# Instagram Story API Instagram Returns a public Instagram story's image or video link, at the best quality Instagram serves, from the story's link or a highlight item's link. You also get its cover, size, length, author, publish time and, for videos, the view count. GET `/v1/instagram/story` ## Example cURL: ```shell curl -G 'https://socialtap.dev/v1/instagram/story' \ --data-urlencode 'url=https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/18023864549864045/?story_media_id=4012120567117354624_787132' \ -H "x-api-key: $SOCIALTAP_API_KEY" ``` TypeScript SDK: ```typescript import { SocialTap } from "socialtap"; const client = new SocialTap(); // apiKey defaults to process.env.SOCIALTAP_API_KEY const res = await client.instagram.story.get({ url: "https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/18023864549864045/?story_media_id=4012120567117354624_787132" }); console.log(res.data); console.log(res.credits.charged, res.meta.request_id); ``` Node.js (fetch): ```javascript const params = new URLSearchParams({ url: "https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/18023864549864045/?story_media_id=4012120567117354624_787132", }); const res = await fetch(`https://socialtap.dev/v1/instagram/story?${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/story", params={"url": "https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/18023864549864045/?story_media_id=4012120567117354624_787132"}, 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/stories/highlights/18023864549864045/?story_media_id=4012120567117354624_787132") req, err := http.NewRequest("GET", "https://socialtap.dev/v1/instagram/story?"+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": { "approximate_fields": [], "author": { "avatar_url": "https://scontent-atl3-2.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-19/683576066_18653628823019133_9051036240972105113_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s150x150_tt6&efg=SCRUBBED&_nc_ht=scontent-atl3-2.cdninstagram.com&_nc_cat=1&_nc_oc=SCRUBBED&_nc_ohc=SCRUBBED&_nc_gid=SCRUBBED&edm=SCRUBBED&ccb=SCRUBBED&oh=SCR…", "display_name": null, "id": "787132", "is_verified": true, "url": "https://www.instagram.com/natgeo/", "username": "natgeo" }, "coauthors": [], "duration_ms": 9943, "hashtags": [], "id": "4012120567117354624", "is_nsfw": null, "is_pinned": null, "is_sponsored": false, "language": null, "media": [ { "alt_text": null, "duration_ms": 9943, "expires_at": "2026-10-25T18:00:00Z", "height": 1280, "thumbnail_url": "https://scontent-atl3-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.71878-15/858981307_2584622395349397_7318871625928867813_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e15_tt6&_nc_cat=106&ig_cache_key=NDAxMjEyMDU2NzExNzM1NDYyNA%3D%3D.3-ccb7-5&ccb=SCRUBBED&_nc_sid=SCRUBBED&efg=SCRUBBED&_nc_ohc=SCRUBBED&_nc_oc=SCRUBBED&_nc_zt=2…", "type": "video", "url": "https://scontent-atl3-1.cdninstagram.com/o1/v/t2/f2/m78/AQPyy1nSmXOn73Q1QB0NVznCvo1RmXxggQMktLVDCIUMzEKO_6-0Qil9pON54uB0l9mHyflRzzzRAJIhXoDdyiKX2f5h01zsvcDNEWk.mp4?_nc_cat=100&_nc_sid=SCRUBBED&_nc_ht=scontent-atl3-1.cdninstagram.com&_nc_ohc=SCRUBBED&efg=SCRUBBED&ccb=SCRUBBED&vs=S…", "width": 720 } ], "mentions": [], "metrics": { "comment_count": null, "like_count": null, "quote_count": null, "repost_count": null, "save_count": null, "share_count": null, "view_count": null }, "platform": "instagram", "platform_specific": { "instagram": { "is_ai_generated": false, "link": null, "location": null } }, "platform_type": "story", "published_at": "2026-10-20T13:14:30Z", "text": null, "thumbnail_url": "https://scontent-atl3-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.71878-15/858981307_2584622395349397_7318871625928867813_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e15_tt6&_nc_cat=106&ig_cache_key=NDAxMjEyMDU2NzExNzM1NDYyNA%3D%3D.3-ccb7-5&ccb=SCRUBBED&_nc_sid=SCRUBBED&efg=SCRUBBED&_nc_ohc=SCRUBBED&_nc_oc=SCRUBBED&_nc_zt=2…", "title": null, "type": "video", "unknown_fields": [], "url": "https://www.instagram.com/stories/natgeo/4012120567117354624/" }, "meta": { "request_id": "req_3f9c2a7d1e8b4c6a9f0e2d4b6a8c0e1f", "platform": "instagram", "source": "api", "is_cached": false, "credits_charged": 1, "latency_ms": 464, "fetched_at": "2026-10-25T12:00:00Z", "input": { "kind": "story", "id": "4012120567117354624", "url": "https://www.instagram.com/stories/natgeo/4012120567117354624/" }, "credits_remaining": 9999, "client_request_id": null, "warnings": [] } } ``` Long arrays and strings are shortened for display; real responses are complete. > [!NOTE] > > **Good to know** > > - Stories saved to a highlight are public, and this endpoint serves them reliably. A story only in the account's tray, or one that expired without being highlighted, needs a login and returns private_or_unavailable. > - Media URLs are Instagram CDN links that expire at media\[\].expires_at, so download what you need before then. > - Most story links are answered from the embed page, where published_at comes from the story's ID. It can differ from the posting time by a few seconds and is listed in approximate_fields, and hashtag and mention stickers are listed in unknown_fields. > - Like and comment counts are null because stories show none in public. > - A video's view count comes from the embed page, which answers a story's own link. A highlight item's link is answered from the highlight, with the exact publish time and stickers but view_count null. ## 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 story URL: a story's own link (instagram.com/stories/\/\/, as the app shares it) or a highlight's item (instagram.com/stories/highlights/\/?story_media_id=\_\, or the highlight share link instagram.com/s/…?story_media_id=…). m.instagram.com links and tracking params are accepted. | `https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/18023864549864045/?story_media_id=4012120567117354624_787132` | `url` takes Instagram story 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 [post](https://socialtap.dev/resources/post/index.md) object; `meta` describes the request ([meta](https://socialtap.dev/docs/reference/index.md#meta)). Fields only Instagram has are under `platform_specific.instagram`. | Field | Type | Description | | --- | --- | --- | | `data.platform` | `string` | Platform ID (tiktok, youtube, …). | | `data.id` | `string` | Platform-native post ID (string; Instagram shortcode, Reddit with its t3_ prefix). | | `data.url` | `string` (uri) | Canonical post URL. | | `data.type` | `string` | Normalized content shape. New values may be added; treat unknown values as other.
One of `video`, `image`, `carousel`, `text`, `link`, `audio` | | `data.platform_type` | `string` or `null` | The platform's own product label, lowercase (reel, short, story, live, tweet, …). | | `data.title` | `string` or `null` | Headline (YouTube title, Reddit title); null on caption-only platforms. | | `data.text` | `string` or `null` | Caption, description or body as plain text. | | `data.language` | `string` or `null` | BCP-47 language of text, when the platform states it. | | `data.published_at` | `string` (date-time) or `null` | When the post went public, RFC 3339 UTC. | | `data.author` | `object` | The posting account. An account the platform no longer names (a deleted account) has a null id and username and the platform's label as display_name (Reddit: \[deleted\]). A post credited to what is no account of the platform's (an Apple Music radio episode's show) has a null id and username, and every other field null too when the platform doesn't name it. | | `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.coauthors` | `object[]` | Other accounts credited as co-authors of the post (Instagram and Facebook collabs, YouTube collaborations), in the platform's order, author excluded; \[\] if none. | | `data.coauthors[].id` | `string` or `null` | Platform-native account ID; null when only the handle is known. | | `data.coauthors[].username` | `string` or `null` | Handle without the @; null when the account has none. | | `data.coauthors[].display_name` | `string` or `null` | Display name shown on the profile. | | `data.coauthors[].url` | `string` (uri) or `null` | Canonical profile URL. | | `data.coauthors[].avatar_url` | `string` (uri) or `null` | Profile picture URL. Platform CDN URLs can expire within hours. | | `data.coauthors[].is_verified` | `boolean` or `null` | Platform verification badge; null where the platform has no badge. | | `data.duration_ms` | `integer` or `null` | Length of the primary video or audio in milliseconds; null for other posts. | | `data.thumbnail_url` | `string` (uri) or `null` | Cover or poster image URL. | | `data.media` | `object[]` | Attachments in display order (carousel items); \[\] for text posts. | | `data.media[].type` | `string` | Kind of file. New values may be added; treat unknown values as other.
One of `image`, `video`, `audio`, `gif` | | `data.media[].url` | `string` (uri) or `null` | Direct file URL; null when the platform withholds it, or when the link would only work from SocialTap's network or with a login. Often signed and expiring: see expires_at. | | `data.media[].expires_at` | `string` (date-time) or `null` | When url stops working, RFC 3339 UTC, read from the platform's signed URL; null when unknown or when it does not expire. | | `data.media[].thumbnail_url` | `string` (uri) or `null` | Poster or preview image URL. | | `data.media[].width` | `integer` or `null` | Width in pixels. | | `data.media[].height` | `integer` or `null` | Height in pixels. | | `data.media[].duration_ms` | `integer` or `null` | Duration in milliseconds (video and audio only). | | `data.media[].alt_text` | `string` or `null` | Accessibility text provided by the author or platform. | | `data.hashtags` | `string[]` | Hashtags without #, case kept; \[\] if none. | | `data.mentions` | `string[]` | Mentioned or tagged usernames without @; \[\] if none. | | `data.is_pinned` | `boolean` or `null` | Pinned to the author's profile. | | `data.is_sponsored` | `boolean` or `null` | Labeled as a paid partnership or branded content. | | `data.is_nsfw` | `boolean` or `null` | Marked adult or sensitive by the platform. | | `data.metrics` | `object` | Counts at fetch time; null = hidden or not exposed, 0 = zero. | | `data.metrics.view_count` | `integer` or `null` | Views or plays. | | `data.metrics.like_count` | `integer` or `null` | Likes, hearts, total reactions or upvotes; never negative. Null when hidden by the owner. | | `data.metrics.comment_count` | `integer` or `null` | Comments and replies. | | `data.metrics.share_count` | `integer` or `null` | Shares or sends (not reposts). | | `data.metrics.repost_count` | `integer` or `null` | Reposts, retweets or reshares. | | `data.metrics.quote_count` | `integer` or `null` | Quote posts. | | `data.metrics.save_count` | `integer` or `null` | Saves, bookmarks or favorites. | | `data.platform_specific` | `object` | Fields only this platform has, under its ID (platform_specific.\); each null when unknown. | | `data.platform_specific.instagram` | `object` or `null` | An Instagram post's own fields. | | `data.platform_specific.instagram.is_ai_generated` | `boolean` or `null` | Instagram shows its AI label (made or edited with AI); false when it shows none. | | `data.platform_specific.instagram.location` | `object` or `null` | The tagged place; null when none or not shown by the endpoint's source. | | `data.platform_specific.instagram.location.id` | `string` | Instagram location ID (equals the place's id: the number in instagram.com/explore/locations/\/). | | `data.platform_specific.instagram.location.name` | `string` or `null` | Place name as Instagram shows it. | | `data.platform_specific.instagram.location.url` | `string` (uri) | The place's page on Instagram. | | `data.platform_specific.instagram.location.latitude` | `number` or `null` | WGS 84 latitude in degrees (set together with longitude). | | `data.platform_specific.instagram.location.longitude` | `number` or `null` | WGS 84 longitude in degrees (set together with latitude). | | `data.platform_specific.instagram.link` | `object` or `null` | The link a story's link sticker (or swipe-up link) opens; null when none, and on every post that is not a story. | | `data.platform_specific.instagram.link.url` | `string` (uri) or `null` | The linked page, as the author shared it (Instagram's l.instagram.com redirect removed). | | `data.approximate_fields` | `string[]` | JSON paths of values rounded by the platform or parsed from display text. A list path (external_links) means the list may be incomplete. \[\] 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: 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 | | --- | --- | --- | | 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.story` · operationId `instagram.story.get` · [Product overview](https://socialtap.dev/apis/instagram/story/index.md) --- [HTML version](https://socialtap.dev/docs/reference/instagram/story/) · [Docs index for AI agents](https://socialtap.dev/llms.txt) · [All docs in one file](https://socialtap.dev/llms-full.txt)