding a comment brings up actions like reply and report (and on your own posts, pin, hide or delete) rather than a text selector. So the trick is to read the same comment somewhere that treats it as normal text, and a browser does exactly that.
Which route works on your device
| Device | The route that works | Copies emoji and line breaks? |
|---|---|---|
| Computer (Windows or Mac) | Open the post on Instagram's website, highlight and copy | Yes |
| iPhone or Android, in a browser | Copy the post link, open it in Chrome or Safari, long-press the text | Yes |
| iPhone, from a screenshot | Live Text in the Photos app | Often not |
| Android, from a screenshot | Google Lens or Circle to Search | Often not |
| Your own past comments | Your activity, then Comments, then open the post | Depends which route you use next |
Copy a comment on a computer
This is the easiest route and the most reliable one.
- Open your browser and go to Instagram's website.
- Sign in to your account if you aren't already.
- Find the post, either through the profile it's on or by pasting the post's link into the address bar.
- Open the comments and scroll to the one you want. Click 'View replies' if it's a reply.
- Click just before the first word, hold the mouse button down and drag to the end of the comment.
- Press Ctrl and C on Windows, or Cmd and C on a Mac, then paste it wherever you need it.
If the highlight keeps grabbing the username or the 'Reply' button too, don't worry about it. Paste it into a notes app first and trim the extra words there.
Long comments sometimes show a 'more' link that cuts the text off. Click it before you start highlighting, otherwise you'll only copy the first part. The same goes for replies hidden under 'View replies': open them first so the full thread is on screen.
Copy a comment on your phone using the browser
You don't need a computer for this. The phone's own browser does the same job.
- In the Instagram app, open the post and tap the three dots on it.
- Tap Copy link.
- Open Chrome or Safari and paste the link into the address bar.
- If the browser asks you to sign in, do it. Some posts won't show comments until you do.
- Scroll to the comment, then press and hold on one of its words until the selection handles appear.
- Drag the handles to cover the whole comment and tap Copy.
If your phone keeps bouncing you back into the Instagram app when you open the link, paste it into a private or incognito tab instead. That usually keeps it in the browser.
Copy the text from a screenshot
When you only need the words and you're in a hurry, a screenshot works too. Take a screenshot of the comment, then:
- On iPhone: open the screenshot in the Photos app and press and hold on the text. Live Text lets you select the words and tap Copy.
- On Android: open the screenshot and tap the Google Lens icon, or use Circle to Search on phones that have it, then select the text and copy it.
The catch with screenshots: the browser route is the only one that copies emoji and line breaks exactly as they were written. Text recognition from a screenshot can drop emoji completely, run separate lines together and misread usernames, especially ones with underscores, dots or numbers. If the exact wording matters, for example you're quoting a customer's review or keeping a record of something, use the browser.
A tip if you copy comments often, for example to collect customer feedback: paste them into one running note with the date and the post they came from. When you want to quote one later, you'll know exactly where it lives and when it was written, and you won't have to scroll back through months of posts to find it again.
Finding your own past comments
If the comment you want to copy is one you wrote, you don't have to remember which post it was on. Instagram keeps a list.
- Go to your profile and tap the menu (three lines).
- Tap Your activity.
- Tap Comments to see the comments you've made.
- Tap one to open the post it's on, then copy the post link and use the browser route above.
Menu names shift between app versions. If you can't see these exact words, search your settings for 'Your activity' and it'll take you to the right place.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
While you're there, you might want to tidy up. If you'd like a good comment to stay at the top of your own post, here's how to pin a comment on Instagram. And if you're replying to someone, tagging them in your comment makes sure they see it.
Be kind with what you copy
Copying a comment is easy. Reposting is a different matter. If you quote someone's comment publicly, in a post, a story or a screenshot on another platform, you can expose them to attention they never asked for. That's fine for a glowing review you've been given permission to share. It's not fine for a stranger's offhand remark.
My rule is simple: if the person would be surprised to see their words somewhere else, ask them first. For business accounts, a quick 'Can I share this?' reply under the comment usually gets a happy yes, and it builds goodwill at the same time.
If you're cleaning up comments across platforms rather than copying them, my guide on deleting comments on TikTok covers that side.
What I'd do
I'd skip the app entirely and use the browser on whatever device is in my hand. It's the only route that keeps every emoji and line break, and it takes less than a minute once you've done it once.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I copy a comment in the Instagram app?
In most versions, pressing and holding a comment opens actions like reply and report rather than a text selector, so there's no copy option. Open the post in a web browser instead.
Can I copy an Instagram comment with emoji?
Yes, if you use a browser. The browser route keeps emoji and line breaks as they were. Copying from a screenshot often drops them.
How do I find a comment I wrote a while ago?
Go to your profile, tap the menu, then Your activity and Comments. Tap a comment to open the post it's on.
Is it okay to repost someone's comment?
Ask first. Quoting someone's comment publicly can expose them to attention they didn't expect, so get their permission before you share it.
