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Instagram · Guide

How to get a Instagram transcript

TL;DR
To get a Instagram transcript, sign up for a free Captapi key, then send one GET request to /v1/instagram/transcript with your input. You get clean JSON back in seconds for 2 credits per call — no OAuth, scraping or platform SDKs. Extract timestamped transcripts from any public Instagram video in a single request.
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How to get a Instagram transcript (step by step)

  1. 1

    Get a free API key

    Create a free Captapi account (100 credits, no card) and generate an API key from the dashboard.

  2. 2

    Call the Instagram Transcript API

    Send an authenticated GET request to /v1/instagram/transcript with your input. No OAuth, no scraping setup.

  3. 3

    Read the JSON response

    Parse the clean JSON response. Results are cached for 24 hours, so repeat calls are free.

Code example

curl "https://api.captapi.com/v1/instagram/transcript?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Freel%2FCzKZqfdN5j8%2F" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer capt_live_..."

What the response looks like

{
  "success": true,
  "cached": false,
  "creditsUsed": 2,
  "data": {
    "platform": "instagram",
    "url": "https://www.instagram.com/p/DZFsjH9E3gK/",
    "transcript": "Can you guess where we are? We're about to unveil the seven natural wonders of America. Look how close we are. This is amazing. From a geologist standpoint, globally, this is geology and action that is all-inspiring. The touch is something very human. There are myths, there are legends, there are important stories that hold a sacred dish if you will. It's absolutely beautiful. And you just see how lush the vegetation is. There's such a diverse ecosystem. It's incredible. We're having so much fun about to unveil the seven natural wonders of America, just in time for the Fourth of July. Absolutely. You'll see this on ABC National Geographic in NatGeo.com. So guess where we are, comment and let us know what you think and we'll see you on Independence Day. And keep exploring.",
    "transcriptSegments": [
      {
        "text": "Can you guess where we are? We're about to unveil the seven natural wonders of America.",
        "start": 0,
        "duration": 4.64,
        "timestamp": "00:00"
      },
      {
        "text": "Look how close we are. This is amazing. From a geologist standpoint,",
        "start": 5.92,
        "duration": 4.72,
        "timestamp": "00:05"
      },
      {
        "text": "globally, this is geology and action that is all-inspiring. The touch is something very human.",
        "start": 10.64,
        "duration": 5.04,
        "timestamp": "00:10"
      },
      {
        "text": "There are myths, there are legends, there are important stories that hold a sacred",
        "start": 16.24,
        "duration": 5.36,
        "timestamp": "00:16"
      },
      {
        "text": "dish if you will. It's absolutely beautiful. And you just see how lush the vegetation is. There's",
        "start": 21.6,
        "duration": 4.24,
        "timestamp": "00:21"
      },
      {
        "text": "such a diverse ecosystem. It's incredible. We're having so much fun about to unveil the seven",
        "start": 25.84,
        "duration": 7.28,
        "timestamp": "00:25"
      },
      {
        "text": "natural wonders of America, just in time for the Fourth of July. Absolutely. You'll see this on",
        "start": 33.12,
        "duration": 4.56,
        "timestamp": "00:33"
      },
      {
        "text": "ABC National Geographic in NatGeo.com. So guess where we are, comment and let us know what you think",
        "start": 37.68,
        "duration": 5.76,
        "timestamp": "00:37"
      },
      {
        "text": "and we'll see you on Independence Day. And keep exploring.",
        "start": 43.44,
        "duration": 6,
        "timestamp": "00:43"
      }
    ],
    "wordCount": 135,
    "segments": 9
  }
}

Request parameters

NameTypeRequiredDescription
urlstring YesInstagram Reel URL, e.g. https://instagram.com/reel/ID/. The URL platform must match this endpoint's platform. Do not pass cross-platform URLs, e.g. YouTube to TikTok, Instagram to Facebook, LinkedIn to X/Twitter, or Pinterest to Rumble.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Instagram Transcript API do?

The Instagram Transcript API lets you extract the full, timestamped transcript from a public Instagram video using one GET request to /v1/instagram/transcript. It returns clean JSON — no OAuth or scraping setup required.

How many credits does the Instagram Transcript API cost?

Each successful call costs 2 credits. Responses are cached for 24 hours, and cached results cost 0 credits. Failed or empty results are never charged.

Do I need a Instagram API key or OAuth?

No. A single Captapi key works across every platform Captapi supports — YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter/X, Reddit, Threads, Bluesky, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Rumble. We handle proxies, rate limits, retries, and authentication for you.

What if the Instagram video has no captions?

When no captions are available, Captapi transcribes the audio with AI (Whisper) automatically, so you still get a usable transcript.

Is the Instagram Transcript API suitable for production use?

Yes. It is a stable REST endpoint with predictable JSON, automatic retries, and a shared 24-hour cache. Use it for RAG pipelines, analytics, monitoring, and content automation.

Ready to get a Instagram transcript?

Start free with 100 credits — no credit card required.

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