otinstaller · Social media

Install Instaloader on Linux in one command

Instaloader downloads the public posts, stories, captions, and metadata of an Instagram profile into a folder. It keeps JSON sidecars per post, so timestamps and locations survive the download.

Instaloader in three lines

pipx install otinstaller
ot install instaloader
ot run instaloader -- u:jane_doe

Runs instaloader/instaloader (MIT, ★ 13k, otinstaller v0.0.4, registry updated Oct 13, 2026). otinstaller installs and runs it; it does not change or verify it.

What Instaloader is for

Preserving a public profile before it changes or disappears.
Pulling captions and geotags into a case file.
Downloading by hashtag or location with the original flags.

Typed inputs for Instaloader

otinstaller translates these prefixes into Instaloader's own flags. Anything else after -- is passed through unchanged, so every original flag still works.

u:: username · ot run instaloader -- u:jane_doe
url:: url · ot run instaloader -- url:https://example.com

Run every installed tool that takes the same input at once: ot run --all u:jane_doe

Where the results go

Every run lands under ./results/instaloader/<target>/ as a timestamped output file plus a .meta.json sidecar: the exact command, start and end time, exit code, and the SHA-256 of the output. Group runs with --case, compare the last two with ot diff instaloader <target>, and pull indicators out with ot extract.

Before you run it

Instagram throttles anonymous downloads hard. Log in with a dedicated account for anything beyond a profile or two.
Private profiles need a logged-in account that follows them.

Update, remove, inspect

ot info instaloader      # inputs, flags, keys
ot example instaloader   # sample output
ot update instaloader    # move to the next tested version
ot remove instaloader    # delete its virtualenv

Full reference for this tool: docs for instaloader.

Pairs with

Toutatis

Toutatis pulls the public and semi-public fields of an Instagram account: user ID, bio, follower counts, and the obfuscated email or phone Instagram shows on password reset.

Instagram Monitor

Instagram Monitor watches a public profile and records changes over time: new posts, follower count moves, bio edits, with optional notifications.

socid-extractor

socid-extractor takes a profile URL and returns the structured fields on the page: user ID, display name, bio, follower counts, linked accounts.

FAQ

Instaloader with otinstaller, answered

How do I install Instaloader on Kali or Ubuntu?

Install otinstaller once with pipx install otinstaller, run ot init, then ot install instaloader. The tool lands in its own virtualenv under ~/.otinstaller/, pinned to a version that was tested on Ubuntu, so nothing touches your system Python. ot doctor flags a missing git or venv module.

Which inputs does Instaloader take through otinstaller?

u: (username), url: (url). otinstaller maps each prefix to Instaloader's own flag. Everything after -- that is not a typed input is passed through unchanged, so the original flags still work.

Where does otinstaller save Instaloader results?

Under ./results/instaloader/<target>/ in the folder you run from, as a timestamped output file plus a .meta.json sidecar with the exact command, timing, exit code, and SHA-256. Add --case <name> to group runs, and ot diff instaloader <target> to compare the last two.

Does Instaloader need an API key or a login?

No key is required for the basic run. Optional keys, where the project supports them, go in ~/.otinstaller/.env and are passed only to tools that declare them.

Can I run Instaloader together with other tools?

Yes. ot run --all u:jane_doe runs every installed tool that accepts username input, in parallel, including Instaloader. Save the combination as a playbook to repeat it.