.. _command-line-options: Command Line Options ==================== Instaloader is invoked with:: $ instaloader [options] target [target ...] where ``target`` is a ``profile``, a ``"#hashtag"``, ``@profile`` (all profiles that *profile* is following), ``%location ID``, or if logged in ``:feed`` (pictures from your feed), ``:stories`` (stories of your followees) or ``:saved`` (collection of posts marked as saved). Here we explain the additional options that can be given to Instaloader to customize its behavior. For an introduction on how to use Instaloader, see :ref:`download-pictures-from-instagram`. To get a list of all flags, their abbreviations and their descriptions, you may also run:: instaloader --help Targets ^^^^^^^ Specify a list of targets. For each of these, Instaloader creates a folder and stores all posts along with the pictures's captions there. .. include:: basic-usage.rst :start-after: targets-start :end-before: targets-end - ``filename.json[.xz]`` Re-Download the given object - ``+args.txt`` Read targets (and options) from given textfile. See :option:`+args.txt`. What to Download of each Post ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ .. option:: --no-pictures Do not download post pictures. Cannot be used together with :option:`--fast-update`. Implies :option:`--no-video-thumbnails`, does not imply :option:`--no-videos`. .. versionadded:: 4.1 .. option:: --no-videos, -V Do not download videos. .. option:: --no-video-thumbnails Do not download thumbnails of videos. .. option:: --geotags, -G **Download geotags** when available. Geotags are stored as a text file with the location's name and a Google Maps link. This requires an additional request to the Instagram server for each picture. Requires :option:`--login`. .. option:: --comments, -C Download and update comments for each post. This requires an additional request to the Instagram server for each post, which is why it is disabled by default. .. option:: --no-captions Do not create txt files. .. option:: --post-metadata-txt Template to write in txt file for each Post. See :ref:`metadata-text-files`. .. option:: --storyitem-metadata-txt Template to write in txt file for each StoryItem. See :ref:`metadata-text-files`. .. option:: --no-metadata-json Do not create a JSON file containing the metadata of each post. .. option:: --no-compress-json Do not xz compress JSON files, rather create pretty formatted JSONs. What to Download of each Profile ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ .. option:: --profile-pic-only, -P .. deprecated:: 4.1 Use :option:`--no-posts`. Only download profile picture. .. option:: --no-posts Do not download regular posts. .. versionadded:: 4.1 .. option:: --no-profile-pic Do not download profile picture. .. option:: --stories, -s Also **download stories** of each profile that is downloaded. Requires :option:`--login`. .. option:: --highlights Also **download highlights** of each profile that is downloaded. Requires :option:`--login`. .. versionadded:: 4.1 .. option:: --tagged Also download posts where each profile is tagged. .. versionadded:: 4.1 .. option:: --stories-only .. deprecated:: 4.1 Use :option:`--stories` :option:`--no-posts`. Rather than downloading regular posts of each specified profile, only download stories. Requires :option:`--login`. Does not imply :option:`--no-profile-pic`. .. note:: If possible, use ``:stories`` target rather than :option:`--stories-only` with all your followees. ``:stories`` uses fewer API requests. Which Posts to Download ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ .. option:: --fast-update, -F For each target, stop when encountering the first already-downloaded picture. This flag is recommended when you use Instaloader to update your personal Instagram archive. .. option:: --post-filter filter, --only-if filter Expression that, if given, must evaluate to True for each post to be downloaded. Must be a syntactically valid Python expression. Variables are evaluated to :class:`instaloader.Post` attributes. Example: ``--post-filter=viewer_has_liked``. See :ref:`filter-posts` for more examples. .. option:: --storyitem-filter filter Expression that, if given, must evaluate to True for each storyitem to be downloaded. Must be a syntactically valid Python expression. Variables are evaluated to :class:`instaloader.StoryItem` attributes. See :ref:`filter-posts` for more examples. .. option:: --count COUNT, -c Do not attempt to download more than COUNT posts. Applies only to ``#hashtag``, ``%location id``, and ``:feed``. Login (Download Private Profiles) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Instaloader can **login to Instagram**. This allows downloading private profiles. To login, pass the :option:`--login` option. Your session cookie (not your password!) will be saved to a local file to be reused next time you want Instaloader to login. .. option:: --login YOUR-USERNAME, -l YOUR-USERNAME Login name (profile name) for your Instagram account. .. option:: --sessionfile SESSIONFILE, -f SESSIONFILE Path for loading and storing session key file. Defaults to a path within your temporary directory, encoding your local username and your Instagram profile name. .. option:: --password YOUR-PASSWORD, -p YOUR-PASSWORD Password for your Instagram account. Without this option, you'll be prompted for your password interactively if there is not yet a valid session file. .. warning:: Using :option:`--password` option is discouraged for security reasons. Enter your password interactively when asked, or use the sessionfile feature (:option:`--sessionfile` to customize path). How to Download ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ .. option:: --dirname-pattern DIRNAME_PATTERN Name of directory where to store posts. ``{profile}`` is replaced by the profile name, ``{target}`` is replaced by the target you specified, i.e. either ``:feed``, ``#hashtag`` or the profile name. Defaults to ``{target}``. See :ref:`filename-specification`. .. option:: --filename-pattern FILENAME_PATTERN Prefix of filenames, relative to the directory given with :option:`--dirname-pattern`. ``{profile}`` is replaced by the profile name, ``{target}`` is replaced by the target you specified, i.e. either ``:feed``, ``#hashtag`` or the profile name. Defaults to ``{date_utc}_UTC``. See :ref:`filename-specification` for a list of supported tokens. .. option:: --user-agent USER_AGENT User Agent to use for HTTP requests. Per default, Instaloader pretends being Chrome/51. .. option:: --max-connection-attempts N Maximum number of connection attempts until a request is aborted. Defaults to ``3``. If a connection fails, it can be manually skipped by hitting :kbd:`Control-c`. Set this to ``0`` to retry infinitely. .. option:: --commit-mode Tries to ensure downloaded images avoid corruption in case of unexpected interruption. If the last picture is corrupted, Instaloader will fix the picture the next time it is run. .. versionadded:: 4.2 Miscellaneous Options ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ .. option:: --quiet, -q Disable user interaction, i.e. do not print messages (except errors) and fail if login credentials are needed but not given. This is handy for running :ref:`instaloader-as-cronjob`. .. option:: --request-timeout N Seconds to wait before timing out a connection request. .. versionadded:: 4.3 .. option:: +args.txt Read arguments from file `args.txt`, a shortcut to provide arguments from file rather than command-line. This provides a convenient way to hide login info from CLI, and can also be used to simplify managment of long arguments. .. note:: Text file should separate arguments with line breaks. args.txt example:: --login=MYUSERNAME --password=MYPASSWORD --fast-update profile1 profile2 .. versionadded:: 4.1