Facebook Profile Scraper

What is Facebook Profile Scraper?

Facebook Profile Scraper collects Facebook posts, profile photos, and reels into a structured dataset. Choose a scraping mode, paste Facebook URLs or numeric IDs, and set how many results you want—then review, export, or use the data through the Apify API.

Use it to research public content, compare reel performance, monitor page engagement, or collect photo references. Start with one source and 20 results; you can schedule recurring runs and connect the output to your existing workflow when you're ready.

What can you do with this Facebook scraper?

• 📝 Collect page posts and individual posts, including captions, timestamps, author details, media references, and engagement counts when available.
• 📸 Scrape profile photos with photo IDs and image URLs, displayed as previews in the dataset.
• 🎬 Extract profile reels with descriptions, thumbnails, video links, duration, plays, and engagement metrics when available.
• 🔗 Use URLs or numeric IDs, with automatic profile resolution for photos and reels.
• 📚 Paginate automatically, collecting a limited sample or all results available through the service.
• 📅 Filter page posts by date to focus on a specific publication period.
• 📊 Export structured data as JSON, CSV, or Excel for spreadsheets, reporting, and analysis.

On Apify, you also get run history, logs, scheduling, API access, and integrations with tools such as Make and Zapier.

Choose the mode that matches your source: posts mode supports public page feeds and individual post links. Photos and reels modes accept profile URLs or profile IDs. Personal profile post feeds are not supported.

How to scrape Facebook posts, photos, and reels

1. Open the Actor in Apify Console and select the Input tab.
2. Choose 📝 Posts, 📸 Photos, or 🎬 Reels under Scraper mode.
3. Add your Facebook URLs or numeric IDs to Facebook URLs or IDs. You can add multiple sources in one run.
4. Set Maximum results per source. Start with 20 to preview the output, or enable Parse all results to collect everything available through pagination.
5. For page posts, optionally choose a Start date and End date. Leave them empty if you don't want a date filter.
6. Click Start and follow progress in the run logs.
7. Open the dataset to review your results. Choose the Photos view for image previews or Reels for thumbnails, video links, and engagement.
8. Export the dataset or retrieve it through the API.

Each run uses one scraping mode. Run the Actor separately for posts, photos, and reels if you need all three.

Input settings

Setting	JSON field	What it does
🎯 Scraper mode	scraperMode	Choose posts, photos, or reels. Defaults to posts.
🔗 Facebook URLs or IDs	urls	Required list of source URLs or numeric IDs. Use strings for IDs.
📌 Maximum results per source	maxResults	Positive integer limiting saved items for each source. The input schema default is 20.
♾️ Parse all results	parseAllResults	Continue until no more results are available. Defaults to false; when enabled, overrides maxResults.
📅 Start date	startDate	Optional inclusive start date in YYYY-MM-DD format. Applies to page posts only.
🗓️ End date	endDate	Optional inclusive end date in YYYY-MM-DD format. Applies to page posts only.

The result limit applies per source, not to the entire run. Three sources with maxResults: 20 can produce up to 60 items. Sources with fewer available items return fewer results.

Direct post links return one post each, regardless of the result limit or date filters. Photos and reels ignore date filters. When both dates are supplied for posts, the start date must not be later than the end date.

For predictable API runs, set maxResults explicitly. The schema default is 20; if input reaches the scraper without that field or schema defaults, its runtime fallback is 100.

Which Facebook links are supported?

Mode	Input examples
Posts: page feed	https://www.facebook.com/facebook/ or a numeric page ID such as 100064860875397
Posts: individual content	A full post permalink, photo link, video link, or reel link
Photos	A profile URL or numeric profile ID
Reels	A profile URL such as https://www.facebook.com/zuck or a numeric profile ID

Posts mode recognizes /posts/ links, group post permalinks, permalink.php and story.php URLs with story_fbid, photo links, video/watch/reel links, /share/p/, /share/v/, /share/r/, and fb.watch links. Facebook mobile subdomains are supported. Link recognition does not guarantee that the service can retrieve the content.

A page tab such as /facebook/posts/ remains a page input. Numeric IDs in posts mode identify pages, not individual posts. In photos and reels modes, provide the profile itself rather than a link to one photo or reel.

Input and output examples

The following examples illustrate the output structure. Media URLs are placeholders, and fields and values vary with the content returned by the service.

📸 Scrape Facebook photos

Use a numeric profile ID to collect photos without an initial profile URL lookup:

{
    "scraperMode": "photos",
    "urls": ["100008483409625"],
    "maxResults": 20,
    "parseAllResults": false
}

Example dataset item:

{
    "type": "page_photo",
    "id": "4303979329894805",
    "uri": "https://example.com/photo.jpg",
    "scraperMode": "photos",
    "sourceInput": "100008483409625",
    "profile_id": "100008483409625",
    "collection_id": "collection-returned-by-service"
}

The Photos dataset view displays uri as an image preview, alongside the photo ID, profile ID, and source. Pagination automatically passes the cursor and collection ID from the previous response.

🎬 Scrape Facebook reels

Provide a profile URL. The Actor resolves the profile's reels collection before fetching the videos:

{
    "scraperMode": "reels",
    "urls": ["https://www.facebook.com/zuck"],
    "maxResults": 20,
    "parseAllResults": false
}

Example dataset item:

{
    "type": "reel",
    "video_id": "1065929982895611",
    "post_id": "10117982926388161",
    "url": "https://www.facebook.com/reel/1065929982895611/",
    "description": "A creator update.",
    "timestamp": 1790208566,
    "length_in_seconds": 122.176,
    "browser_native_hd_url": "https://example.com/reel.mp4",
    "thumbnail_uri": "https://example.com/thumbnail.jpg",
    "play_count": 4400000,
    "comments_count": 31136,
    "reactions_count": 197024,
    "reshare_count": 12000,
    "author": {
        "id": "4",
        "name": "Mark Zuckerberg",
        "url": "https://www.facebook.com/zuck",
        "profile_picture_url": "https://example.com/author.jpg"
    },
    "scraperMode": "reels",
    "sourceInput": "https://www.facebook.com/zuck",
    "profile_id": "4"
}

The Reels view puts thumbnails, captions, reel links, HD video links, duration, plays, and engagement metrics together in one table.

📝 Scrape Facebook page posts

Collect page posts within a date range:

{
    "scraperMode": "posts",
    "urls": ["https://www.facebook.com/facebook/"],
    "maxResults": 20,
    "parseAllResults": false,
    "startDate": "2026-01-01",
    "endDate": "2026-01-31"
}

Example dataset item:

{
    "post_id": "123456789012345",
    "type": "post",
    "url": "https://www.facebook.com/facebook/posts/123456789012345",
    "message": "An update from our community.",
    "timestamp": 1768478400,
    "comments_count": 25,
    "reactions_count": 300,
    "reshare_count": 12,
    "author": {
        "id": "100064860875397",
        "name": "Facebook",
        "url": "https://www.facebook.com/facebook",
        "profile_picture_url": "https://example.com/facebook.jpg"
    }
}

Posts can also include reaction breakdowns, rich text, image and video objects, album previews, external links, attached posts or events, and comment/share identifiers. Direct-post responses can contain additional fields, such as authors and top_comments, when supplied by the service.

Each content item becomes one dataset row. Photos and reels include the source input and resolved profile ID; post objects retain their upstream structure. Profile lookup details such as biographies are not saved as separate results.

How much does scraping Facebook cost?

Check this Actor's Pricing tab for its current billing model, rates, and any trial offer. The number of results you can collect within your budget depends on those rates and your Apify plan. Any free usage depends on current trial offers and the credits available in your account.

Start with one source and maxResults: 20, review the output and run charges, then scale up. For example, collecting up to 20 items from each of 10 sources gives you a target of up to 200 saved items. This describes the collection size, not a guaranteed price: consult the Pricing tab for which results, events, or resources are billed.

To keep usage predictable:

• Set a result limit before running a large source list.
• Enable Parse all results only when you need the full available history.
• Use date filters for page posts when you're researching a specific period.
• Review a small run before creating a recurring schedule.

Facebook scraper API and integrations

Use the Actor's API tab to copy a request for this Actor or find examples for your preferred language. API runs accept the same JSON input shown above.

A typical automated workflow starts a run, waits for completion, and retrieves items from the run's default dataset. You can use those results in Python, JavaScript, spreadsheets, or a reporting pipeline.

With Apify, you can also:

• Schedule recurring runs to collect content at regular intervals.
• Connect Make or Zapier to move results into other tools.
• Use webhooks to trigger the next step when a run finishes.
• Export datasets for content analysis and engagement reporting.

For setup options, see Apify integrations.

Frequently asked questions

Can I scrape personal Facebook profile posts?

Personal profile post feeds are not supported. Posts mode collects public page feeds or retrieves individual content links when available. Photos and reels modes collect the media available through the profile endpoints.

Can I collect all photos or reels from a profile?

Enable parseAllResults to keep following pagination until the service returns no more results. This collects everything the service makes available, which may be less than the full content visible to a logged-in Facebook user. The Actor also stops photo or reel pagination if a cursor repeats.

Can I filter photos or reels by date?

Date filters apply only to page posts. For photos and reels, filter the exported data afterward where the output contains a suitable date. Photo results do not include a publication timestamp in the documented response.

Does the Actor download photos and videos?

It saves media URLs and metadata. It does not download image or video files. Facebook media URLs may expire, so retrieve the files separately if you need a lasting copy and have permission to keep it.

Does it scrape comments or profile biographies?

It can return comment counts and any comment previews included in a post response. It does not paginate full comment threads. Profile details are used to resolve media collections; biographies and other profile details are not saved as profile records.

For dedicated comment collection or page details, use the related Actors below.

Why did my run return fewer results than requested?

maxResults is an upper limit. A source may have fewer accessible items, the date range may exclude posts, or the service may stop providing pagination. Private, deleted, and restricted content may be unavailable. An empty first page without a cursor is checked once more after three seconds before the Actor finishes with no items.

What happens if a request fails?

The Actor makes up to four attempts per request, with a 30-second timeout for each attempt. Rate-limit responses use short cooldowns or the provider's Retry-After value. Explicit quota exhaustion or a requested cooldown longer than 60 seconds stops retries with an error.

Check the run logs for the affected source and request. A failed source stops further processing; items already saved remain in the dataset. To retry, start another run with the affected sources. Restarting does not resume pagination from the previous run and may collect the same items again.

What does “Missing RapidAPI key” mean?

The Actor requires RAPID_API_KEY or RAPIDAPI_KEY in its environment. If you run your own copy, configure the key there rather than in the input JSON. If you encounter this error on the hosted Store Actor, report it through the Actor's Issues tab so the maintainer can check its configuration.

What should I check when a Facebook URL fails?

Confirm that the selected mode matches the input: page or post links for posts, profile URLs or IDs for photos and reels. For an individual post, try the full permalink instead of a shared or shortened link. Check date order and the logs for quota, rate-limit, or access errors.

How should I use the collected data?

Collect and use content you are permitted to access, in accordance with applicable laws, privacy obligations, and Facebook's terms. Public availability does not by itself grant permission to republish media or use personal data for every purpose.

More Facebook Actors

Extend your workflow with these related tools:

Actor	Use it for
Facebook Posts Scraper	A dedicated workflow for page posts and individual post links.
Facebook Comments Scraper	Collecting comments and optional reply threads from Facebook posts.
Facebook Pages Scraper	Collecting Facebook page details for research and enrichment.

Support and feedback

For a bug report or feature request, open the Actor's Issues tab. Include the run ID, selected mode, source URL or ID, and a short description of what you expected. Remove credentials and unnecessary personal information before sharing input or logs.

For a custom workflow, describe the sources, fields, and output you need so the maintainer can assess the request.