How to Use the Command 'instaloader' (with examples)

Instaloader is a versatile command-line tool designed for downloading pictures, videos, captions, and other metadata from Instagram. Whether you’re an Instagram enthusiast looking to save memorable content or a researcher analyzing social media trends, Instaloader offers a comprehensive suite of options to cater to various needs. With support for downloading entire profiles, highlights, stories, and more, this tool provides users with remarkable control over how and what content is retrieved from Instagram.

Use case 1: Download a Profile

Code:

instaloader profile_name

Motivation: This command is ideal for users who want to maintain a personal archive of an Instagram profile. It can be especially useful for social media managers who need to back up content or researchers who are analyzing public Instagram data.

Explanation: This command downloads all the posts from the specified Instagram user (profile_name). By entering the desired username, Instaloader will retrieve all publicly available posts from that profile, including images and videos along with their captions and associated metadata.

Example Output: Running the command may result in a series of files being saved to your local directory, each representing a post from the specified profile. These files will include post images or videos, a text file containing the post caption, and a metadata section detailing likes, comments, and more.

Use case 2: Download Highlights

Code:

instaloader --highlights profile_name

Motivation: Instagram highlights capture important and curated stories, preserving them beyond the typical 24-hour lifespan. This command is particularly useful for users who want to keep a permanent copy of highlights that they find inspiring or essential.

Explanation: The --highlights argument specifies that Instaloader should focus on downloading Instagram story highlights from the provided user profile (profile_name). By appending this flag, you’re telling the tool to target a specific type of Instagram content associated with the profile.

Example Output: After executing the command, you’ll see that each highlight has been downloaded and stored in separate folders labeled by the highlight’s name. Each folder contains the media and text from the highlighted stories.

Use case 3: Download Posts with Geotags Suppressing User Interaction

Code:

instaloader --quiet --geotags profile_name

Motivation: Researchers and historians might find this feature valuable as it allows them to delve into geolocation data associated with Instagram posts without needing constant manual intervention. This can be used to analyze geographic trends or study user behavior across certain regions.

Explanation: Combining the --quiet and --geotags flags ensures that the download process runs silently without interruption (--quiet) and retrieves geolocation information, if available, within each post (--geotags). This is beneficial for users who prioritize automation and data specificity.

Example Output: The result will include all media files and a JSON file accompanying each post, containing detailed geolocation data if it is available. It runs smoothly without any textual feedback on the terminal.

Use case 4: Specify a User Agent for HTTP Requests

Code:

instaloader --user-agent user_agent profile_name

Motivation: Some users may need to modify the HTTP user agent to avoid being flagged or restricted by Instagram’s network security protocols. This is practical for users who face connectivity issues due to default user agent settings or who wish to simulate requests from specific devices or browsers.

Explanation: The --user-agent parameter allows users to manually set the HTTP user agent string for requests made by Instaloader. This string (user_agent) can be customized to mimic different browsers or devices and is used to negotiate network services.

Example Output: Providing a custom user agent does not change the nature of the downloaded content but ensures the request is processed smoothly by Instagram’s servers as if it came from a traditional browser environment.

Use case 5: Specify Login Info and Download Posts

Code:

instaloader --login username --password password profile_name

Motivation: For those wanting to download content from private profiles, logging in with valid credentials is necessary. This feature is crucial for users who own or manage a private account and wish to download their content and memories securely.

Explanation: By using --login and --password, users provide their Instagram credentials (username and password) to authenticate the session. This authentication step allows Instaloader to access and download posts from profiles that are not publicly viewable.

Example Output: Upon successful authentication, Instaloader will proceed to download available posts, including those from private profiles, ensuring the data is stored similarly to public profile downloads but with added access.

Use case 6: Skip a Target if the First Downloaded File has Been Found

Code:

instaloader --fast-update profile_name

Motivation: This feature is particularly beneficial for users maintaining an updated local archive of a profile’s content. It allows efficient management and download of only new content without re-downloading everything.

Explanation: The --fast-update option instructs Instaloader to check existing local directories for previously downloaded files of profile_name. If the latest known post is already downloaded, it skips that post, speeding up subsequent updates by downloading only new data.

Example Output: Instead of re-downloading all profile content, Instaloader will only fetch new posts since the last download, efficiently conserving bandwidth and storage resources.

Use case 7: Download Stories and IGTV Videos

Code:

instaloader --login username --password password --stories --igtv profile_name

Motivation: This command is tailored for users interested in capturing ephemeral Instagram stories along with long-form IGTV videos, ensuring these time-sensitive media are saved indefinitely.

Explanation: The command includes both --stories and --igtv flags, directing Instaloader to retrieve both story and IGTV content. The login arguments (--login, --password) enable this access for profiles requiring authentication.

Example Output: The result is a structured directory containing all the profile’s stories and IGTV videos, complete with text descriptions and by date and category.

Use case 8: Download All Types of Posts

Code:

instaloader --login username --password password --stories --igtv --highlights profile_name

Motivation: Ideal for users who want a comprehensive backup of an entire Instagram profile, this usage allows full coverage of all media types available on a profile – from the latest posts to curated highlights and fleeting stories.

Explanation: This comprehensive command combines several options: --stories, --igtv, --highlights, used alongside login credentials (--login and --password) to access all available content types of profile_name.

Example Output: A complete repository of the user’s content is created, encompassing every available post, story, highlight, and IGTV video, stored categorically and ready for offline access and archiving.

Conclusion

The Instaloader tool provides a powerful solution for downloading and archiving Instagram content. From simple profile content retrieval to highly customizable downloads requiring login authentication, Instaloader caters to different users’ needs. By comprehensively understanding each command and its applicability, users can efficiently harness the tool for various personal, professional, or research purposes.