Use Instagram Transcript Scraper - Reels & Video with Python

Instagram video to text: paste many reel, post or IGTV links and get each transcript with creator, caption and likes. Reads Instagram captions or uses AI speech-to-text in 29 languages, with optional timestamps per phrase. Export to JSON, CSV or Excel for subtitles and research.

1. Choose the data you need

Review the published README for supported collection modes, examples, and limits. The recipe below uses the current published input definition.

2. Prepare a source-based input

This JSON contains published prefills and required-field defaults. Review every value for your task before running it; it is not a promise of successful collection.

{
  "includeSegments": false,
  "maxPosts_per_username": 0,
  "transcriptionMethod": "auto",
  "usernames": [],
  "videoUrls": [
    "https://www.instagram.com/p/Dew5IIlNfMW/"
  ],
  "whisperModel": "base"
}

Download input.example.json and save your reviewed copy as input.json.

Field	Type	Required	Description
`videoUrls`	array	optional	List of Instagram video or reel URLs to transcribe. Supports /p/, /reel/, and /tv/ formats. Provide this, usernames, or both.
`usernames`	array	optional	Usernames whose newest posts should be checked for videos. Each entry can be a username (with or without @) or a profile link such as https://www.instagram.com/natgeo/. Every video is transcribed (each video of a carousel on its own); a post without a video gets a record with the status not_a_video.
`maxPosts_per_username`	integer	optional	How many of each username's newest posts to check (after the date and pinned-post filters below). Every video among them is transcribed (each video of a carousel on its own); a post without a video gets a record with the status not_a_video. Public profiles need no sign-in, however many posts you ask for; a private profile needs your cookies.
`newerThan`	string	optional	Skip posts published before this date. Leave empty for no date filter. Must be a date from 2000-01-01 up to the day before the run. Applies to usernames only. The date is read from the post's id, so it can be off by up to a day.
`skipPinnedPosts`	boolean	optional	Leave out the posts a profile has pinned to the top of its grid. Applies to usernames only. A pinned post that is also the newest post cannot be recognised and stays in.
`transcriptionMethod`	string	optional	How to extract transcripts. 'auto' tries native Instagram captions first, then falls back to Whisper AI. 'native' only uses Instagram captions. 'whisper' always uses AI speech-to-text.
`whisperModel`	string	optional	Whisper AI model size. Larger models are more accurate but use more memory and time. Only used when transcription method involves Whisper.
`includeSegments`	boolean	optional	When enabled, the output will include a 'segments' array with per-segment timestamps and text alongside the full transcript. Each segment represents a distinct phrase with start/end times in seconds. Note: enabling this feature incurs an additional charge per run.
`language`	string	optional	Language of the video audio. Leave empty for automatic detection. Only used when Whisper is active.
`cookies`	string	optional	Optional. Leave empty to transcribe public videos without signing in. Paste your own Instagram cookies in JSON format to also transcribe age-restricted videos and videos of private accounts your account follows. It is a secret input, so the Apify Console hides and encrypts it. Format: [{"name":"sessionid","value":"...","domain":".instagram.com"}, ...]

3. Start an Actor run

Set APIFY_TOKEN in your environment. Python 3.10 or newer is sufficient; this recipe uses no third-party packages.

Execution may incur charges. Review current pricing on Apify. The request asks for a 120-second timeout and a charge limit; these settings are subject to Apify’s pricing and do not guarantee an all-inclusive spending cap.

import json
import os
import urllib.request

# Save the schema-derived example as input.json; review and edit it first.
with open("input.json", encoding="utf-8") as stream:
    actor_input = json.load(stream)

token = os.environ["APIFY_TOKEN"]
request = urllib.request.Request(
    "https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/gX8rEllTH03wsRzLa/runs?timeout=120&maxTotalChargeUsd=0.50",
    data=json.dumps(actor_input).encode("utf-8"),
    headers={"Authorization": "Bearer " + token, "Content-Type": "application/json"},
    method="POST",
)
# This starts a potentially billable run. Do not automatically retry this POST.
with urllib.request.urlopen(request, timeout=40) as response:
    run = json.load(response)["data"]
print("Run ID:", run["id"])
print("Status:", run["status"])
# Inspect and download results in Apify Console once the run succeeds.

4. Inspect the actual results

Open the run in Apify Console and wait for a successful completion. Use the published output schema to locate results and the dataset schema to understand declared views. Missing or optional record fields must not be treated as guaranteed values.

Questions before you run

Which inputs are required?

No top-level fields are marked required in the published schema. Conditional requirements can still apply; check the README.

What does this guide verify?

The fields, prefills, and schema links are rendered from the published build. This is a usage recipe, not a paid live extraction test. Source availability and collection results can vary.

What if the run request times out?

Check Apify Console before retrying. The first request may already have created a run. Do not automatically repeat a run-creation POST.

Open on Apify Full Actor reference

Generated from source build WNBBQsnWIcfNIJafZ and its README and schemas. Source changes regenerate this guide; no third-party editorial claims are inferred.