Check the file
Confirm whether you saved an image or a video
A thumbnail can look like a frame from the Reel, but it is still an image. Check the downloaded file’s type or extension. If it is a JPG, do not count it as a completed video download or simply change its filename.
One user report described a Reel request that had worked before but later returned a JPG thumbnail instead of the video. That single report does not establish why it happened, how often it happens, or whether the same cause applies to other links.
A separate file limit
The size limit is a different check
Files over 200 MB are rejected separately. That size limit does not explain why another downloader might return a JPG.
Next step
Try a public Reel link
Try the instagram reel downloader with a public Reel link. If the request returns an error rather than a video, use the Reels downloader troubleshooting guide.