Import from Instagram and TikTok
Paste links to public reels and videos, preview what they contain, and copy them into your library.
Where to find it: Video library → Add media, then the Instagram or TikTok tab.
Paste a link to a public post and Foxr downloads the video and saves a copy in your Shopify Files. It then adds the clip to your library with the post's caption. The copy is yours: it keeps playing even if the original post is deleted.
You need the rights to the video
Only import content you have permission to use: your own posts, or creators' and customers' posts you've licensed. You must tick a confirmation box before you can paste links.
What you can import
| Platform | Works | Doesn't work |
|---|---|---|
Public reels and video posts. Links look like instagram.com/reel/…, /p/…, or /tv/…. For a carousel post, the first video in it is imported. | Private accounts, profile links, stories, and posts with only images. | |
| TikTok | Public videos, such as tiktok.com/@creator/video/…. Short links like vm.tiktok.com/… work too. | Private or removed videos, and photo posts. |
Import a post
On the Add media page, click the Instagram or TikTok tab under Import from.
Tick I confirm that I have obtained the necessary permissions, copyrights, and authorizations. The link box stays locked until you do.
Paste the post's link into the box. You can paste up to 5 links at once, separated by spaces or commas.
Click Find media. Foxr reads the posts, which takes a few seconds, and shows a card for each video it finds: a preview, the first line of the caption, and the creator's @username when it can read it. Nothing is downloaded yet.
Check the cards. Every card starts selected, so click any you don't want to unselect it. Select all and Clear selection change every card at once.
Click Add to library under the cards. It shows how many posts are selected, for example Add 3 to library. Don't use the Add to library button at the top of the page, which is for the Shopify Files tab. Each video is downloaded and uploaded to Shopify Files, one at a time. Longer clips can take a minute each.
Keep the page open
The import runs in your browser tab. If you leave the page before every card shows a result, the remaining posts aren't imported.
Each card shows its progress: Queued, Importing…, and then one of these:
| Badge | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Added | The clip is in your library. |
| Already added | You've imported this post before, so it was skipped. See Importing the same post again. |
| Processing | The video is in Shopify Files but isn't in your library yet. See If a post shows Processing. |
| Failed | The post couldn't be imported. The reason is shown on the card. |
When you're done:
- You imported one post and it was added: its video page opens so you can tag a product.
- Several posts, all added: you're taken back to the library with a Media added banner.
- Anything else: you stay on the page with an Import finished summary, for example 2 added to your library, 1 already in your library, 1 failed.
If a link can't be read at all, a warning above the cards, such as One link could not be read, names the link and the reason. The other links still show as cards.
What gets imported
| Result | |
|---|---|
| The video | A new file in Shopify Files, named after the post, like instagram-C8xYz.mp4 or tiktok-7301234567890.mp4. |
| Name | The first line of the post's caption, with hashtags removed, up to 80 characters. Posts without a caption are named after the creator, like @creator, or the post, like Instagram C8xYz. |
| Caption | The post's full caption, up to 2,000 characters. |
| Status | Active |
| Source | Instagram or TikTok |
The creator's username and the link to the original post aren't kept with the clip.
Importing the same post again
Foxr remembers the posts it has imported. If you paste a link you've already imported, then click Add to library, its card shows Already added. Nothing is downloaded or duplicated.
Foxr recognises a post by the file name it gave the video in Shopify Files. If you've deleted the clip from your library but left the file in Shopify Files, importing the post again adds the clip back from that file without downloading it again. If you've renamed or deleted the file in Shopify Files, Foxr can't tell, and importing the post again downloads a fresh copy and creates a second clip. Delete the duplicate clip if that happens.
Pasting two links to the same post, for example an Instagram /p/ link and /reel/ link, or two TikTok share links, gives you one card.
If a post shows Processing
Shopify sometimes takes longer than usual to prepare a video. If it isn't ready within about 40 seconds, the card shows Processing. The video is in Shopify Files but isn't in your library yet.
To finish it, wait a minute or two, then pick one of these:
Open the Shopify Files tab, click Search, and add the file from there. See Add from Shopify Files. Clips added this way don't get the post's caption, their name is the file name, and they're listed under the Shopify Files source. Rename them on the video page.
Or go back to the Instagram or TikTok tab, paste the same link, click Find media, then Add to library. Once Shopify has finished with the file, Foxr reuses it instead of downloading the video again, and adds it with the post's name and caption. Wait until the file has finished processing first. Foxr can't see a file that's still processing, so it would download the video a second time. If the card shows Processing again, wait a little longer, or use the first option.
If a link doesn't work
| Message says | What to do |
|---|---|
| …could not be found. Check the link and try again. | Open the link in your browser to check it works. Copy it again from the post's Share menu. |
| …is private or unavailable… / …may be private or removed. | Only public posts can be imported. |
| …does not contain a video. | Image-only posts can't be imported. Save the image and upload it instead. |
| Instagram is temporarily limiting requests… | Instagram is rate-limiting imports. Try again in 10–15 minutes. |
| Couldn't read the video from that Instagram post… or …that TikTok post… | The post may be private or image-only, or the platform is blocking automated access. Download the clip yourself and upload it. |
| The video could not be downloaded… The link may have expired — try again. | Too long passed between Find media and adding. Click Find media again, then add. |
| The post could not be reached… | Check the link and your internet connection, then try again. |
| The video download did not finish. Try again. or The downloaded video was empty. Try again. | Try the import again. If it keeps failing, download the clip and upload it instead. |
| None of those look like Instagram post links… | Paste a link to a post, reel, or video, not to a profile. Paste links on the matching tab. |
| That video is larger than 250 MB, which is the import limit. | Download the clip, trim or compress it, and upload it. |
Some messages suggest you "configure a resolver service". That's a setting on our side, not yours. Download the clip and upload it instead, or contact us if imports keep failing.
Only the first 5 links are used
If you paste more than 5 links, the extra ones are ignored. Links that aren't valid are skipped without a message as long as at least one valid link is there. That includes links for the other platform, so paste TikTok links on the TikTok tab and Instagram links on the Instagram tab.
Sidekick can look up links for you
Give Sidekick your post links and it opens this page on the right tab and runs Find media for you. The cards appear, but you still choose which to keep and click Add to library. See Use Foxr with Sidekick.