Slot usage
1 slot
Estimated execution time
Around 19 seconds per post scraped
What you'll need
- A connected Instagram account (use the PhantomBuster browser extension)
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A list of Instagram post URLs
→ See the full breakdown of all input fields in the detailed section below.
What you’ll get
- Key engagement metrics including: likes, comments, views, and plays (where available)
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Context details (description, caption, publication date, author profile, and location)
→ See the full breakdown of all output fields in the detailed section below.
Before you start
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Awareness of usage best practices:
- This Phantom has no strict rate limits, but we still recommend running it moderately.
- Spread extractions across several smaller launches during daytime hours to keep your account safe and results consistent.
Step 1: Connect your Instagram account
To let the Phantom act on your behalf:
- Install the PhantomBuster browser extension and connect your Instagram session in one click.
- If you’re not using Chrome or Firefox, you can retrieve your session cookie manually (see our cookie guide).
Step 2: Provide your post URLs
You can provide inputs in any of these formats:
- Paste a single Instagram post URL.
- Provide a Google Sheet with a list of Instagram post URLs (make sure it’s shared with “Anyone with the link”).
- Upload a CSV file with a list of Instagram post URLs (make sure it’s publicly accessible, and note that CSV upload is only available on paid plans).
→ If you’re using a spreadsheet, the Phantom defaults to the first column (A). To use a different column, enter the column’s header name in the field “Name of column containing post URLs.”
Step 3: Configure extraction options
Fine-tune how much data to collect per launch:
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Number of posts to scrape per launch (optional):
- Default = 10.
- If left empty, the Phantom will attempt to process all posts in one launch.
Advanced settings (dropdown in setup)
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Only extract the first post in a carousel (optional):
- Enable this if you only want the cover post from multi-image carousels.
Result file settings (dropdown in setup)
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Name your results file (optional)
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You can customize the file name.
If you rename the file between launches, the Phantom will create a new results file and start processing inputs from scratch.
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Fields to keep (optional)
- Export only the fields you care about by listing them (comma-separated).
Example: likeCount, commentCount, viewCount. - This generates a second CSV file with just those fields.
- Learn more in our guide: Customize how your Phantom results files are saved.
- Export only the fields you care about by listing them (comma-separated).
Step 5 (Optional): Advanced settings
Advanced settings are available if you want to fine-tune how your Phantom runs, but by default they’re already optimized for most use cases.
We recommend leaving them as they are unless a guide specifically instructs you to change something.
→ For a detailed overview of all advanced options (like execution limits, retries, email notifications, proxies, webhooks, and file management), see our Advanced settings guide.
Launch and results
When you’re ready:
- Click Launch to start your Phantom.
- Once it finishes, open the Results tab in the Phantom console to see the data collected.
- Download your results as a CSV or JSON file.
→ To learn how to export your data to Google Sheets, integrate with other tools, or reuse it in more automations, check our Access and Export your Phantom Results guide.
Export and input limits on the Free plan
If you’re on the Free plan or Free trial, some features are limited:
- CSV exports include only the first 10 rows of results.
- CSV download links (for dynamic viewing in Google Sheets or integrations) are not available.
- JSON exports are not available.
- CSV upload as an input method is not supported.
To unlock all features, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan.
What you give (Input) and What you get (Output)
This section gives you a detailed breakdown of everything you need to provide to run this Phantom, and everything you’ll receive once it completes.
What you give (Input)
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Instagram cookie | Your Instagram session cookie |
| Instagram posts | Instagram post URLs |
What you get (Output)
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| profileUrl | Post owner's profile URL |
| username | Post owner's username |
| fullName | Post owner's full name |
| likeCount | Post like count |
| commentCount | Post comment count |
| description | Description |
| imgUrl | Post image URL |
| pubDate | Publication date |
| location | Post location |
| viewCount | View Count |
| playCount | Play Count |
| caption | Caption |
Tips and troubleshooting
Common pitfalls
- Using a private spreadsheet (make sure it’s set to “Anyone with the link”).
- Private posts: The Phantom cannot extract data from private accounts’ posts.
If you run into errors or account issues
- Check how to troubleshoot your phantom using Logs.
- Browse the Fix Issues & Troubleshoot Errors section for solutions to common problems.
- Review our Automation Rate Limits by Platform guide.
- Check our Best Practices for Social Media Automation guide.
Suggested automations
- Instagram Photo Likers → Extract the list of people who liked the posts you’ve scraped.
- Instagram Post Commenters Export → Gather all comments and commenter profiles from your scraped posts.
- Instagram Profile Scraper → Enrich the profiles of post owners or commenters with more detailed account data.