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How to download your Instagram data (photos and posts)

You can download everything you have posted on Instagram from Accounts Center → Your information and permissions → Export your information. Choose Posts, All time, JSON and Higher media quality. Instagram then emails you a download link, usually within a few hours, and the link works for four days.

Before you start

  • It works for every account: personal, private, Creator and Business.
  • You need your Instagram password once, to confirm the request on Instagram’s own site.
  • Choose Posts only. The file gets much smaller, and your posts are all Inbunden needs.

On your phone (Instagram app)

  1. Open your profile and the menu

    Tap your profile picture (bottom right), then the menu (☰) top right, then Settings and activity.

  2. Accounts Center

    Tap Accounts Center at the top of the list, then Your information and permissions.

  3. Export your information

    Tap Export your information, then Create export. On older app versions this is called Download your information → Download or transfer information.

  4. Pick your profile and destination

    Select your Instagram profile (untick any Facebook account), then choose Export to device.

  5. Choose Posts only

    Tap Customize information (or Some of your information), untick everything, and tick Posts under Your Instagram activity.

  6. Set the options and start

    Date range: All time. Format: JSON. Media quality: Higher. Check the notification email, tap Start export and confirm with your Instagram password.

On a computer (instagram.com)

  1. Open Instagram settings

    Go to instagram.com, click More (bottom of the left sidebar), then Settings.

  2. Accounts Center

    Click Accounts Center, then Your information and permissions in the left column. You can also go straight to accountscenter.instagram.com.

  3. Export your information

    Click Export your information, then Create export. Older versions call this Download your information → Download or transfer information.

  4. Pick your profile and destination

    Select your Instagram profile only, then choose Export to device.

  5. Choose Posts only

    Under Customize information (or Some of your information), untick everything except Posts in Your Instagram activity.

  6. Set the options and start

    Date range: All time. Format: JSON. Media quality: Higher. Click Start export and confirm with your Instagram password.

Why JSON and Higher quality?

JSON keeps the dates, captions and carousel order in a form that software can read reliably, while HTML is meant for reading in a browser. Higher media quality gives you the largest copies Instagram has kept, which is what you want in print.

What happens next

Instagram prepares the file and emails you when it is ready. That usually takes a few hours, sometimes a day or two, and Instagram officially allows itself up to 30 days. The download link is valid for only four days, so download the ZIP as soon as the email arrives. If no email shows up, check your spam folder or look under Export your information in Accounts Center.

Then upload the ZIP to Inbunden without unpacking it. Inbunden reads the posts straight from the file and shows them grouped by month.

Questions

How long does the Instagram data export take?

Usually a few hours, sometimes a day or two. Instagram says it can take up to 30 days.

How big is the ZIP?

It depends on how much you have posted. With Posts only it is often a few hundred megabytes to a few gigabytes. Inbunden accepts exports up to 8 GB.

Is it safe to upload my export?

Inbunden reads only the posts in the file. Your photos are kept for 3 months so you can make more books, and you can delete them at any time.

Ready to make yours?

Bring in your photos, pick the ones you want and preview every page before you pay.

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