Instagram Downloader Api

Download photos, videos, reels, and carousel posts from Instagram with comprehensive metadata extraction.

Features

• 📥 Multi-format support: Download images, videos, reels, IGTV, and carousel posts
• 📊 Rich metadata: Extract likes, comments, views, captions, hashtags, and mentions
• 🔐 Authenticated access: Use your Instagram cookies for reliable access
• 🤖 Anti-detection: Advanced humanization and stealth techniques
• 💾 Cloud storage: Media files uploaded to Apify key-value store
• 🎥 Quality selection: Choose from best, 720p, 480p, or original quality

Input Configuration

Required Fields

• postUrls (array): List of Instagram post URLs to download
  • Supports: /p/, /reel/, /tv/ URLs
  • Example: https://www.instagram.com/p/ABC123/

Optional Fields

• cookies (string): Instagram authentication cookies in JSON format (REQUIRED for reliable access)
• downloadQuality (string): Video quality preference - best, 720p, 480p, original (default: best)
• downloadMedia (boolean): Download media files to key-value store (default: true)
• extractMetadata (boolean): Extract detailed metadata (default: true)
• sessionName (string): Session identifier for cookie persistence (default: default_session)
• minDelayBetweenRequests (integer): Minimum delay in seconds (default: 3)
• maxDelayBetweenRequests (integer): Maximum delay in seconds (default: 7)
• humanizeBehavior (boolean): Enable anti-detection features (default: true)

How to Get Instagram Cookies

1. Install a cookie export browser extension:

   • Chrome/Edge: Cookie-Editor
   • Firefox: Cookie-Editor

2. Log in to Instagram in your browser

3. Navigate to https://www.instagram.com

4. Click the cookie extension icon and export cookies as JSON

5. Paste the JSON into the cookies input field

Required cookies: sessionid, ds_user_id, csrftoken

Output Format

Each downloaded post contains:

{
  "post_id": "ABC123xyz",
  "post_url": "https://www.instagram.com/p/ABC123xyz/",
  "username": "john_doe",
  "user_url": "https://www.instagram.com/john_doe/",
  "caption": "Amazing sunset! #nature #photography",
  "posted_date": "2025-12-01T12:34:56.000Z",
  "media_type": "video",
  "media_count": 1,
  "media_files": [
    {
      "type": "video",
      "url": "https://...",
      "storage_key": "video_ABC123xyz_0",
      "download_url": "https://api.apify.com/v2/key-value-stores/.../records/...",
      "filename": "ABC123xyz_0.mp4",
      "resolution": "1920x1080",
      "duration": 15.5,
      "filesize_bytes": 2048576
    }
  ],
  "likes_count": 1234,
  "comments_count": 56,
  "views_count": 5678,
  "hashtags": ["nature", "photography"],
  "mentions": ["user1"],
  "download_status": "success",
  "scraped_at": "2025-12-02T10:15:30.000Z"
}

Usage Tips

1. Authentication: Always provide valid cookies for best results
2. Rate Limiting: Increase delays if you encounter blocks (5-10 seconds recommended)
3. Batch Processing: Process 10-20 posts at a time to avoid detection
4. Quality Selection: Use best for highest quality, lower qualities for faster downloads
5. Session Management: Use different session names for different Instagram accounts

Anti-Detection Features

• Firefox browser with custom user preferences
• JavaScript stealth scripts (webdriver hiding)
• Human-like mouse movements and scrolling
• Random delays between requests
• Automatic block detection and handling
• Cookie persistence across runs

Limitations

• Requires valid Instagram authentication cookies
• Rate limited by Instagram (recommended: 3-7 second delays)
• Private accounts require authentication with access
• Stories are not supported (only permanent posts)

Troubleshooting

"Action blocked" errors: Increase delays between requests, ensure cookies are fresh

"No media found": Check if post URL is correct and accessible with your account

Cookie expiration: Re-export cookies from browser (typically valid 30-90 days)

Rate limiting: Reduce number of posts or increase delays

Support

For issues or questions, check the Apify documentation or actor logs for detailed error messages.