# Instagram Highlight Scraper by ID (`seemuapps/instagram-highlight-by-id-scraper`) Actor

Scrape every story in specific Instagram highlights by ID or URL: images, videos, links, mentions and timestamps, with no need to re-scrape the whole profile.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/seemuapps/instagram-highlight-by-id-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Seemu Scraping](https://apify.com/seemuapps) (community)
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $15.00 / 1,000 results

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

## Instagram Highlight Scraper by ID

Scrape every story inside specific Instagram highlights by ID or URL. Get direct image and video URLs, timestamps, cover images, link stickers and mentions for just the highlights you need, without re-scraping the whole profile. No Instagram account or login required.

### What it does

Paste highlight IDs or highlight URLs and the actor fetches every story in each highlight. Each highlight comes back as one record with its title, owner, cover image and full media list. The output is identical to the [Instagram Highlights Scraper](https://apify.com/seemuapps/instagram-highlights-scraper), so both actors plug into the same pipeline.

### Use cases

- **Refresh a single highlight** - re-check one or two highlights instead of paying to re-scrape every highlight on a profile
- **Instagram highlight downloader** - save the videos and photos from a highlight link someone shared with you
- **Monitor key highlights** - track a brand's "Shop", "Reviews" or "Events" highlight for new stories on a schedule
- **Content archiving** - back up specific highlight media before it gets edited or removed
- **Data pipelines** - feed known highlight IDs from your own database straight into a scheduled run

### Input

| Field | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `highlightIds` | `string[]` | ✅ | Up to 200 highlight IDs or highlight URLs per run |

Accepted formats:

- `17952910013961201`
- `https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17952910013961201/`
- `highlight:17952910013961201`

You can find highlight IDs in the `highlightId` field of the [Instagram Highlights Scraper](https://apify.com/seemuapps/instagram-highlights-scraper) output, or in the URL when you open a highlight on instagram.com.

#### Example input

```json
{
  "highlightIds": [
    "17952910013961201",
    "https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/18036562457442549/"
  ]
}
```

### Free tier vs. paid

Free runs are capped at **20 highlights per run** to help cover data costs. Upgrade to any paid plan on the actor's pricing page to remove the cap.

### Output

One dataset record per highlight reel. Each record contains the highlight metadata and a `stories` array with every media item inside it:

```json
{
  "username": "natgeo",
  "highlightId": "17854360229135492",
  "title": "Expeditions",
  "coverUrl": "https://cdninstagram.com/...",
  "mediaCount": 12,
  "stories": [
    {
      "id": "3863446781711360305",
      "mediaType": "image",
      "imageUrl": "https://cdninstagram.com/...",
      "timestamp": 1774778766,
      "links": ["https://example.com/promo"],
      "mentions": ["someuser"]
    },
    {
      "id": "3863626320286590396",
      "mediaType": "video",
      "imageUrl": "https://cdninstagram.com/...thumb.jpg",
      "videoUrl": "https://cdninstagram.com/....mp4",
      "timestamp": 1774800158
    }
  ]
}
```

#### Highlight fields

| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| `username` | `string` | Instagram username |
| `highlightId` | `string` | Instagram highlight reel ID |
| `title` | `string` | Title of the highlight reel |
| `coverUrl` | `string` | Direct URL to the highlight cover image |
| `mediaCount` | `number` | Number of stories returned for the highlight |
| `stories` | `object[]` | All media items in this highlight (see below) |

#### Story item fields

| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| `id` | `string` | Instagram media ID |
| `mediaType` | `"image" \| "video"` | Media type |
| `imageUrl` | `string` | Direct URL to the thumbnail or full image |
| `videoUrl` | `string` | Direct URL to the video file (video only) |
| `timestamp` | `number` | Unix timestamp (seconds) when the item was posted |
| `links` | `string[]` | URLs from link stickers (omitted if none) |
| `mentions` | `string[]` | Usernames tagged in the item (omitted if none) |

### Notes

- Only highlights on **public** profiles are supported
- Highlight IDs that don't exist (deleted, private or mistyped) are skipped and not charged
- Instagram hides some stories from some viewers (for example, stories with music that isn't licensed in every region). The actor re-checks highlights with licensed music to recover them, and `mediaCount` is always the number of stories actually returned
- Maximum **200 highlights** per run

### Related Instagram actors

Part of a complete Instagram scraping toolkit - explore the rest of the suite:

- [Instagram Profile Scraper](https://apify.com/seemuapps/instagram-profile-scraper) - Profile metadata for any public account
- [Instagram Posts & Reels Scraper](https://apify.com/seemuapps/instagram-posts-scraper) - All posts and Reels from a profile
- [Instagram Post Details Scraper](https://apify.com/seemuapps/instagram-post-details-scraper) - Full details for any post or Reel by URL
- [Instagram Comments Scraper](https://apify.com/seemuapps/instagram-comments-scraper) - All comments on a post or Reel
- [Instagram Post Likers Scraper](https://apify.com/seemuapps/instagram-post-likers-scraper) - Users who liked a post or Reel
- [Instagram Followers Scraper](https://apify.com/seemuapps/instagram-followers-scraper) - Followers and following lists
- [Instagram Hashtag Scraper](https://apify.com/seemuapps/instagram-hashtag-scraper) - Top posts and Reels for any hashtag
- [Instagram Location Posts Scraper](https://apify.com/seemuapps/instagram-location-posts-scraper) - Posts tagged at any location
- [Instagram Tagged Posts Scraper](https://apify.com/seemuapps/instagram-tagged-posts-scraper) - Posts a profile is tagged in
- [Instagram Reels Search Scraper](https://apify.com/seemuapps/instagram-reels-search-scraper) - Find Reels by keyword
- [Instagram User Search Scraper](https://apify.com/seemuapps/instagram-user-search-scraper) - Discover accounts by keyword
- [Instagram Related Profiles Scraper](https://apify.com/seemuapps/instagram-related-profiles-scraper) - Find similar/suggested profiles
- [Instagram Highlights Scraper](https://apify.com/seemuapps/instagram-highlights-scraper) - All highlights and their stories for any profile
- [Instagram Story Scraper](https://apify.com/seemuapps/instagram-story-scraper) - Active stories for any profile
- [Instagram Email & Phone Scraper](https://apify.com/seemuapps/instagram-contact-scraper) - Emails and phone numbers from profiles
- [Instagram Influencer Analytics Scraper](https://apify.com/seemuapps/instagram-influencer-analytics-scraper) - Engagement rate and creator analytics
- [Instagram MCP Server](https://apify.com/seemuapps/instagram-mcp) - All Instagram tools for AI agents via MCP

# Actor input Schema

## `highlightIds` (type: `array`):

Instagram highlight IDs (e.g. 17952910013961201) or highlight URLs (https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17952910013961201/). Up to 200 per run. Each highlight is one result.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "highlightIds": [
    "https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/18061422875349835/"
  ]
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

One highlight per record. Fields: username, highlightId, title, coverUrl, mediaCount, and stories (id, mediaType, imageUrl, videoUrl, timestamp, links, mentions).

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "highlightIds": [
        "https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/18061422875349835/"
    ]
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("seemuapps/instagram-highlight-by-id-scraper").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = { "highlightIds": ["https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/18061422875349835/"] }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("seemuapps/instagram-highlight-by-id-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "highlightIds": [
    "https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/18061422875349835/"
  ]
}' |
apify call seemuapps/instagram-highlight-by-id-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,seemuapps/instagram-highlight-by-id-scraper"
        }
    }
}
```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/LFa8c5fuyCLbGZxKK/builds/qEjtcrppqYOnt1pig/openapi.json