Download Instagram Posts Using Python Selenium module

Last Updated : 17 Jan, 2023

In this article, we will learn how we can download Instagram posts of a profile using Python Selenium module.

Requirements:

Google Chrome or Firefox
Chrome driver(For Google Chrome) or Gecko driver(For Mozilla Firefox)
Selenium package: It is a powerful tool for controlling a web browser through the program. It is functional for all browsers, works on all major OS and its scripts are written in various languages i.e Python, Java, C#, etc. In can installed using the below command:

pip install selenium

Beautiful Soup package: It is a Python library for pulling data out of HTML and XML files. It works with your favorite parser to provide idiomatic ways of navigating, searching, and modifying the parse tree.It can installed using the below command:

pip install bs4

Requests package: Requests library is one of an integral part of Python for making HTTP requests to a specified URL. It can be installed using the below command:

pip install requests

Step-by-step Approach:

Step 1: Importing modules and entering the login information along with the URL of the page.

Python3

# import required modules
from selenium import webdriver
from selenium.webdriver.common.keys import Keys
import selenium.common.exceptions
import time
from bs4 import BeautifulSoup as bs
import requests
import os
 
# get instagram account credentials
username = input('Enter Your User Name ')
password = input('Enter Your Password ') 
 
# assign URL
url = 'https://instagram.com/' + \
    input('Enter User Name Of User For Downloading Posts ')

Step 2: Function to start the new session of Browser. You might need to add the path to the web driver. Chrome() function, it depends on your installation.

Python3

# get URL path
def path():
    global chrome
     
    # starts a new chrome session
    # add path if required
    chrome = webdriver.Chrome()

Step 3: Function to enter the URL of the page.

Python3

# extract URL
def url_name(url):
   
    # the web page opens up
    chrome.get(url)
     
    # webdriver will wait for 4 sec before throwing a
    # NoSuchElement exception so that the element
    # is detected and not skipped.
    time.sleep(4)

Step 4: Function to enter your login information.

Python3

# login to access post
def login(username, your_password):
    log_but = chrome.find_element_by_class_name("L3NKy")
    time.sleep(2)
    log_but.click()
    time.sleep(4)
     
    # finds the username box
    usern = chrome.find_element_by_name("username")
     
    # sends the entered username
    usern.send_keys(username)
 
    # finds the password box
    passw = chrome.find_element_by_name("password")
 
    # sends the entered password
    passw.send_keys(your_password)
 
    # sends the enter key
    passw.send_keys(Keys.RETURN)
 
    time.sleep(5.5)
 
    # Find Not Now  Button
    notn = chrome.find_element_by_class_name("yWX7d")
 
    notn.click()
    time.sleep(3)

Step 5: Function to open the first post.

Python3

# function to get first post
def first_post():
    pic = chrome.find_element_by_class_name("kIKUG").click()
    time.sleep(2)

Step 6: Function to download all posts.

Python3

def download_allposts():
 
    # open First Post
    first_post()
 
    user_name = url.split('/')[-1]
 
    # check if folder corresponding to user name exist or not
    if(os.path.isdir(user_name) == False):
 
        # Create folder
        os.mkdir(user_name)
 
    # Check if Posts contains multiple images or videos
    multiple_images = nested_check()
 
    if multiple_images:
        nescheck = multiple_images
        count_img = 0
         
        while nescheck:
            elem_img = chrome.find_element_by_class_name('rQDP3')
 
            # Function to save nested images
            save_multiple(user_name+'/'+'content1.'+str(count_img), elem_img)
            count_img += 1
            nescheck.click()
            nescheck = nested_check()
 
        # pass last_img_flag True
        save_multiple(user_name+'/'+'content1.' +
                      str(count_img), elem_img, last_img_flag=1)
    else:
        save_content('_97aPb', user_name+'/'+'content1')
    c = 2
     
    while(True):
        next_el = next_post()
         
        if next_el != False:
            next_el.click()
            time.sleep(1.3)
             
            try:
                multiple_images = nested_check()
                 
                if multiple_images:
                    nescheck = multiple_images
                    count_img = 0
                     
                    while nescheck:
                        elem_img = chrome.find_element_by_class_name('rQDP3')
                        save_multiple(user_name+'/'+'content' +
                                      str(c)+'.'+str(count_img), elem_img)
                        count_img += 1
                        nescheck.click()
                        nescheck = nested_check()
                    save_multiple(user_name+'/'+'content'+str(c) +
                                  '.'+str(count_img), elem_img, 1)
                else:
                    save_content('_97aPb', user_name+'/'+'content'+str(c))
             
            except selenium.common.exceptions.NoSuchElementException:
                print("finished")
                return
         
        else:
            break
         
        c += 1

Step 7: Function to click on next post.

Python3

# function to get next post
def next_post():
    try:
        nex = chrome.find_element_by_class_name("coreSpriteRightPaginationArrow")
        return nex
    except selenium.common.exceptions.NoSuchElementException:
        return 0

Step 8: Function to save normal Posts.

Python3

# Function to save content of the current post
def save_content(class_name,img_name):
    time.sleep(0.5)
     
    try:
        pic = chrome.find_element_by_class_name(class_name)
     
    except selenium.common.exceptions.NoSuchElementException:
        print("Either This user has no images or you haven't followed this user or something went wrong")
        return
     
    html = pic.get_attribute('innerHTML')
    soup = bs(html,'html.parser')
    link = soup.find('video')
     
    if link:
        link = link['src']
    else:
        link = soup.find('img')['src']
    response = requests.get(link)
     
    with open(img_name, 'wb') as f:
        f.write(response.content)
     
    time.sleep(0.9)

Step 9: Function to save nested Posts.

Python3

# Function to save multiple posts
def save_multiple(img_name,elem,last_img_flag = False):
    time.sleep(1)
    l = elem.get_attribute('innerHTML')
    html = bs(l,'html.parser')
    biglist = html.find_all('ul')
    biglist = biglist[0]
    list_images = biglist.find_all('li')
    if last_img_flag:
        user_image = list_images[-1]
    else:
        user_image = list_images[(len(list_images)//2)]
    video = user_image.find('video')
    if video:
        link = video['src']
    else:
        link = user_image.find('img')['src']
    response = requests.get(link)
    with open(img_name, 'wb') as f:
        f.write(response.content)

Step 10: Function to check if post is nested or not.

Python3

# function to check if the post is nested
def nested_check():
   
    try:
        time.sleep(1)
        nes_nex = chrome.find_element_by_class_name('coreSpriteRightChevron  ')
        return nes_nex
     
    except selenium.common.exceptions.NoSuchElementException:
        return 0

Step 11: Calling the required functions in the driver code.

Python3

# Driver Code
path()
time.sleep(1)
url_name(url)
login(username, password)
download_allposts()
chrome.close()

Below is the complete program based on the above approach:

Python3

# import required modules
from selenium import webdriver
from selenium.webdriver.common.keys import Keys
import selenium.common.exceptions
import time
from bs4 import BeautifulSoup as bs
import requests
import os
 
 
# get instagram account credentials
username = input('Enter Your User Name ')
password = input('Enter Your Password ')  
 
# assign URL
url = 'https://instagram.com/' + \
    input('Enter User Name Of User For Downloading Posts ')
 
# Get URL path
def path():
    global chrome
    # starts a new chrome session
    # add path if required
    chrome = webdriver.Chrome()
     
# Extract URL
def url_name(url):
    # the web page opens up
    chrome.get(url)
     
    # webdriver will wait for 4 sec before throwing a
    # NoSuchElement exception so that the element
    # is detected and not skipped.
    time.sleep(4)
     
# Login to access post
def login(username, your_password):
    log_but = chrome.find_element_by_class_name("L3NKy")
    time.sleep(2)
    log_but.click()
    time.sleep(4)
    # finds the username box
    usern = chrome.find_element_by_name("username")
    # sends the entered username
    usern.send_keys(username)
 
    # finds the password box
    passw = chrome.find_element_by_name("password")
 
    # sends the entered password
    passw.send_keys(your_password)
 
    # sends the enter key
    passw.send_keys(Keys.RETURN)
 
    time.sleep(5.5)
 
    # Find Not Now  Button
    notn = chrome.find_element_by_class_name("yWX7d")
 
    notn.click()
    time.sleep(3)
     
# Function to get content of first post
def first_post():
    pic = chrome.find_element_by_class_name("kIKUG").click()
    time.sleep(2)
     
# Function to get next post
def next_post():
    try:
        nex = chrome.find_element_by_class_name(
            "coreSpriteRightPaginationArrow")
        return nex
    except selenium.common.exceptions.NoSuchElementException:
        return 0
       
# Download content of all posts
def download_allposts():
 
    # open First Post
    first_post()
 
    user_name = url.split('/')[-1]
 
    # check if folder corresponding to user name exist or not
    if(os.path.isdir(user_name) == False):
 
        # Create folder
        os.mkdir(user_name)
 
    # Check if Posts contains multiple images or videos
    multiple_images = nested_check()
 
    if multiple_images:
        nescheck = multiple_images
        count_img = 0
         
        while nescheck:
            elem_img = chrome.find_element_by_class_name('rQDP3')
 
            # Function to save nested images
            save_multiple(user_name+'/'+'content1.'+str(count_img), elem_img)
            count_img += 1
            nescheck.click()
            nescheck = nested_check()
 
        # pass last_img_flag True
        save_multiple(user_name+'/'+'content1.' +
                      str(count_img), elem_img, last_img_flag=1)
    else:
        save_content('_97aPb', user_name+'/'+'content1')
    c = 2
     
    while(True):
        next_el = next_post()
         
        if next_el != False:
            next_el.click()
            time.sleep(1.3)
             
            try:
                multiple_images = nested_check()
                 
                if multiple_images:
                    nescheck = multiple_images
                    count_img = 0
                     
                    while nescheck:
                        elem_img = chrome.find_element_by_class_name('rQDP3')
                        save_multiple(user_name+'/'+'content' +
                                      str(c)+'.'+str(count_img), elem_img)
                        count_img += 1
                        nescheck.click()
                        nescheck = nested_check()
                    save_multiple(user_name+'/'+'content'+str(c) +
                                  '.'+str(count_img), elem_img, 1)
                else:
                    save_content('_97aPb', user_name+'/'+'content'+str(c))
             
            except selenium.common.exceptions.NoSuchElementException:
                print("finished")
                return
         
        else:
            break
         
        c += 1
 
# Function to save content of the current post
def save_content(class_name, img_name):
    time.sleep(0.5)
     
    try:
        pic = chrome.find_element_by_class_name(class_name)
     
    except selenium.common.exceptions.NoSuchElementException:
        print("Either This user has no images or you haven't followed this user or something went wrong")
        return
     
    html = pic.get_attribute('innerHTML')
    soup = bs(html, 'html.parser')
    link = soup.find('video')
     
    if link:
        link = link['src']
     
    else:
        link = soup.find('img')['src']
    response = requests.get(link)
     
    with open(img_name, 'wb') as f:
        f.write(response.content)
    time.sleep(0.9)
     
# Function to save multiple posts
def save_multiple(img_name, elem, last_img_flag=False):
    time.sleep(1)
    l = elem.get_attribute('innerHTML')
    html = bs(l, 'html.parser')
    biglist = html.find_all('ul')
    biglist = biglist[0]
    list_images = biglist.find_all('li')
     
    if last_img_flag:
        user_image = list_images[-1]
     
    else:
        user_image = list_images[(len(list_images)//2)]
    video = user_image.find('video')
     
    if video:
        link = video['src']
     
    else:
        link = user_image.find('img')['src']
    response = requests.get(link)
     
    with open(img_name, 'wb') as f:
        f.write(response.content)
 
# Function to check if the post is nested
def nested_check():
     
    try:
        time.sleep(1)
        nes_nex = chrome.find_element_by_class_name('coreSpriteRightChevron  ')
        return nes_nex
     
    except selenium.common.exceptions.NoSuchElementException:
        return 0
 
# Driver Code
path()
time.sleep(1)
 
url_name(url)
 
login(username, password)
 
download_allposts()
 
chrome.close()

After running this complete script, a directory will be created which will contain all the posts.

Output:

Note: If you are Windows user then the posts will be saved with .file extension, open the posts with application which can open both images and videos(Instagram posts have only type of media, image or video)

Suggest improvement

Like instagram pictures using Selenium | Python

Share your thoughts in the comments

Download Instagram Posts Using Python Selenium module

Requirements:

Step-by-step Approach:

Python3

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