# Instagram Highlights API Instagram Returns the story highlights on a public Instagram profile, in the order the profile shows them, from a username, profile link or user ID. Each has its ID, title, link, cover image and owner. GET `/v1/instagram/highlights` ## Example cURL: ```shell curl 'https://socialtap.dev/v1/instagram/highlights?handle=nasa' \ -H "x-api-key: $SOCIALTAP_API_KEY" ``` TypeScript SDK: ```typescript import { SocialTap } from "socialtap"; const client = new SocialTap(); // apiKey defaults to process.env.SOCIALTAP_API_KEY const res = await client.instagram.highlights.list({ handle: "nasa" }); console.log(res.data); console.log(res.credits.charged, res.meta.request_id); ``` Node.js (fetch): ```javascript const params = new URLSearchParams({ handle: "nasa", }); const res = await fetch(`https://socialtap.dev/v1/instagram/highlights?${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, page, meta } = body; console.log(data, meta.credits_charged); ``` Python (requests): ```python import os import requests res = requests.get( "https://socialtap.dev/v1/instagram/highlights", params={"handle": "nasa"}, 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, page, meta = body["data"], body["page"], 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("handle", "nasa") req, err := http.NewRequest("GET", "https://socialtap.dev/v1/instagram/highlights?"+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"` Page json.RawMessage `json:"page"` 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": [ { "approximate_fields": [], "description": null, "id": "18195781759377100", "is_collaborative": null, "metrics": { "post_count": null }, "owner": { "avatar_url": "https://scontent-atl3-2.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.2885-19/29090066_159271188110124_1152068159029641216_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s150x150_tt6&_nc_cat=1&ig_cache_key=GBLhuwEsG5c225AAAAAAAADj9-wPbkULAAAB1501500j-ccb7-5&ccb=SCRUBBED&_nc_sid=SCRUBBED&efg=SCRUBBED&_nc_ohc=SCRUBBED&_nc_oc=SCRUBBE…", "display_name": "NASA", "id": "528817151", "is_verified": true, "url": "https://www.instagram.com/nasa/", "username": "nasa" }, "platform": "instagram", "platform_specific": {}, "platform_type": "highlight", "thumbnail_url": "https://scontent-atl3-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.71878-15/785745361_1537318174532484_931463605431094788_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s150x150_tt6&_nc_cat=110&ccb=SCRUBBED&_nc_sid=SCRUBBED&_nc_ohc=SCRUBBED&_nc_oc=SCRUBBED&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-atl3-1.cdninstagram.com&_nc_gid=SCRUBBED&_nc_s…", "title": "Roman", "type": "playlist", "unknown_fields": [], "url": "https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/18195781759377100/" }, { "approximate_fields": [], "description": null, "id": "18123023338592759", "is_collaborative": null, "metrics": { "post_count": null }, "owner": { "avatar_url": "https://scontent-atl3-2.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.2885-19/29090066_159271188110124_1152068159029641216_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s150x150_tt6&_nc_cat=1&ig_cache_key=GBLhuwEsG5c225AAAAAAAADj9-wPbkULAAAB1501500j-ccb7-5&ccb=SCRUBBED&_nc_sid=SCRUBBED&efg=SCRUBBED&_nc_ohc=SCRUBBED&_nc_oc=SCRUBBE…", "display_name": "NASA", "id": "528817151", "is_verified": true, "url": "https://www.instagram.com/nasa/", "username": "nasa" }, "platform": "instagram", "platform_specific": {}, "platform_type": "highlight", "thumbnail_url": "https://scontent-atl3-2.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.71878-15/658392542_1443405937523344_3996096698761393443_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s150x150_tt6&_nc_cat=102&ccb=SCRUBBED&_nc_sid=SCRUBBED&_nc_ohc=SCRUBBED&_nc_oc=SCRUBBED&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-atl3-2.cdninstagram.com&_nc_gid=SCRUBBED&_nc_…", "title": "Wallpapers", "type": "playlist", "unknown_fields": [], "url": "https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/18123023338592759/" }, { "approximate_fields": [], "description": null, "id": "18201653992314974", "is_collaborative": null, "metrics": { "post_count": null }, "owner": { "avatar_url": "https://scontent-atl3-2.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.2885-19/29090066_159271188110124_1152068159029641216_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s150x150_tt6&_nc_cat=1&ig_cache_key=GBLhuwEsG5c225AAAAAAAADj9-wPbkULAAAB1501500j-ccb7-5&ccb=SCRUBBED&_nc_sid=SCRUBBED&efg=SCRUBBED&_nc_ohc=SCRUBBED&_nc_oc=SCRUBBE…", "display_name": "NASA", "id": "528817151", "is_verified": true, "url": "https://www.instagram.com/nasa/", "username": "nasa" }, "platform": "instagram", "platform_specific": {}, "platform_type": "highlight", "thumbnail_url": "https://scontent-atl3-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.71878-15/718648521_1211952567628335_6800572588539032748_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s150x150_tt6&_nc_cat=108&ccb=SCRUBBED&_nc_sid=SCRUBBED&_nc_ohc=SCRUBBED&_nc_oc=SCRUBBED&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-atl3-1.cdninstagram.com&_nc_gid=SCRUBBED&_nc_…", "title": "Artemis III", "type": "playlist", "unknown_fields": [], "url": "https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/18201653992314974/" } ], "page": { "has_more": false, "next_cursor": null, "next_cursor_expires_at": null, "end_reason": "end" }, "meta": { "request_id": "req_3f9c2a7d1e8b4c6a9f0e2d4b6a8c0e1f", "platform": "instagram", "source": "api", "is_cached": false, "credits_charged": 1, "latency_ms": 335, "fetched_at": "2026-10-25T12:00:00Z", "input": { "kind": "profile", "id": "528817151", "url": "https://www.instagram.com/nasa/" }, "credits_remaining": 9999, "client_request_id": null, "warnings": [] } } ``` Long arrays and strings are shortened for display; real responses are complete. > [!NOTE] > > **Good to know** > > - Logged out, Instagram serves only the first page of a profile's highlights, so an account with more ends with end_reason platform_limit. > - metrics.post_count is null: the highlights tray doesn't say how many stories each holds. > - description is always null because Instagram highlights have none. Cover URLs are CDN links that expire. > - A private account returns private_or_unavailable. ## Authorizations `x-api-key`stringheaderrequired Your API key. [Authentication](https://socialtap.dev/docs/authentication/index.md) ## Query parameters | Name | Type | Description | Example | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `handle` required | `string`
max 2,048 chars | Instagram username with or without the @, a numeric user ID (528817151), or a profile URL (instagram.com/nasa, m.instagram.com, instagr.am, a /reels/ or /tagged/ tab, an instagram.com/_u/ app link, an instagram.com/stories/\/ link). A bare number is a user ID; a number no account has as its ID is looked up as a username, and @ before digits (@2020) always means the username. | `nasa` | | `limit` optional | `integer`
min 1
max 10 | Items per page, 1 to the endpoint's page size (its default and maximum; larger values are reduced to it). Omit it: every page costs the same, so a smaller limit means more pages to pay for. | `10` | | `cursor` optional | `string` | page.next_cursor from the previous response. Send the same other parameters; omit to start from the first page. | — | `handle` takes Instagram 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)). `limit` and `cursor` page through the list: see Pagination. **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, page, meta}`. `data` is an array of up to 10 [playlist](https://socialtap.dev/resources/playlist/index.md) objects, the order of the account's highlights tray on its profile; `page` says how to get the next page; `meta` describes the request ([meta](https://socialtap.dev/docs/reference/index.md#meta)). The fields are the shared playlist schema, the same on all 6 platforms that serve it. | Field | Type | Description | | --- | --- | --- | | `data[].platform` | `string` | Platform ID (tiktok, youtube, facebook, …). | | `data[].id` | `string` | Platform-native playlist ID (string): TikTok's playlist (mix) or collection ID, YouTube's list ID (PL…), Facebook's video list ID. | | `data[].url` | `string` (uri) | Canonical playlist URL. | | `data[].type` | `string` | playlist: a list its owner curates and orders (TikTok playlists, YouTube playlists, Facebook playlists and series); collection: posts an account saved from any creator into a named public folder (TikTok collections). New values may be added; treat unknown values as playlist.
One of `playlist`, `collection` | | `data[].platform_type` | `string` or `null` | The platform's own label, lowercase (mix, collection, playlist, series, podcast, …). | | `data[].title` | `string` or `null` | Name its owner gave it. | | `data[].description` | `string` or `null` | Description as plain text; null when it has none or the platform shows none (TikTok). | | `data[].owner` | `object` | The account that curates it (for a collection, the account that saved the posts, not their authors). Where a platform's curators are not accounts (Apple Music), what it states of them: a name, perhaps a page and a picture, with id and username null, and every field null when it names no one. | | `data[].owner.id` | `string` or `null` | Platform-native account ID; null when only the handle is known. | | `data[].owner.username` | `string` or `null` | Handle without the @; null when the account has none. | | `data[].owner.display_name` | `string` or `null` | Display name shown on the profile. | | `data[].owner.url` | `string` (uri) or `null` | Canonical profile URL. | | `data[].owner.avatar_url` | `string` (uri) or `null` | Profile picture URL. Platform CDN URLs can expire within hours. | | `data[].owner.is_verified` | `boolean` or `null` | Platform verification badge; null where the platform has no badge. | | `data[].thumbnail_url` | `string` (uri) or `null` | Cover image URL (the owner's chosen cover, else the platform's pick, often the first post's). Platform CDN URLs can expire within hours. | | `data[].is_collaborative` | `boolean` or `null` | Whether people its owner invites can add to it as well (a collaborative playlist, a group board); null where the platform doesn't say. | | `data[].metrics` | `object` | Counts at fetch time; null = hidden or not exposed, 0 = zero. | | `data[].metrics.post_count` | `integer` or `null` | Posts in it as the platform counts them (it may count posts that are no longer public, so a walk of its posts can return fewer). | | `data[].platform_specific` | `object` | Fields only this platform has, under its ID (platform_specific.\); each null when unknown. | | `data[].approximate_fields` | `string[]` | JSON paths of values rounded by the platform, date-only or parsed from display text. \[\] when all exact. | | `data[].unknown_fields` | `string[]` | JSON paths of lists whose \[\] means unknown rather than none (a source that cannot see them); null already means unknown for every other field. \[\] when every list is known. | not_found and private_or_unavailable are item-level: the request was fine, the item can't be returned. ### 400 400 Bad Request: 2 error codes. 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. | | `invalid_cursor` | 400 | No | The cursor is malformed or expired, belongs to another endpoint, or came with other parameters than the request that returned it. | Repeat the original request without cursor to start the list again. | ### 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. | ## Pagination Items come in pages, **the order of the account's highlights tray on its profile**. To get the next page, send **the same request plus `cursor`** set to `page.next_cursor` from the previous response. Keep every other parameter the same (limit, max_age and fields may change); anything else that differs is rejected. When `page.has_more` is `false` the walk is over, and `page.end_reason` says why: only `end` means you have every item (the others say the platform or a page cap stopped the walk early). - **Order**: The order of the account's highlights tray on its profile - **Page size**: Up to 10 story highlights (the default; `limit` lowers it) - **Cursor lifetime**: 24 hours; don't store cursors - **Price**: Per page, 1 credit ### The `page` object | Field | Type | Description | | --- | --- | --- | | `page.has_more` | `boolean` | True when another page exists; then next_cursor is set. An empty page with has_more true is not the end. | | `page.next_cursor` | `string` or `null` | Pass as cursor, with the same other parameters, to get the next page; null at the end. | | `page.next_cursor_expires_at` | `string` (date-time) or `null` | When next_cursor stops working, RFC 3339 UTC; null at the end. Don't store cursors. | | `page.end_reason` | `string` or `null` | Why there are no more pages; null while has_more is true. end: the list ended, or reached since/until. platform_limit: the platform stops serving further pages although the list goes on. max_pages: SocialTap's cap on pages in one walk. New values may be added. A short or empty page is not the end: only has_more false is.
One of `end`, `platform_limit`, `max_pages` | ### Next page cURL: next page: ```shell curl 'https://socialtap.dev/v1/instagram/highlights?handle=nasa&cursor=NEXT_CURSOR' \ -H "x-api-key: $SOCIALTAP_API_KEY" ``` - The price is per page: each successful page costs the same, whatever `limit` is and however many items it has. Empty pages are charged too (an empty page with `has_more: true` is not the end). - A `limit` below 10 doesn't save credits: the next request serves the rest of the same platform page, which is fetched again and charged as a page each time, and items can shift between those requests if the platform changes the list. Omitting `limit` is the cheapest way to walk the list. - Errors are free, including a rejected cursor. - Pages served from the cache are free. - An expired or altered cursor, or one sent with different parameters, fails with [`invalid_cursor`](https://socialtap.dev/docs/errors/index.md#invalid_cursor) (HTTP 400): Repeat the original request without cursor to start the list again. [Pagination guide](https://socialtap.dev/docs/pagination/index.md) ## Pricing From **1 credit** per page. Charged per successful page, whatever its number of items. 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 page | Per 1,000 pages | | --- | --- | --- | | Any source | 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.highlights` · operationId `instagram.highlights.list` · [Product overview](https://socialtap.dev/apis/instagram/highlights/index.md) --- [HTML version](https://socialtap.dev/docs/reference/instagram/highlights/) · [Docs index for AI agents](https://socialtap.dev/llms.txt) · [All docs in one file](https://socialtap.dev/llms-full.txt)