otlite · Social media

Install Instagram Monitor on Linux or macOS in one command

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

Instagram Monitor in three lines

pipx install otlite
otlite install instagram-monitor
otlite run instagram-monitor -- u:jane_doe

Runs misiektoja/instagram_monitor (GPL-3.0, ★ 1.5k, otlite 1.2.1, catalog updated Oct 23, 2026). otlite installs and runs it at a tested version; it does not change or verify the tool itself.

What Instagram Monitor is for

Documenting changes to a profile during an investigation.
Alerts when a watched account posts.

Typed inputs for Instagram Monitor

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

u:: Username · otlite run instagram-monitor -- u:jane_doe

Instagram Monitor keeps running until you stop it, so otlite run --all and otlite auto skip it. Run it on its own.

otlite marks it dual-use, so it asks you to accept a responsible-use notice before it installs.

Where the results go

Every run lands under ./results/instagram-monitor/<target>/ as a timestamped output file, a .meta.json sidecar (the exact command, start and end time, exit code, and the SHA-256 of the output), and a .envelope.json with the entities found, in the same shape for every tool. List runs with otlite results, group them with --case, compare the last two with otlite diff instagram-monitor <target>, and pull indicators out with otlite extract instagram-monitor.

Before you run it

It never exits on its own, so --all and auto skip it. Run it in tmux or as a service.
Instagram throttles unauthenticated polling. Configure a dedicated account as the project documents.

Update, remove, inspect

otlite info instagram-monitor      # inputs, keys, an example command
otlite example instagram-monitor   # sample output, where there is one
otlite update instagram-monitor    # move to the next tested version
otlite remove instagram-monitor    # delete its virtualenv

Full reference: the otlite docs, and the tool's own README on GitHub.

Pairs with

Instaloader

Instaloader downloads the public posts, stories, captions, and metadata of an Instagram profile into a folder.

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.

Yark

Yark archives a YouTube channel: videos, titles, descriptions, thumbnails, and comments, and keeps a history so you can see what changed or was deleted between refreshes.

FAQ

Instagram Monitor with otlite, answered

How do I install Instagram Monitor on Kali, Ubuntu, or macOS?

Install otlite once with pipx install otlite (or the one-line installer on the otlite page), run otlite init, then otlite install instagram-monitor. The tool lands in its own virtualenv under ~/.otlite/, pinned to a version that was tested, so nothing touches your system Python. otlite doctor prints the command that fixes a missing git or venv module.

Which inputs does Instagram Monitor take through otlite?

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

Where does otlite save Instagram Monitor results?

Under ./results/instagram-monitor/<target>/ in the folder you run from, as a timestamped output file plus a .meta.json sidecar (the exact command, timing, exit code, and SHA-256) and a .envelope.json with the entities found. Add --case <name> to group runs, otlite results to list them, and otlite diff instagram-monitor <target> to compare the last two.

Does Instagram Monitor need an API key or a login?

No key is required for the basic run. Optional keys, where the project supports them, go in with otlite keys set NAME and are passed only to tools that declare them.

Can I run Instagram Monitor together with other tools?

Not under --all. Instagram Monitor keeps running until you stop it, so otlite run --all and otlite auto skip it on purpose. Run it on its own, ideally inside tmux or as a service.