Instagram MCP
Overview
Description from the maker (original English)
Instagram MCP for creators: publish, schedule, comments, DMs and insights via Meta's official API.
PopNx MCP’s three pillars
These three are never merged into one score: opinions, measurements and popularity are different things.
- User voiceiNo reviews yetReviews open together with accounts in a later step
- Our basic checksi1 of 1 passedChecked from public information; code not scanned yet
- UsageiVery new★ –
What you can do with it
We have not written a plain-language summary for this one yet. Below are the facts we read from the registry.
- Connection: Runs on your computer
- Transport: stdio
- Category: Marketing & social media
Install
Pick the AI app you use, then copy the settings.
Before you install
- Basic checks: 1 of 1 passed
- Runs on your computer with your user’s permissions (files, network, apps).
- You fill in yourself:
INSTAGRAM_MCP_HOME
Which app do you use?
Pick your app above. We remember it, so next time the button says “Install in …”.
Download the maker’s .mcpb file
The link goes to the maker’s own file; we do not host or repackage it. Open the file and Claude Desktop installs it.
Run this in your terminal
Fill in the empty values before running it.
Your browser asks to open the app, then the app shows the settings and asks you to confirm. Key values are left empty for you to fill in.
Your browser asks to open the app, then the app shows the settings and asks you to confirm. Key values are left empty for you to fill in.
This one runs on your computer, and ChatGPT can only connect to servers on the internet. Pick another app.
Your choice stays on this device in a cookie; no account needed.
Values you fill in
INSTAGRAM_MCP_HOMEenvState directory (config, SQLite state, downloads, staging). Defaults to ~/.instagram-mcp.
These settings are generated from the maker’s registry entry. If the README says otherwise, follow the README.
What it can do
Runs on your computer; the tool list appears in your AI app after you install it.
Basic checksi
We check information anyone can see; we have not read the code. Checks that do not apply are left out of the count. · Checked Nov 9, 2026
- ✓ Pass
Maker matches the repo
The registry name was verified with the GitHub account pratikgh0se, which owns the repo
- … Not checked yet
Still maintained
We have not read this repo from GitHub yet
- … Not checked yet
Has a licence
We have not read this repo from GitHub yet
- – Not applicable
Endpoint responds
This one runs on your computer; there is no internet endpoint
- – Not applicable
Sign-in with OAuth
Runs on your computer and uses local settings instead
- … Not checked yet
No hidden instructions in tool descriptions
Runs on your computer; we can only read tool lists from internet endpoints
Compared with others in Marketing & social mediai
- More stars than 0% of the other 3632 servers in this category
- Published to the registry more recently than 81% of the other 3632 servers in this category
- Basic checks equal to or better than 100% of the other 3632 servers in this category
Compared with every active server in this category in the registry. Stars count only when the publisher owns the repo.
Common questions
Is Instagram MCP safe?
It passed 1 of 1 applicable basic checks. We have not read the code. Before adding a key or token, see what access the server asks for and use a key with only the permissions you need.
What keys or codes does it need?
The registry does not list a required key, though some servers ask you to sign in on first use.
Does it run on my computer or in the cloud?
It runs on your computer. Your AI app starts it when needed, and data does not pass through the maker’s servers (unless it calls an online service itself).
Is it still maintained?
The GitHub repo last changed –, and the latest version (1.0.0) reached the registry 7 days ago.
Which apps can use it?
Apps that support MCP, such as Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor and VS Code. You also need MCPB on your computer.
What can I use instead?
In the same category: MCP YouTube Transcript, Google Analytics MCP, BibiGPT YouTube Video Summarizer
Alternatives
Servers in the same category from other makers, sorted by stars.
Reading a card:↓ Downloads per weeki★ GitHub starsiThree pillars: reviews · checks · usageiUpdated = latest version published to the registryi
Google Analytics MCP
GA4 MCP server for AI agents: schema discovery, server-side aggregation, analysis-ready defaults.
BibiGPT YouTube Video Summarizer
AI video summarizer: summarize and transcribe YouTube, Bilibili, TikTok and podcast videos.
README from the maker
Open the README
Copied from the maker’s repo as written. PopNx MCP has not reviewed or endorsed it. HTML, images and scripts are removed. Links lead off this site.
instagram-mcp
MCP server for Instagram creators: publish, schedule, triage comments and DMs, and read insights with an AI agent, using only Meta's official Instagram API. Self-hosted; every write needs your approval.
Status: 1.0.0. Behaviour is specified in docs/CONTRACT.md and covered by a separate, code-blind test suite. It has been run end to end against real Meta on a test account (Facebook Login path, 2026-11-01): publishing, scheduling, comments, DMs, insights, webhooks and cleanup. Unified Login (the default for new apps) was also run end to end on 2026-11-01 with the app Live at Standard Access: setup, token, reads, publishing (URL and local files), scheduling, delete, comment writes, conversations, sending a DM to an Instagram Tester and the messaging profile. Not confirmed: real webhook events on the Unified path (Meta's Test event arrives, live comments and DMs did not; probably needs App Review); the Instagram Login path; collaboration invites and branded content; and actions that need another account's comment or @mention (hiding it, private replies, mention replies). Meta behaviours that are not well documented are listed in docs/TESTING-LIVE.md, and the server tolerates either answer.
Install
git clone https://github.com/pratikgh0se/instagram-mcp.git && cd instagram-mcp && npm ci && npm run buildThen follow Quick start, or docs/SETUP.md if you don't have a Meta app yet.
What it is
- Self-hosted. It runs on your machine (or your own server). Nothing is relayed through a third party. Tokens stay in your keychain or an encrypted file.
- Official Meta API only. No scraping, no private API, no password login, no browser automation.
- Secure by default. Local transport, bearer-protected HTTP, redacted logs, account allowlist, approval before every write. See Security model.
- Built for a creator workflow: 42 tools covering publishing and scheduling, comment triage, DMs, insights, reports, a media kit and competitor benchmarks.
Features
| Area | Tools | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Account, auth, ops | 6 | Configured accounts and resolved capabilities, profile, publishing quota and rate usage, operation ledger and audit log, instagram_approve |
| Media and archive | 5 | List and read own posts and stories, download media with metadata sidecars, incremental account backup |
| Publishing | 6 | Preflight and publish image, reel, story, carousel (local files or URLs), scheduling, schedule list and cancel, delete media, comments on/off, publish status |
| Comments, mentions, inbox | 7 | List comments, unified triage inbox (unanswered, handled), batch reply, hide, unhide, delete, private reply, mentions and tagged media, reply to mentions |
| Direct messages | 4 | Conversations with 24-hour window state, read messages, send (text, media, reaction, quick replies), ice breakers and persistent menu |
| Insights and reports | 8 | Account and media insights, audience demographics, stored daily snapshots and growth, performance report, best time to post, media kit |
| Discovery and partnerships | 6 | Business discovery lookup, benchmark against up to 10 accounts, hashtag search and media, collaboration invites (Facebook Login path) |
Full per-tool reference: docs/TOOLS.md (generated from the live registry).
What this cannot do (and why)
The official API does not offer these, so this server does not either.
- Follow or unfollow accounts.
- List your followers or who you follow.
- Like posts or comments, or save posts.
- Archive posts in the app (hide from profile).
- Pin posts or comments.
- Edit a caption after publishing.
- Read other people's private content, or download media from accounts that are not business or creator accounts you own.
- Run partnership ads (that is the Marketing API).
- Use Creator Marketplace (brand-side and requires App Review).
Known limitations
- Direct messages in Development mode (facebook login path):
instagram_list_conversationsreturns an empty list until the other participant has a role on the app (the Instagram Tester role; see docs/SETUP.md section F). Confirmed 2026-11-01; see docs/CONTRACT.md U29. - DM sending: in Development mode a send to an Instagram Tester failed with
MESSAGING_WINDOW_CLOSED(Meta(#10), subcode 2534022) even inside the 24 h window; once the app was Live (still Standard Access) the same send succeeded (confirmed 2026-11-01, facebook path). Sending to people with no role on the app needs Advanced Access forinstagram_manage_messagesper Meta (App Review; not tested). Private replies to comments work. - On the facebook path, real webhooks (comments and DMs) arrive only once the app is Live and subscribed to the Page (
webhooks subscribe-page, default fieldfeed, needspages_manage_metadata; DMs need no extra permission). Going Live needs a public privacy policy page and data deletion page; templates and free hosting steps are in docs/legal/ and docs/SETUP.md section O. - Unified Login: live-tested 2026-11-01 (app Live, Standard Access) for setup, token, reads, publishing, scheduling, delete, comment writes, conversations, DMs to an Instagram Tester and the messaging profile; hiding others' comments, private replies and @mention replies were confirmed 2026-11-02. Real webhook events were not delivered to a Unified app (Test event only; see Webhooks). Hashtag search needs App Review (Meta code 10).
- Instagram Login: Meta no longer offers the dashboard Instagram-login token to apps (confirmed 2026-11-01). The path remains for apps that already have it, and is not live-tested by the maintainer.
instagram_get_profilereturnsaccount_type: nullon the facebook and unified login paths (the Graph API does not provide it there); a warning says so.- Mention replies work only for caption or comment @mentions, not photo tags.
Which login path
Each account is configured with one of three login paths. All use only official endpoints. Unified Login is the one to use for a new app without a Facebook Page; Meta no longer offers Instagram Login to apps.
| Feature | Unified Login (new apps) | Facebook Login (for Business) | Instagram Login (legacy) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Needs a Facebook Page | No (needs a business portfolio) | Yes | No |
| Publish by URL (image, reel, story, carousel) | Yes (confirmed 2026-11-01) | Yes | Yes |
| Publish local files | Video by resumable upload (no tunnel); images through the media host | Video by resumable upload (no tunnel); images still through the media host | Images and video through the media host (needs a tunnel) |
| Comments, mentions, insights, scheduling | Insights, scheduling and own-comment writes (comment, reply, hide/unhide own, delete, comments off/on): confirmed. Hide or private reply on others' comments and mentions: not tested | Yes | Yes |
| Direct messages | Read and send (to an Instagram Tester inside 24 h, app Live): confirmed 2026-11-01; ice breakers set/clear confirmed | Read: yes (role users in Development mode). Send: needs Advanced Access | Probed (unverified) |
| Delete media | Yes (confirmed 2026-11-01) | Yes | Probed (unverified) |
| Business discovery (competitor lookup, benchmarks) | Yes (read confirmed) | Yes | No |
| Hashtag search | Probed; needs App Review (code 10) | Yes | No |
| Branded content and paid partnership flags | Probed (needs a real sponsor to test) | Yes | Probed (unverified) |
| Collaboration invites | Probed (no invite to respond to) | Yes | Probed (unverified) |
story_insights webhook | Unverified (real webhook events did not arrive on Unified) | Yes | No |
| Token | System-user token, never expires | Long-lived Page token | 60 days, refreshable by the server |
"Probed" means the server tries the call and, if Meta refuses it, remembers that for the account and returns CAPABILITY_UNAVAILABLE naming the other path. Recommendation: Unified Login for a new app without a Page (needs a business portfolio), Facebook Login for the path verified end to end. docs/SETUP.md section B helps you choose.
Quick start
Requires Node.js 22.13 or newer. Installation is from source (the package is not published to npm yet).
git clone https://github.com/pratikgh0se/instagram-mcp.gitcd instagram-mcp npm ci npm run build
Optional: put the CLI on your PATH. Otherwise use node dist/cli.js wherever this README says instagram-mcp.
npm link
instagram-mcp accounts add --alias main --login unified # facebook path: --login facebook --page-id --app-id instagram-mcp auth set-token --account main # hidden prompt, or pipe it on stdin; ig_user_id is found automatically
facebook path only: instagram-mcp auth set-app-secret (hidden prompt; the token exchange needs it)
optional on unified: instagram-mcp auth set-app-secret --account main (per-account secret, useful with accounts from more than one Meta app)
instagram-mcp doctor
The unified path needs the token from the dashboard's "API setup with Unified login" (see docs/SETUP.md section H2); the app ID and Page ID are not needed. The facebook path needs three things: the Page ID, the app ID and the app secret. A Graph API Explorer token lasts about 1 hour, so run auth set-token right after generating it; without the app secret the long-lived exchange fails and the token expires within the hour.
Before this works you need a Professional Instagram account, a Meta app and a token. docs/SETUP.md walks through that from "no Meta developer account", step by step. doctor prints PASS, WARN or FAIL per check with a fix for each. If a feature wrongly reports CAPABILITY_UNAVAILABLE (a cached "no"), clear it with instagram-mcp capabilities reset --account .
Connect an MCP client
Use absolute paths. Replace /ABSOLUTE/PATH/TO/instagram-mcp with your clone. For Claude Desktop also use the absolute node path from command -v node (Desktop does not read your shell PATH, so an nvm-installed node is not found by a bare node).
Claude Desktop (claude_desktop_config.json):
{"mcpServers": { "instagram": { "command": "/ABSOLUTE/PATH/TO/node", "args": ["/ABSOLUTE/PATH/TO/instagram-mcp/dist/cli.js", "serve"] } } }
Claude Code (stdio):
claude mcp add instagram -- node /ABSOLUTE/PATH/TO/instagram-mcp/dist/cli.js serveHTTP mode (Streamable HTTP at /mcp, bearer required, loopback by default):
instagram-mcp http-token rotate # prints a new bearer once; stores it in your secrets backendinstagram-mcp serve --http --port 8765
claude mcp add --transport http instagram http://127.0.0.1:8765/mcp --header "Authorization: Bearer <TOKEN>"The server refuses to start in HTTP mode without a stored bearer, and refuses a non-loopback bind unless http.allow_remote is true. INSTAGRAM_MCP_HTTP_HOST overrides http.host (the --host flag wins over both); the allow_remote rule applies to the effective host.
Tip: set your client to ask before running instagram_approve and let everything else run. That one tool is the only one that changes Instagram.
Long approves: publishing a large carousel (up to 20 items) can take several minutes while Instagram processes each container. instagram_approve sends MCP progress notifications whenever the client suppl
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