📸 Instagram Scraper API (Apify Actor)

Scrape Instagram posts, reels, and user data — including 18+ or shadowbanned content — using authenticated cookies and reliable throttling. Ideal for automation, research, or content monitoring projects.

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🚀 Features

• 🔐 Bypasses age-restricted (18+) and shadowbanned content
• 📹 Supports reels, video posts, and captions
• 🕒 Throttled to ~3 seconds/request to avoid rate limits
• 💡 Authenticated via full session cookies for higher access reliability
• 📦 Structured output in JSON format

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📥 Parameters

Key	Type	Required	Description
targets	Array of strings	✅	Instagram post or profile URLs to scrape
instagramCookies	Object	✅	Logged-in session cookies (see below)

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🔐 Getting Instagram Cookies

To scrape restricted content, a valid session is required.

1. Open Instagram in Chrome.

2. Log into your account.

3. Right-click → Inspect → Application → Cookies.

4. Copy the values for:

   • sessionid
   • csrftoken
   • ds_user_id
   • mid
   • ig_did
   • datr

5. Paste them into the instagramCookies object.

🔒 Note: Your cookies are private, sensitive, and expire periodically. Rotate them if requests begin to fail.

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📤 Sample Output

[
  {
    "url": "https://instagram.com/p/ABC123xyzA1/",
    "type": "video",
    "views": 15230,
    "likes": 245,
    "comments": 12,
    "caption": "Push past your limits. Success lives where comfort ends.\n\n#motivation #successmindset #noexcuses #dailygrind #goalcrusher",
    "timestamp": "2025-06-05T23:52:51.485Z",
    "extractionMethod": "fast_api"
  },
  {
    "url": "https://instagram.com/p/ABC123xyzA2/",
    "type": "video",
    "views": 20876,
    "likes": 312,
    "comments": 19,
    "caption": "Consistency is louder than talent.\n\nShow up. Every. Single. Day.\n\n#discipline #focusonyourgoals #grindseason #mentalgrowth #mindsetmatters",
    "timestamp": "2025-06-05T23:52:52.933Z",
    "extractionMethod": "fast_api"
  },
  {
    "url": "https://instagram.com/p/ABC123xyzA3/",
    "type": "video",
    "views": 30455,
    "likes": 427,
    "comments": 25,
    "caption": "Bet on yourself. Nobody’s coming to save you.\n\nTime to level up. 💯\n\n#selfbelief #entrepreneurmindset #buildyourempire #noexcuses",
    "timestamp": "2025-06-05T23:52:55.127Z",
    "extractionMethod": "fast_api"
  },
  {
    "url": "https://instagram.com/p/ABC123xyzA4/",
    "type": "video",
    "views": 17680,
    "likes": 198,
    "comments": 9,
    "caption": "Discomfort creates growth. If it’s easy, it won’t change you.\n\n#growthmindset #hardworkpaysoff #successquotes #mindsetcoach",
    "timestamp": "2025-06-05T23:52:55.270Z",
    "extractionMethod": "fast_api"
  },
  {
    "url": "https://instagram.com/p/ABC123xyzA5/",
    "type": "video",
    "views": 9800,
    "likes": 124,
    "comments": 7,
    "caption": "Silence the noise. Let your progress speak.\n\n#quietgrind #hustlemode #focusonyourself #winningmindset",
    "timestamp": "2025-06-05T23:52:56.190Z",
    "extractionMethod": "fast_api"
  }
]

📌 Notes

The actor automatically detects whether the target is a profile, reel, or post.

You must supply valid cookies for reliable operation.

Instagram’s structure may change — please report bugs or failed extractions.

🧪 Rate Limits & Throttling

⏳ Scraper waits ~3 seconds per request.

🛡️ Helps reduce risk of CAPTCHA or IP blocks.

🏠 Works best with residential or session-aware proxies (optional, but recommended).

⚖️ Legal Notice

This project is intended for educational and research purposes only.

By using this actor, you agree to:

❌ Not use it for automated surveillance or harassment

📜 Comply with Instagram’s Terms of Use

🤝 Use it responsibly and ethically

⚠️ The developer and Apify assume no liability for misuse.