instaloader
Download pictures (or videos) along with their captions and other metadata from Instagram.
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you need to download and archive Instagram content and accept Instagram's unofficial-tool status. The package is actively maintained, has low install friction, carries a permissive MIT license, and has no known security vulnerabilities. Be aware that Instagram does not endorse automated downloading and may rate-limit or block requests; session management is local and non-interactive once a login is cached.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires Python 3.9 or later.
- Instagram may rate-limit or block requests; session cookies are stored locally for reuse.
- Low installation friction with a single pure-Python dependency (requests).
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — MIT license permits commercial and private use with minimal restrictions—you may use, modify, and distribute instaloader freely provided you retain the license notice.
last release 2026-07-26 (19 days)
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 422,507 downloads/mo, #6,782 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install instaloader
instaloader profile username
# or with login for private profiles:
instaloader --login=your_username profile username- Whether Instagram's terms of service permit automated downloading of public profiles and whether the package actively detects and adapts to Instagram API or rate-limit changes.
- Whether the package handles Instagram's two-factor authentication or other modern login flows beyond basic username/password.
What it is and what it does
Instaloader is a command-line tool that downloads Instagram content—profiles, hashtags, stories, feeds, and saved media—along with associated metadata like comments, captions, and geotags. It supports both public and private profiles (via login) and can resume interrupted downloads. The tool automatically detects profile name changes and renames local directories accordingly, and offers fine-grained filtering options for what to download and where to store it.
The package depends only on requests and runs as a pure-Python wheel, making installation straightforward. It is actively maintained and supports modern Python versions. Use it to archive Instagram content, back up profiles, or collect media and metadata for analysis—though be aware that Instagram does not officially endorse automated downloading, and the tool's continued functionality depends on Instagram's API stability and rate-limiting policies.
Use it for
- Archive a public Instagram profile's photos, videos, and captions for personal backup or documentation.
- Download all posts from a hashtag to collect media for research, trend analysis, or content curation.
- Retrieve Instagram Stories before they expire, with optional geotag and metadata extraction.
- Bulk-download your own saved posts and liked content for local organization and offline access.
- Extract post metadata (comments, captions, timestamps) for analysis or reporting without manual scraping.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you need to download and archive Instagram content and accept Instagram's unofficial-tool status.
The package is actively maintained, has low install friction, carries a permissive MIT license, and has no known security vulnerabilities. Be aware that Instagram does not endorse automated downloading and may rate-limit or block requests; session management is local and non-interactive once a login is cached.
Install
instaloader on PyPI
Before you install
Low installation friction with a single pure-Python dependency (requests). Active maintenance with a release 19 days ago. Supports current Python versions (3.9 through 3.14).
Requires Python 3.9 or later. Instagram may rate-limit or block requests; session cookies are stored locally for reuse.
License in practice
MIT license permits commercial and private use with minimal restrictions—you may use, modify, and distribute instaloader freely provided you retain the license notice.
Quickstart
pip install instaloader
instaloader profile username
# or with login for private profiles:
instaloader --login=your_username profile usernameVerify before relying
- Whether Instagram's terms of service permit automated downloading of public profiles and whether the package actively detects and adapts to Instagram API or rate-limit changes.
- Whether the package handles Instagram's two-factor authentication or other modern login flows beyond basic username/password.
Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.9 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | 1 packagerequests |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 19 days since the last release |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 422,507 / month, #6,782 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Development Status :: 5 - Production/StableEnvironment :: ConsoleIntended Audience :: DevelopersIntended Audience :: End Users/DesktopLicense :: OSI Approved :: MIT LicenseOperating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: Python :: 3 :: OnlyProgramming Language :: Python :: 3.10Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12Programming Language :: Python :: 3.13Programming Language :: Python :: 3.14Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9Topic :: InternetTopic :: Multimedia :: Graphics |
Evidence: instaloader-4.15.3-py3-none-any.whl
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