# Instagram Embed API Instagram Returns Instagram's own embed code for a public post, reel or profile, from its link. You get the HTML snippet, with or without the caption and the embed.js tag, at the width you choose, plus the iframe link it loads, the caption or profile title, the author and the thumbnail with its size. GET `/v1/instagram/embed` ## Example cURL: ```shell curl -G 'https://socialtap.dev/v1/instagram/embed' \ --data-urlencode 'url=https://www.instagram.com/p/DeuOR-CjKE9/' \ -H "x-api-key: $SOCIALTAP_API_KEY" ``` TypeScript SDK: ```typescript import { SocialTap } from "socialtap"; const client = new SocialTap(); // apiKey defaults to process.env.SOCIALTAP_API_KEY const res = await client.instagram.embed.get({ url: "https://www.instagram.com/p/DeuOR-CjKE9/" }); console.log(res.data); console.log(res.credits.charged, res.meta.request_id); ``` Node.js (fetch): ```javascript const params = new URLSearchParams({ url: "https://www.instagram.com/p/DeuOR-CjKE9/", }); const res = await fetch(`https://socialtap.dev/v1/instagram/embed?${params}`, { headers: { "x-api-key": process.env.SOCIALTAP_API_KEY ?? "" }, }); const body = await res.json(); if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`${body.error.code}: ${body.error.message}`); const { data, meta } = body; console.log(data, meta.credits_charged); ``` Python (requests): ```python import os import requests res = requests.get( "https://socialtap.dev/v1/instagram/embed", params={"url": "https://www.instagram.com/p/DeuOR-CjKE9/"}, headers={"x-api-key": os.environ["SOCIALTAP_API_KEY"]}, ) body = res.json() if not res.ok: raise RuntimeError(f"{body['error']['code']}: {body['error']['message']}") data, meta = body["data"], body["meta"] print(data, meta["credits_charged"]) ``` Go (net/http): ```go package main import ( "encoding/json" "fmt" "log" "net/http" "net/url" "os" ) func main() { q := url.Values{} q.Set("url", "https://www.instagram.com/p/DeuOR-CjKE9/") req, err := http.NewRequest("GET", "https://socialtap.dev/v1/instagram/embed?"+q.Encode(), nil) if err != nil { log.Fatal(err) } req.Header.Set("x-api-key", os.Getenv("SOCIALTAP_API_KEY")) res, err := http.DefaultClient.Do(req) if err != nil { log.Fatal(err) } defer res.Body.Close() var body struct { Data json.RawMessage `json:"data"` Meta map[string]any `json:"meta"` Error *struct { Code string `json:"code"` Message string `json:"message"` } `json:"error"` } if err := json.NewDecoder(res.Body).Decode(&body); err != nil { log.Fatal(err) } if body.Error != nil { log.Fatalf("%s: %s", body.Error.Code, body.Error.Message) } fmt.Println(string(body.Data), body.Meta["credits_charged"]) } ``` 200 OK: ```json { "data": { "author": { "avatar_url": null, "display_name": "National Geographic", "id": "787132", "is_verified": null, "url": "https://www.instagram.com/natgeo/", "username": "natgeo" }, "embed_url": "https://www.instagram.com/p/DeuOR-CjKE9/embed/captioned/", "height": null, "html": "
[!NOTE] > > **Good to know** > > - html is Instagram's own markup, drawn in the visitor's browser by embed.js, so a post deleted or made private later stops showing. > - Deleted posts and unknown usernames return not_found. Private, age-restricted and region-gated accounts and posts, and those whose account turned off embedding, return private_or_unavailable. > - A profile embed's id is the username. author.id, the numeric account ID, is null unless Instagram's oEmbed API failed and the profile's embed page answered. > - thumbnail_url is a CDN link that expires. > - Send a profile link, not a bare username: a bare string is read as a post's shortcode. ## Authorizations `x-api-key`stringheaderrequired Your API key. [Authentication](https://socialtap.dev/docs/authentication/index.md) ## Query parameters | Name | Type | Description | Example | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `url` required | `string`
max 2,048 chars | Instagram post, reel or profile link (instagram.com/p/…, /reel/…, /reels/…, /tv/…, /\/p/…, share links, m.instagram.com, instagr.am, instagram.com/\/) or a post's raw shortcode. A username needs its profile link: a bare string is read as a shortcode. | `https://www.instagram.com/p/DeuOR-CjKE9/` | | `max_width` optional | `integer`
min 320 | Widest the embed may be laid out, in pixels (default and most: 658; a wider value is laid out at 658). Instagram's embeds are responsive below it. | — | | `hide_caption` optional | `boolean` | Embed a post without its caption (Instagram's hidecaption). Profiles have none: ignored for a profile link. | — | | `omit_script` optional | `boolean` | Leave Instagram's embed.js script tag out of html, for a page that loads it once itself (then call window.instgrm.Embeds.process() after inserting the markup). | — | `url` takes Instagram post, video and profile links; another kind of link, or another platform's, fails free with [`invalid_input`](https://socialtap.dev/docs/errors/index.md#invalid_input). Unknown parameters are rejected with a suggestion, never ignored ([Requests](https://socialtap.dev/docs/requests/index.md)). **Parameters every endpoint accepts** | Name | Type | Description | Example | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `max_age` optional | `integer`
min 0 | Accept a cached response up to this many seconds old. Cache hits cost 0 credits. Omit to always fetch fresh. The Cache-Control: max-age=N request header is equivalent; max_age wins when both are sent. | — | | `fields` optional | `string` | Return only these fields of each item: comma-separated paths in the schema's notation (id,text,metrics.view_count,segments\[\].text; a parent path keeps the whole object). Unknown paths are rejected. Applied after the cache, so it changes neither the price nor cache hits; page and meta are always returned whole. | — | ## Response ### 200 `{data, meta}`. `data` is a [embed](https://socialtap.dev/resources/embed/index.md) object; `meta` describes the request ([meta](https://socialtap.dev/docs/reference/index.md#meta)). The fields are the embed schema. | Field | Type | Description | | --- | --- | --- | | `data.platform` | `string` | Platform ID (instagram, youtube, tiktok, …). | | `data.type` | `string` | What is embedded, named by its resource: post (any post: photo, carousel, video, reel), profile (an account), or playlist. New values may be added; treat unknown values as other.
One of `post`, `profile`, `playlist` | | `data.id` | `string` | The ID the platform's embed is addressed by (as in embed_url): a post's ID (equals post.id), a playlist's ID, and for a profile the account's username on platforms whose profile embeds are addressed by it (Instagram, TikTok); the account's numeric ID, when known, is author.id. | | `data.url` | `string` (uri) | Canonical public URL of what is embedded (post.url, profile.url): the link the embed opens. | | `data.html` | `string` | The platform's embed code, ready to paste into an HTML page: its markup and, unless asked to leave it out, the script tag that turns it into the embedded post or profile. It loads the platform's script and content in the visitor's browser. | | `data.embed_url` | `string` (uri) or `null` | The platform's embed page alone, for an iframe's src (what html's script loads); null when the platform has none. | | `data.width` | `integer` or `null` | Width in pixels the embed is laid out for (its maximum when it is responsive); null when the platform does not say. | | `data.height` | `integer` or `null` | Height in pixels; null when the embed sizes itself to its content (Instagram's always do). | | `data.title` | `string` or `null` | The title the platform gives the embed: a post's caption or a video's title, a profile's page title; null when it has none. | | `data.author` | `object` | The account the embedded item belongs to: the post's author, the playlist's owner, or for a profile the account itself. | | `data.author.id` | `string` or `null` | Platform-native account ID; null when only the handle is known. | | `data.author.username` | `string` or `null` | Handle without the @; null when the account has none. | | `data.author.display_name` | `string` or `null` | Display name shown on the profile. | | `data.author.url` | `string` (uri) or `null` | Canonical profile URL. | | `data.author.avatar_url` | `string` (uri) or `null` | Profile picture URL. Platform CDN URLs can expire within hours. | | `data.author.is_verified` | `boolean` or `null` | Platform verification badge; null where the platform has no badge. | | `data.thumbnail_url` | `string` (uri) or `null` | Preview image URL the platform names for the embed (a post's image or cover, a profile's picture); platform CDN URLs can expire within hours. | | `data.thumbnail_width` | `integer` or `null` | Width of thumbnail_url in pixels; null when unknown. | | `data.thumbnail_height` | `integer` or `null` | Height of thumbnail_url in pixels; null when unknown. | | `data.platform_specific` | `object` | Fields only this platform has, under its ID (platform_specific.\); each null when unknown. | not_found and private_or_unavailable are item-level: the request was fine, the item can't be returned. ### 400 400 Bad Request: 1 error code. Free: errors cost nothing. | Code | HTTP | Retry | Meaning | What to do | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `invalid_input` | 400 | No | A parameter is missing or malformed, or the link is not one this endpoint takes. | Fix the parameter named in param as the message says. For a link of the wrong kind, call an endpoint listed in details.endpoints, when there is one. | ### 401 401 Unauthorized: 1 error code. Free: errors cost nothing. | Code | HTTP | Retry | Meaning | What to do | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `unauthorized` | 401 | No | The x-api-key header is missing, or its key is unknown or revoked. On the dashboard's routes: the session cookie is missing or expired. | Send a valid API key in the x-api-key header. No key yet? A person gets one at details.signup_url; an AI agent follows details.agent_auth_url. | ### 402 402 Payment Required: 2 error codes. Free: errors cost nothing. | Code | HTTP | Retry | Meaning | What to do | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `insufficient_credits` | 402 | No | The account does not have enough credits for this request. | Have a person buy credits at details.purchase_url (or make them a checkout link with details.checkout), then repeat the request. Do not retry automatically. | | `spend_limit_reached` | 402 | No | The API key reached its spend limit for this period. The account may still have credits. | Wait until details.resets_at, or raise the key's spend limit (PATCH /v1/api_keys/{id}). Do not retry automatically. | ### 403 403 Forbidden: 2 error codes. Free: errors cost nothing. | Code | HTTP | Retry | Meaning | What to do | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `forbidden` | 403 | No | The API key is valid but may not make this request, and details.reason says why: the account is suspended, the key lacks the route's scope, waits for its owner to confirm it by email, has expired, or was used from an IP outside its allowlist, or a rotated key's previous secret was used for a call that needs the admin scope. A running job stops with it too when its account is suspended or the key that created it is revoked or expires. It is about the key, never the item: a private item is private_or_unavailable, also 403, so branch on the code. | Act on details.reason. suspended: contact [support](mailto:support@socialtap.dev). scope: use a key with details.required_scope. previous_secret: use the new secret. key_pending: have the owner open the emailed link. key_expired or key_revoked: create a new key. ip_not_allowed: call from an allowed IP. | | `private_or_unavailable` | 403 | No | The item exists but is not public: it is private, age- or region-restricted, or needs a login to view. It shares 403 with forbidden (which is about the key), so branch on the code. | Only public items can be fetched. Do not retry. | ### 404 404 Not Found: 1 error code. Free: errors cost nothing. | Code | HTTP | Retry | Meaning | What to do | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `not_found` | 404 | No | The item does not exist or was deleted. On GET /v1/requests/{id}/response: the response was not kept (details.reason says why). | Check the link or ID. Do not retry. | ### 429 429 Too Many Requests: 1 error code. Free: errors cost nothing. | Code | HTTP | Retry | Meaning | What to do | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `rate_limited` | 429 | Yes, later | The account passed its runaway-protection ceiling: a high per-account limit that stops a broken client loop (plans have no rate limit). Requests without an API key (signup, the MCP server's tool listing and find_endpoint) are limited per IP address instead. It also stops an account whose failed requests in the last hour cost far more than its successful ones paid for: failures are free within a limit (the message says so), and successes raise it. | Wait the seconds in the retry-after header, then retry. If your steady traffic needs more, ask [support](mailto:support@socialtap.dev) to raise the ceiling; without an API key, send one. | ### 500 500 Internal Error: 1 error code. Free: errors cost nothing. | Code | HTTP | Retry | Meaning | What to do | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `internal` | 500 | Yes, later | An unexpected error on SocialTap's side. | Retry with backoff. If it keeps happening, contact [support](mailto:support@socialtap.dev) with the request_id. | ### 502 502 Bad Gateway: 1 error code. Free: errors cost nothing. | Code | HTTP | Retry | Meaning | What to do | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `upstream_error` | 502 | Yes, later | The platform failed, or answered with something we could not read. | Retry with backoff. Failed requests are free. | ### 503 503 Unavailable: 2 error codes. Free: errors cost nothing. | Code | HTTP | Retry | Meaning | What to do | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `upstream_blocked` | 503 | Yes, later | The platform refused every attempt, our own retries included. | Retry later with backoff. Failed requests are free. | | `overloaded` | 503 | Yes, later | SocialTap was at capacity, or paused by its operators, and did not start the request. Nothing was fetched or charged. | Retry after the seconds in the retry-after header. Failed requests are free. | ## Pricing From **1 credit** per request. Charged only for successful requests. Errors are free. The price depends on the source that produced the result, reported as `meta.source`; sources are tried cheapest first: Platform API → Public page. | Source | Price per successful request | Per 1,000 requests | | --- | --- | --- | | Platform API `api` | 1 credit | $0.75–$1.97 | | Public page `page` | 1 credit | $0.75–$1.97 | **Balance, sources and what you were charged** Your balance must be at least **1 credit** to start a request; with less, it is refused with [`insufficient_credits`](https://socialtap.dev/docs/errors/index.md#insufficient_credits) (HTTP 402) and costs nothing. Only that minimum is set aside when the request starts. | meta.source | Source | What it means | | --- | --- | --- | | `api` | Platform API | The platform's public, logged-out API. | | `page` | Public page | Data embedded in the platform's public web page. | `meta.credits_charged` and the `x-credits-charged` header show what you paid. [How credits work](https://socialtap.dev/docs/credits/index.md) · [Packs](https://socialtap.dev/pricing/index.md) Endpoint ID `instagram.embed` · operationId `instagram.embed.get` · [Product overview](https://socialtap.dev/apis/instagram/embed/index.md) --- [HTML version](https://socialtap.dev/docs/reference/instagram/embed/) · [Docs index for AI agents](https://socialtap.dev/llms.txt) · [All docs in one file](https://socialtap.dev/llms-full.txt)