# Instagram MCP Server

Paste one URL into Claude or ChatGPT and your assistant can read, transcribe and save public Instagram Reels and posts. No API key, no Instagram login.

URL: https://shortformkit.com/instagram-mcp-server/
Updated: 2026-10-14

**Server URL: https://shortformkit.com/mcp (Streamable HTTP, no authentication). Add it as a custom connector in Claude or ChatGPT, or in the MCP settings of Cursor, VS Code or Claude Code. It works with public Reels, posts and carousels.**

## What your assistant can do with Instagram

- **Read a Reel or post** (get_video_info): author, duration, caption, hashtags, cover image and whether it is a carousel.

- **Transcribe a Reel** (transcribe_video): Whisper transcript with timestamps in 90+ languages, optionally translated to English. Good for pulling the hook, quoting a creator or turning a Reel into a script.

- **Save media** (download_media): the Reel as MP4, its audio as MP3, the cover, every image of a carousel, or one frame at a timestamp. The link is valid for 15 minutes.

- **Check upload specs** (social_video_specs): Reels, Stories and feed sizes, lengths and caption limits for 2026, with Instagram's own help pages as sources.

## Prompts that work

- «Transcribe this Reel and give me the hook in one sentence: https://www.instagram.com/reel/...»

- «Read the caption of this post and list the hashtags it uses.»

- «Save the audio of this Reel as MP3 and tell me how long it is.»

- «What is the maximum length and the safe zone for an Instagram Reel in 2026?»

## Add it

[Add to Cursor](https://cursor.com/en/install-mcp?name=shortformkit&config=eyJ1cmwiOiAiaHR0cHM6Ly9zaG9ydGZvcm1raXQuY29tL21jcCJ9) [Add to VS Code](https://insiders.vscode.dev/redirect/mcp/install?name=shortformkit&config=%7B%22type%22%3A%22http%22%2C%22url%22%3A%22https%3A//shortformkit.com/mcp%22%7D)

**Claude (claude.ai, desktop, mobile):** Customize, Connectors, + Add, Add custom connector, paste https://shortformkit.com/mcp.

**ChatGPT:** where your plan offers custom connectors (developer mode), add the same URL.

**Claude Code:**
claude mcp add --transport http shortformkit https://shortformkit.com/mcp

**Cursor or VS Code:** { "url": "https://shortformkit.com/mcp" } under mcpServers (Cursor) or servers with "type": "http" (VS Code).

## What it does not do

It only sees what anyone can see without logging in. No private accounts, no DMs, no Stories of private profiles, no insights or follower analytics, and it does not post for you. For publishing and analytics on your own account you need Meta's Instagram Graph API with a business account. The full tool list for all platforms is on the [Shortform Kit MCP server](https://shortformkit.com/mcp-server/) page.

## How it works

1. **Copy the server URL** https://shortformkit.com/mcp
2. **Add it as a connector** Claude: Customize, Connectors, + Add, Add custom connector. Cursor, VS Code and Claude Code: see above.
3. **Paste an Instagram link** Ask for the transcript, the caption, the audio or the cover.

## FAQ

**Is there an Instagram MCP server for Claude?**
Yes. Add https://shortformkit.com/mcp as a custom connector in Claude. It reads, transcribes and saves public Instagram Reels and posts. It is free and needs no API key or Instagram login.

**What is the Instagram MCP server URL?**
https://shortformkit.com/mcp. It uses Streamable HTTP and no authentication, so you paste the URL and nothing else.

**Can it read private accounts or DMs?**
No. It only works with public posts, the same content anyone sees without logging in.

**Can it post to Instagram?**
No. Posting and account insights need Meta's Instagram Graph API with a business account. This server is for reading, transcribing and saving public content.


Source: Shortform Kit (https://shortformkit.com/instagram-mcp-server/). Free, no login.