🎥 Instagram Reel / Video Downloader — Apify Actor README

Easily download and extract metadata from Instagram videos & reels using this Apify-style actor. This actor tries a combined (video+audio) download first, falls back to separate video/audio streams, and can optionally merge them with ffmpeg. It supports running on Apify (uses Actor.create_proxy_configuration, Actor.push_data) or locally.

---

🧩 Features

• ✅ Accepts one-or-many Instagram post/reel URLs (startUrls) from actor input.
• ✅ Tries to download a combined video+audio format; if unavailable, downloads video-only + audio-only.
• ✅ Optionally merges separate streams with ffmpeg (--merge-if-ffmpeg / merge_if_ffmpeg).
• ✅ Returns rich metadata: title, uploader, upload_date, duration, view_count (when available), thumbnail, chosen formats and direct download links.
• ✅ Works with or without a proxy. Supports Apify proxy / custom proxy configuration from the actor input.
• ✅ Pushes each result to the Apify dataset and writes a metadata JSON (scraped_data.json) when run locally.
• ✅ Safe filename generation and optional download mode (only extract links/metadata by default).

---

Minimal actor.json input example (single URL)

{
  "startUrls": [
    "https://www.instagram.com/reels/DN0TD6u5MhM/"
  ]

 "proxyConfiguration": {
    "useApifyProxy": true,
    "apifyProxyGroups": ["RESIDENTIAL"],
    
  },



}

Full example (proxy + download)

{
  "startUrls": [
    {"url": "https://www.instagram.com/reels/DOQJO_SgROw/"},
    {"url": "https://www.instagram.com/reels/DN0TD6u5MhM/"}
  ],
  "proxyConfiguration": {
    "useApifyProxy": true,
    "apifyProxyGroups": ["RESIDENTIAL"],
    
  },
 
}

---

📦 Example output

[
  {
    "original_url": "https://www.instagram.com/reels/DOQJO_SgROw/",
    "requested_resolution": "1080p",
    "title": "Video by ishowrelatable",
    "uploader": "Relatable | Memes | Tweets",
    "thumbnail": "https://instagram.fsjk2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t51.2885-15/542894350_1248808123685190_2675144480748477897_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e15_tt6&efg=eyJ2ZW5jb2RlX3RhZyI6ImltYWdlX3VybGdlbi42NDB4MTEzNi5zZHIuZjcxODc4LmRlZmF1bHRfY292ZXJfZnJhbWUuYzEifQ&_nc_ht=instagram.fsjk2-1.fna.fbcdn.net&_nc_cat=106&_nc_oc=Q6cZ2QEytinxGa98o6KUhVHmp-r76GNbBHd1qsZo9J6Xv9g5BTWN0NMrkQ5SpYhseHXOCIQ&_nc_ohc=smmaWkJ0WDYQ7kNvwF3dLPZ&_nc_gid=DcOt6zJqTEAXk_TvpuluSg&edm=ANTKIIoBAAAA&ccb=7-5&oh=00_Afcd5OQPPMvVt3dZxQ-HzRmPVGkI84FuNHnFg7ixCTMpRQ&oe=68F39323&_nc_sid=d885a2",
    "duration": 8.033,
    "video_type": "reel",
    "source": "instagram",
    "found_resolution": "1080p",
    "note": "Requested resolution found.",
    "chosen_video_format": {
      "format_id": "dash-9904806552952133v",
      "ext": "mp4",
      "quality_dim": 1080
    },
    "chosen_audio_format": {
      "format_id": "dash-773667121915872ad",
      "ext": "m4a",
      "abr": 67.721
    },
    "download_links": {
      "video_without_audio": "https://instagram.fsjk2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/o1/v/t2/f2/m366/AQP_mMPH4bCGelwcCIZ73Y2kstINezZLYeZ9BNIObHht9ZhRv3MTO94GeJcisWSE3Ssp2uY01Q4y7bOioaKx7t36OwKEE08OhMJknUs.mp4?_nc_cat=100&_nc_oc=AdmgOD0hzQynRIPR6Wku9TaPAA38Uzl8Epi1dxj5MqjI0hqZJ_ak0s96IiYYK8gDQsk&_nc_sid=9ca052&_nc_ht=instagram.fsjk2-1.fna.fbcdn.net&_nc_ohc=uXqWTIkyN_IQ7kNvwEA5v2e&efg=eyJ2ZW5jb2RlX3RhZyI6ImlnLXhwdmRzLmNsaXBzLmMxLUMzLmRhc2hfcjJldmV2cDktcjFnZW4ydnA5X3E5MCIsInZpZGVvX2lkIjpudWxsLCJvaWxfdXJsZ2VuX2FwcF9pZCI6OTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5LCJjbGllbnRfbmFtZSI6ImlnIiwieHB2X2Fzc2V0X2lkIjo3NTg1OTI4NzAyODgxODAsInZpX3VzZWNhc2VfaWQiOjEwMDk5LCJkdXJhdGlvbl9zIjo4LCJ1cmxnZW5fc291cmNlIjoid3d3In0%3D&ccb=17-1&_nc_gid=DcOt6zJqTEAXk_TvpuluSg&_nc_zt=28&oh=00_Aff6-afxahPLQO_46FXmBtfEQf4lHFIHYG4f-GX8wkBCOw&oe=68F3973D",
      "audio": "https://instagram.fsjk2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/o1/v/t16/f2/m69/AQMxv34vbvvB75JQhRJBd3Pk4UbPQtHM04hfnQumqFHeRRri6umqIaySHrl4FWlCH_lsYvTWXd2Z-Jw9ymBlU8Ev.mp4?strext=1&_nc_cat=108&_nc_oc=AdmoqiNAuX-eP92Smezj_o0-ALDR48x3W75EVdyveeORoEWyWMeoXAxCUM6TyN2ROzk&_nc_sid=9ca052&_nc_ht=instagram.fsjk2-1.fna.fbcdn.net&_nc_ohc=IwRd1QqrzcEQ7kNvwH4NDbT&efg=eyJ2ZW5jb2RlX3RhZyI6ImlnLXhwdmRzLmNsaXBzLmMxLUMzLmRhc2hfbG5faGVhYWNfdmJyM19hdWRpbyIsInZpZGVvX2lkIjpudWxsLCJvaWxfdXJsZ2VuX2FwcF9pZCI6OTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5LCJjbGllbnRfbmFtZSI6ImlnIiwieHB2X2Fzc2V0X2lkIjo3NTg1OTI4NzAyODgxODAsInZpX3VzZWNhc2VfaWQiOjEwMDk5LCJkdXJhdGlvbl9zIjo4LCJ1cmxnZW5fc291cmNlIjoid3d3In0%3D&ccb=17-1&_nc_gid=DcOt6zJqTEAXk_TvpuluSg&_nc_zt=28&oh=00_AfcaDY_WjaMsjb0HekK0zshFf4VDDf2hzZZzAFGctlAVUA&oe=68F394EC"
    },
    "available_formats_count": 10
  },
  {
    "original_url": "https://www.instagram.com/reels/DOikk1BgU81/",
    "requested_resolution": "1080p",
    "title": "Video by vinusayz",
    "uploader": "~ZCST",
    "thumbnail": "https://instagram.fcgk4-6.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t51.2885-15/547814256_17900496678272757_4868368506104049791_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e15_tt6&efg=eyJ2ZW5jb2RlX3RhZyI6ImltYWdlX3VybGdlbi41NDB4OTYwLnNkci5mODI3ODcuZGVmYXVsdF9jb3Zlcl9mcmFtZS5jMiJ9&_nc_ht=instagram.fcgk4-6.fna.fbcdn.net&_nc_cat=109&_nc_oc=Q6cZ2QGGPz6-WF9hMk70BBOv6mK8X8v7ZVJ3FIvzVQTHAt7im45DO8PSyTzw3G37jHvI0iw&_nc_ohc=krt7r_9k6fsQ7kNvwF4bAbS&_nc_gid=LlWgF64qS17dQIOvkYmFuQ&edm=ANTKIIoBAAAA&ccb=7-5&oh=00_AfdDYsMxCiiDYdX6g1LQt-0pH3Kd0R6c0wSUWboxbKBTJQ&oe=68F39C63&_nc_sid=d885a2",
    "duration": 9.056,
    "video_type": "reel",
    "source": "instagram",
    "found_resolution": "1080p",
    "note": "Requested resolution found.",
    "chosen_video_format": {
      "format_id": "dash-1453569359247537v",
      "ext": "mp4",
      "quality_dim": 1080
    },
    "chosen_audio_format": {
      "format_id": "dash-796456553324782ad",
      "ext": "m4a",
      "abr": 60.305
    },
    "download_links": {
      "video_without_audio": "https://instagram.fcgk4-4.fna.fbcdn.net/o1/v/t2/f2/m367/AQMCjuegkbOA4h6PX0gzYgaKJNhNHNZIe5tQ7naqBXzhPb9gfmrIZ8C-kMeNgDgrqHA6UqEDYGIrqAqAy5EuR8TqItOa7kBFMrrm52E.mp4?_nc_cat=100&_nc_oc=Adk97A7IzoCt9m3Me4jiercsQ_oTCDTb_EDq6G5enuABL5N8rnaDx-9oM6bGhGFhqbk&_nc_sid=9ca052&_nc_ht=instagram.fcgk4-4.fna.fbcdn.net&_nc_ohc=gBr9pTVWrUUQ7kNvwHBBrpO&efg=eyJ2ZW5jb2RlX3RhZyI6ImlnLXhwdmRzLmNsaXBzLmMyLUMzLmRhc2hfcjJldmV2cDktcjFnZW4ydnA5X3E5MCIsInZpZGVvX2lkIjpudWxsLCJvaWxfdXJsZ2VuX2FwcF9pZCI6OTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5LCJjbGllbnRfbmFtZSI6ImlnIiwieHB2X2Fzc2V0X2lkIjoxNDcwNjQ0NDg0MjU3MTYzLCJ2aV91c2VjYXNlX2lkIjoxMDA5OSwiZHVyYXRpb25fcyI6OSwidXJsZ2VuX3NvdXJjZSI6Ind3dyJ9&ccb=17-1&_nc_gid=LlWgF64qS17dQIOvkYmFuQ&_nc_zt=28&oh=00_AfeEm9dHIJTOEJv3tpN064oXjvYkd0jmKS_ZPR0_Mnz23A&oe=68F396A1",
      "audio": "https://instagram.fcgk4-4.fna.fbcdn.net/o1/v/t16/f2/m69/AQPR9w6tMX-lIdDfpjNMrYXjA9o_tSp1rKgTxBSkPo0wXJwCPYKWzIyJA7hHplwSAG8gR49VRh4AGEM8uo-7xhOe.mp4?strext=1&_nc_cat=103&_nc_oc=AdmrQTP1ZVdT9Dfta5z75ffDvqI2kZuS6Q_8VeolvyeC8WtjuLN6L8iFpKr4vR6q1Ls&_nc_sid=9ca052&_nc_ht=instagram.fcgk4-4.fna.fbcdn.net&_nc_ohc=Icn98VMscwIQ7kNvwGhoY55&efg=eyJ2ZW5jb2RlX3RhZyI6ImlnLXhwdmRzLmNsaXBzLmMyLUMzLmRhc2hfbG5faGVhYWNfdmJyM19hdWRpbyIsInZpZGVvX2lkIjpudWxsLCJvaWxfdXJsZ2VuX2FwcF9pZCI6OTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5LCJjbGllbnRfbmFtZSI6ImlnIiwieHB2X2Fzc2V0X2lkIjoxNDcwNjQ0NDg0MjU3MTYzLCJ2aV91c2VjYXNlX2lkIjoxMDA5OSwiZHVyYXRpb25fcyI6OSwidXJsZ2VuX3NvdXJjZSI6Ind3dyJ9&ccb=17-1&_nc_gid=LlWgF64qS17dQIOvkYmFuQ&_nc_zt=28&oh=00_Aff15ycQccqVoy8tDo_DNmXsVZ5P45W5_0qVNHDwHW8sbw&oe=68F3AAA1"
    },
    "available_formats_count": 10
  }
]