Instagram API

Streamline your Instagram marketing with Late's robust API. Schedule posts, stories, and reels, manage multiple accounts, and reach millions of users with enterprise-grade reliability.

💡 Related Developer Resources

Photos, videos & carousels
Stories & Reels support
Business accounts only
⚠️

Instagram Business Account Required

Instagram integration only works with Business accounts. Personal and Creator accounts cannot use automated posting APIs due to Instagram's restrictions.

💡 You can convert to a Business account for free in your Instagram app settings.

Instagram First Comment

Automatically add a first comment to your Instagram posts and Reels. Great for CTAs, links, or extra context. Not applied to Stories.

  • Length: up to ~2,200 characters
  • Timing: posted immediately after publish
  • Scope: feed posts and Reels only (Stories excluded by API)
Tip: In CSV bulk upload, use instagram_first_comment.

Why Choose Late for Instagram?

Perfect Timing

Schedule Instagram posts for peak engagement hours. Our algorithm analyzes your audience activity to suggest optimal posting times.

Instagram Business API

Official Instagram Business API integration with full support for photos, videos, carousels, and all Instagram content types.

Instagram Compliant

Fully compliant with Instagram's terms of service and platform policies. Your accounts stay safe and secure.

How Instagram Integration Works

1

Connect Business Account

Link your Instagram Business account through Meta's official API. Secure OAuth flow with proper permissions and compliance.

Important: Only Business accounts supported. Personal/Creator accounts will be rejected during connection.

2

Create & Schedule

Upload images, videos, stories, or carousels. Add captions, hashtags, and schedule for optimal engagement times.

3

Auto-Publish

Your content automatically publishes to Instagram at the scheduled time. Get real-time notifications and analytics.

Get Started in Minutes

Schedule an Instagram Post

JavaScript
// Regular Instagram post
const response = await fetch('https://getlate.dev/api/v1/posts', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'Authorization': 'Bearer YOUR_API_KEY',
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    platforms: [{
      platform: 'instagram',
      accountId: 'your-instagram-account-id'
    }],
    content: 'Beautiful sunset at the beach! 🌅 #sunset #photography',
    mediaItems: [{
      type: 'image',
      url: 'https://your-image-url.jpg'
    }],
    scheduledFor: '2024-01-15T19:00:00Z'
  })
});

// Instagram Story (24-hour visibility)
const storyResponse = await fetch('https://getlate.dev/api/v1/posts', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'Authorization': 'Bearer YOUR_API_KEY',
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    platforms: [{
      platform: 'instagram',
      accountId: 'your-instagram-account-id',
      platformSpecificData: { contentType: 'story' }
    }],
    mediaItems: [{
      type: 'image',
      url: 'https://your-story-image.jpg'
    }],
    scheduledFor: '2024-01-15T19:00:00Z'
  })
});

const result = await response.json();
console.log('Scheduled successfully:', result.id);

Instagram Content Types Supported

📸

Photos

Single images in JPEG, PNG, or WebP format. Automatic resizing and optimization.

🎥

Videos

MP4 videos up to 60 minutes. Support for vertical, square, and landscape formats.

Stories

Temporary content visible for 24 hours. Perfect for behind-the-scenes content.

🎠

Carousels

Multiple images or videos in a single post. Mix and match content types.

🎬

Reels

Short-form videos for Instagram Reels. Perfect for viral content strategies.

Instagram Marketing Benefits

Consistent Posting

Maintain a consistent Instagram presence with automated posting. Schedule weeks of content in advance and never miss a post.

Multi-Account Management

Manage multiple Instagram accounts from a single API. Perfect for agencies and businesses with multiple brands.

Developer-First

Built by developers for developers. Clean REST API, comprehensive docs, and SDKs for popular programming languages.

Instagram Features Supported

  • Photo posts
  • Video posts
  • Stories publishing
  • Reels publishing
  • Carousel posts
  • Scheduled publishing
  • Multiple account support
  • Real-time status tracking
  • Hashtags & mentions

Instagram API Error Reference

Comprehensive guide to Instagram API error codes. Find solutions and troubleshoot common integration issues.

View Error Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need an Instagram Business account?

Yes. Instagram's official APIs only allow Business accounts to publish content programmatically. Personal and Creator accounts are blocked by Instagram's policies.

Can I schedule Instagram Stories?

Yes. Set platformSpecificData.contentType to 'story' when creating a post. Late automatically optimizes your media for Stories.

Can I schedule Reels?

Absolutely. Upload short-form video content and Late will publish it as a Reel. Add captions, hashtags, and mention other accounts.

How do hashtags work?

Include hashtags directly in your caption. Late preserves formatting and ensures proper linking. Keep captions under Instagram's character limits.

Do I get analytics?

Late tracks publishing status and response payloads. For in-depth analytics, connect to Instagram Insights or your BI tools using our webhooks.

Ready to Grow on Instagram?

Join thousands of marketers using Late to automate Instagram – alongside 9 other platforms – with one API.

No credit card required • 10 free uploads per month • 99.97% uptime SLA