Instagram API

Introduction

The first version of the Instagram API is an exciting step forward towards making it easier for users to have open access to their data. With the Instagram API, our goal is to make it easier for developers to create interesting and innovative ways to browse the ever-growing volume of photos posted to Instagram every second.

While Instagram started as an iPhone app, our vision for what Instagram will become is much larger. As the number of photos uploaded grows, we believe that the Instagram community is building a rich visual history of the world. It's only natural to find ways of encouraging talented developers to build interesting ways to explore the data.

Additionally, we want to make it easy for developers to find ways of making Instagram more useful to the quickly growing number of users that sign up for Instagram every day.

Getting Started

Working with our API is as easy as pie:

  1. Register your application with Instagram, and receive your OAuth client_id and client_secret
  2. Have your user authenticate and authorize your application with Instagram
  3. Make requests to our API Endpoints using your authenticated OAuth credentials

API Terms of Use

Before you start, using the API, we have a few guidelines that we'd like to tell you about. Please make sure to read the full API Terms of Use. Here's what you'll read about:

  1. Instagram users own their images. It's your responsibility to make sure that you respect that right.
  2. You cannot use the Instagram name in your application.
  3. You cannot use the Instagram API to crawl and/or store users' images without their express consent.
  4. You cannot replicate the core user experience of Instagram.com
  5. Do not abuse the API. Too many requests too quickly will get your access turned off