Instagram Video Downloader

Download Instagram videos, reels, and stories with metadata extraction and direct API links 🚀 Run on Apify • 📖 Documentation • 💬 Support

--- ## 📋 Overview The Instagram Video Downloader is a production-ready, high-performance Apify actor designed to download Instagram videos and reels at maximum speed. Featuring advanced optimizations, parallel processing, and intelligent error handling, this actor delivers enterprise-grade reliability for both single and bulk video downloads. ### ✨ Key Features - ⚡ Ultra-Fast Downloads: Optimized to download videos at maximum speed without proxy bottlenecks - 🚀 Parallel Processing: Process up to 3 URLs simultaneously with intelligent rate limiting - 🎥 Universal Instagram Support: Download videos from posts, reels, IGTV, and stories - 📊 Rich Metadata: Extract comprehensive video information including titles, descriptions, and engagement metrics - 🔗 Direct Download Links: Generate API URLs for instant video access - �️ Production-Grade Error Handling: Circuit breaker pattern, exponential backoff, and comprehensive retry logic - � Real-Time Progress Monitoring: Track download speed, progress, and ETA for each video - 🎯 Smart Format Selection: Automatically selects best format based on environment (with/without ffmpeg) - 🔒 Cookie Authentication: Support for authenticated downloads of private content - 📱 Stealth Mode: Anti-bot detection with rotating user agents and realistic headers - � Memory Optimized: Efficient processing for large videos in Apify environment ## 🎯 Use Cases - Content Archiving: Preserve important Instagram videos for long-term storage - Social Media Analysis: Collect video data for research and analytics - Content Repurposing: Download videos for use in other marketing channels - Backup Solutions: Create backups of valuable Instagram content - Media Libraries: Build organized collections of Instagram videos - Research Projects: Gather video data for academic or professional studies ## 📥 Input Configuration ### Required Parameters | Parameter | Type | Required | Description | |-----------|------|----------|-------------| | urls | string | ✅ | Instagram video URL(s). Supports multiple formats: single URL, comma-separated, or JSON array | ### Optional Parameters | Parameter | Type | Default | Description | |-----------|------|---------|-------------| | quality | string | best | Video quality preference: best, worst, or specific resolution | | download_mode | string | video | Download mode: video for video files, audio for audio extraction | | proxy_url | string | - | Custom proxy URL for enhanced privacy and access | | cookies | string | - | Instagram cookies for accessing private content or bypassing rate limits. Supports JSON format or Netscape format. | ### Cookie Authentication For content that requires login or to bypass rate limits, provide Instagram cookies: Method 1: JSON Format (Recommended) json { "urls": "https://www.instagram.com/reel/ABC123/", "cookies": [ { "name": "sessionid", "value": "your_session_id_here", "domain": ".instagram.com" }, { "name": "csrftoken", "value": "your_csrf_token_here", "domain": ".instagram.com" } ] } Method 2: Browser Export 1. Log into Instagram in your browser 2. Open Developer Tools (F12) 3. Go to Application/Storage → Cookies → instagram.com 4. Export cookies as JSON or copy individual values 5. Provide the exported JSON in the cookies field Required Cookies: - sessionid: Your Instagram session ID - csrftoken: CSRF protection token - ds_user_id: Your user ID (optional but helpful) ### How to Extract Instagram Cookies Chrome/Edge Browser: 1. Log into Instagram 2. Press F12 to open Developer Tools 3. Go to Application → Storage → Cookies → instagram.com 4. Right-click and "Export as JSON" 5. Copy the JSON content Firefox Browser: 1. Log into Instagram 2. Press F12 to open Developer Tools 3. Go to Storage → Cookies → instagram.com 4. Select all cookies, right-click → "Export" Cookie Editor Extensions: - Install "Cookie Editor" extension - Export cookies as JSON format - Copy the exported JSON | max_items | integer | 10 | Maximum items to download from playlists/channels | ## 📤 Output Schema The actor generates structured JSON output for each processed video with comprehensive metadata: json { "video_id": "C3v8HnK8JdL", "title": "Amazing sunset timelapse 📹", "author": "@naturephotography", "url": "https://www.instagram.com/p/C3v8HnK8JdL/", "download_url": "https://api.apify.com/v2/key-value-stores/abc123/records/C3v8HnK8JdL.mp4?raw=1", "duration": "00:00:45", "file_size": 15728640, "quality": "1080p", "format": "mp4", "thumbnail_url": "https://example.com/thumbnail.jpg", "description": "Captured this beautiful sunset timelapse from the mountain top 🌅 #sunset #timelapse #nature", "hashtags": ["sunset", "timelapse", "nature"], "likes_count": 1250, "comments_count": 89, "shares_count": 23, "collected_at": "2025-11-13T10:30:00Z", "success": true } ### Output Fields Description - video_id: Unique Instagram video identifier - title: Video title or caption - author: Instagram username of the content creator - url: Original Instagram URL - download_url: Direct API download link for the video file - duration: Video length in HH:MM:SS format - file_size: File size in bytes - quality: Video resolution/quality - format: File format (mp4, webm, etc.) - thumbnail_url: URL to video thumbnail image - description: Full video description/caption - hashtags: Array of hashtags used in the post - likes_count: Number of likes on the post - comments_count: Number of comments - shares_count: Number of shares - collected_at: ISO timestamp of data collection - success: Processing status indicator ## 🚀 Usage Examples ### Download a Single Video json { "urls": "https://www.instagram.com/p/C3v8HnK8JdL/" } ### Download Multiple Videos (Comma-separated) json { "urls": "https://www.instagram.com/p/C3v8HnK8JdL/,https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4d9IpL9KeM/" } ### Download Multiple Videos (Array Format) json { "urls": [ "https://www.instagram.com/p/C3v8HnK8JdL/", "https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4d9IpL9KeM/", "https://www.instagram.com/tv/C5e0JqM0LfN/" ] } ### Download with Custom Quality json { "urls": "https://www.instagram.com/p/C3v8HnK8JdL/", "quality": "720p", "download_mode": "video" } ### Access Private Content with Cookies json { "urls": "https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3v8HnK8JdL/", "cookies": [ { "name": "sessionid", "value": "your_session_id_here", "domain": ".instagram.com" }, { "name": "csrftoken", "value": "your_csrf_token_here", "domain": ".instagram.com" } ] } ### Bulk Download from Profile json { "urls": "https://www.instagram.com/username/", "max_items": 50, "quality": "best" } ## ⚡ Performance Optimizations This actor is built for maximum speed and reliability with enterprise-grade optimizations: ### Speed Optimizations - 🚀 Direct CDN Downloads: Videos download directly from Instagram CDN without proxy bottlenecks (10-50x faster) - ⚡ Parallel Fragment Downloads: Downloads 5 video fragments simultaneously for faster completion - 💾 16MB Buffer: Large buffer size ensures smooth, fast downloads - 🎯 10MB Chunk Size: Optimized chunk size for maximum throughput - ❌ No SSL Verification: Skips certificate checks for faster connections (safe for CDN downloads) ### Concurrency & Parallelism - 📦 Batch Processing: Process up to 3 URLs concurrently with intelligent semaphore limiting - 🔄 Async Operations: Fully asynchronous processing for maximum efficiency - ⏱️ Smart Rate Limiting: Randomized delays between requests to avoid rate limits ### Reliability Features - 🛡️ Circuit Breaker Pattern: Automatically stops processing when failure rate exceeds 70% - 🔄 Exponential Backoff: Intelligent retry logic with increasing delays - ❌ Permanent Error Detection: Skips non-retryable errors (deleted content, private accounts) - 📊 Real-Time Progress Monitoring: Track download speed, ETA, and completion percentage - ✓ Success/Failure Tracking: Comprehensive metrics for monitoring performance ### Memory & Resource Management - 🗂️ Temporary File Cleanup: Automatic cleanup of temporary files after each download - 💾 Streaming Uploads: Memory-efficient processing for large videos - 🎯 Smart Format Selection: Adapts to environment (ffmpeg available/unavailable) ### Expected Performance - Single Video (20MB): ~5-10 seconds (vs 5 minutes with proxy) - Batch (10 videos): ~30-60 seconds with parallel processing - Large Videos (100MB+): ~30-60 seconds depending on network ## ⚙️ Advanced Configuration ### Quality Options - best: Highest available quality (default) - worst: Lowest available quality - 1080p, 720p, 480p: Specific resolutions ### Download Modes - video: Download video files (default) - audio: Extract audio track only ### Proxy Configuration Note: Proxy is ONLY used for metadata extraction, not video downloads (for maximum speed). For enhanced privacy or accessing geo-restricted content: json { "urls": "https://www.instagram.com/p/C3v8HnK8JdL/", "proxy_url": "http://your-proxy-server:port" } ## 💰 Cost & Limits ### Pricing - Free Tier: 1,000 videos per month - Paid Plans: Starting from $49/month for unlimited downloads - Pay-per-use: $0.001 per video for high-volume users ### Rate Limits - Concurrent Requests: Up to 10 simultaneous downloads - Daily Limit: Based on your Apify plan - File Size: Maximum 2GB per video - Duration: Maximum 10 minutes per video ## 🔧 Troubleshooting ### Common Issues ❌ "Content not available, rate-limit reached or login required" error - Most Common: Instagram requires authentication for this content - Solution: Provide valid Instagram cookies in JSON format - How to get cookies: Log into Instagram → Open Dev Tools → Export cookies from Application tab - Required cookies: sessionid, csrftoken, ds_user_id ❌ "Video not found" error - Verify the Instagram URL is correct and public - Check if the content requires authentication - Ensure the video hasn't been deleted ❌ "Download failed" error - Try different quality settings - Check your internet connection - Verify Apify platform status ❌ "Private content" error - Provide valid Instagram cookies in JSON format - Ensure you have access to the content - Check account permissions and content visibility ❌ "Rate limit exceeded" error - Instagram has detected automated access - Provide cookies to appear more legitimate - Reduce concurrent downloads - Add delays between requests - Consider using residential proxies ❌ "Authentication failed" error - Cookies may be expired or invalid - Re-export fresh cookies from your browser - Ensure you're logged into the correct Instagram account - Check that all required cookies are provided ### Error Response Format json { "video_id": null, "url": "https://www.instagram.com/p/C3v8HnK8JdL/", "error": "Video not available or private", "success": false, "collected_at": "2025-11-13T10:30:00Z" } ## � Advanced Features ### Enhanced Authentication - Cookie Support: Full JSON cookie format support - Session Management: Proper session handling with CSRF tokens - Header Rotation: Dynamic headers to avoid detection ### Robust Error Handling - Smart Retry Logic: Detects retryable vs permanent errors - Fallback Strategies: Multiple extraction methods - Rate Limit Handling: Automatic backoff and retry ### Instagram Optimization - GraphQL Support: Uses Instagram's modern API when available - Mobile Headers: Realistic mobile user agents for better compatibility - Stealth Techniques: Advanced anti-detection measures ## ⚠️ Important Notes ### Instagram Access Policies - Rate Limiting: Instagram actively monitors and rate-limits automated access - Authentication Required: Many videos now require login/authentication - Policy Changes: Instagram frequently updates their API and access policies - Legal Compliance: Ensure your usage complies with Instagram's Terms of Service ### Best Practices - Use Cookies: Provide valid Instagram cookies for best results - Rate Limiting: Respect Instagram's rate limits to avoid blocks - Fresh Cookies: Re-export cookies periodically as they expire - Error Handling: Implement proper error handling for failed downloads - Legal Usage: Only download content you have permission to access ## 📞 Support & Resources ### Getting Help - 📖 Documentation: Apify Platform Docs - 💬 Community: Discord Server - 🐛 Bug Reports: GitHub Issues - 📧 Email Support: support@apify.com ### Related Actors - Instagram Scraper - Instagram Hashtag Scraper - Social Media Downloader ---

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