# GET /v1/user/reels: Instagram reels API

An account's reels, newest first, a page at a time: caption, video, time and the like, comment and view counts. Pass next_cursor back as cursor for the next page.

- Call: `GET https://storiesfly.com/api/v1/user/reels`
- Price **1 request**
- Answers up to **15 minutes** old

## Parameters

All parameters go in the query string.

| Name | Type | Sent | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `username` | string | one of | Instagram username. A leading @ is ignored. Send exactly one of username or id. |
| `id` | string | one of | Numeric Instagram id of the account. Send exactly one of username or id. |
| `cursor` | string | optional | The next_cursor of the page before. Leave it out for the first page. |

## Example request

Put your own key in the header.

### cURL

```bash
curl "https://storiesfly.com/api/v1/user/reels?username=arianagrande" \
  -H "X-Api-Key: sf_live_your_key"
```

### JavaScript

```javascript
const res = await fetch(
  "https://storiesfly.com/api/v1/user/reels?username=arianagrande",
  { headers: { "X-Api-Key": process.env.STORIESFLY_KEY } }
);
const data = await res.json();
```

### Python

```python
import os
import requests

r = requests.get(
    "https://storiesfly.com/api/v1/user/reels",
    params={"username": "arianagrande"},
    headers={"X-Api-Key": os.environ["STORIESFLY_KEY"]},
)
data = r.json()
```

## Example response

200 OK · X-Units-Charged: 1

```json
{
  "user": {
    "id": "7719696",
    "username": "arianagrande"
  },
  "posts": [
    {
      "id": "3988180208854890226",
      "shortcode": "DdY3MUJCfby",
      "url": "https://www.instagram.com/reel/DdY3MUJCfby/",
      "owner": {
        "id": "7719696",
        "username": "arianagrande"
      },
      "taken_at": 1789648207,
      "taken_at_iso": "2026-09-17T12:30:07.000Z",
      "caption": "。˚ ꕤ ✍︎  the day petal was born 🎧 ˚ ꩜ 。  ",
      "media_type": "reel",
      "pinned": false,
      "thumbnail_url": "https://instagram.fsjc1-4.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t51.82787-15/813966136_18783396925039697_6406007525826130925_n.jpg",
      "media": [
        {
          "id": "3988180208854890226",
          "type": "video",
          "image_url": "https://instagram.fsjc1-4.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t51.82787-15/813966136_18783396925039697_6406007525826130925_n.jpg",
          "video_url": "https://instagram.fsjc1-4.fna.fbcdn.net/o1/v/t2/f2/m86/AQPHnjf83HZ9PR2G28elI5BWiebhxAmJxbUPxxIecjIu2AxjcEHA6WoTngqdgKKomsQIGeIYxUjVgFzMRcMB4yqxuvGRfQCLsvGsZV8.…",
          "width": 1440,
          "height": 812,
          "video_duration": 96.129
        }
      ],
      "likes": 1385742,
      "comments": 27,
      "shares": 24246,
      "reposts": 69665,
      "views": 18114791,
      "saves": 29925,
      "video_duration": 96.129,
      "counts_hidden": false
    },
    {
      "id": "3908530195892142799",
      "shortcode": "DY944FACgLP",
      "url": "https://www.instagram.com/reel/DY944FACgLP/",
      "owner": {
        "id": "7719696",
        "username": "arianagrande"
      },
      "taken_at": 1780153201,
      "taken_at_iso": "2026-05-30T15:00:01.000Z",
      "caption": "see you in a week ♡",
      "media_type": "reel",
      "pinned": false,
      "thumbnail_url": "https://instagram.fsjc1-4.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t51.82787-15/710245523_18746732998039697_884760394470382034_n.jpg",
      "media": [
        {
          "id": "3908530195892142799",
          "type": "video",
          "image_url": "https://instagram.fsjc1-4.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t51.82787-15/710245523_18746732998039697_884760394470382034_n.jpg",
          "video_url": "https://instagram.fsjc1-4.fna.fbcdn.net/o1/v/t2/f2/m86/AQMu42m0dmQCI-ctNTMl7fOq84Z4yMhsbArP5o-GKLbDQJHOV5z-Ie51lNS7erpMv3SLJx0M2yJPtAcNYgO7x4ShduTjBQgP_PTRMXo.…",
          "width": 1080,
          "height": 1920,
          "video_duration": 22.823
        }
      ],
      "likes": 1054756,
      "comments": 62,
      "shares": 77041,
      "reposts": 82646,
      "views": 16813268,
      "saves": 17675,
      "video_duration": 22.823,
      "counts_hidden": false
    }
  ],
  "next_cursor": "c1.ryg6VkAgkE2BcPyGM0q6ADwLG1KAGWvXyxXcleap6rtdnm6USXXD4rRRujLUjticHxS2vixe2jbdlG4LggGvIE1ISp6sYLXI6XWcb66UIrM_RMPDKCUhQylnCgNoMsPrfzM",
  "has_more": true
}
```

A real answer, shortened: lists are cut to two items and long texts to 160 characters.

## Price and freshness

A call takes 1 request. Free requests are spent first, then your balance. The [pricing](https://storiesfly.com/developers/pricing) page has the rates.

Answers are kept for up to 15 minutes. Asking again inside that time returns the same answer and takes 1 request again.

Page size follows Instagram and varies by endpoint.

## Errors

A failed call answers with an HTTP status and a body `{error, code}`. These are the codes this endpoint gives. [Errors and what is charged](https://storiesfly.com/developers/docs#errors) covers all of them.

| Status | Code | When |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `400` | `bad_request` | A parameter is missing or wrong, or not exactly one of `username` or `id` was sent. `fields` lists the names. Free. |
| `401` | `unauthorized` | The `X-Api-Key` header is missing or the key is wrong. Free. |
| `402` | `credits_exhausted` | The free requests and the balance are used up. Top up in the [dashboard](https://storiesfly.com/developers/dashboard). Free. |
| `403` | `telegram_required` | The account behind the key is not linked to Telegram. The answer has a `link_url` to do it. Free. |
| `403` | `private_account` | The account is private. Charged like an answer. |
| `404` | `not_found` | The account does not exist. Charged like an answer. |
| `429` | `rate_limited` | More requests in a second than your level allows. Wait for the `Retry-After` header. Free. |
| `500` | `internal_error` | A fault on our side. Retry shortly. Refunded. |
| `503` | `upstream_unavailable` | Our side failed or timed out. Retry shortly. Refunded. |

## Questions about this endpoint

### How is this different from user/posts?

It lists reels only, with the video link and the like, comment and view counts. [user/posts](https://storiesfly.com/developers/docs/user-posts) lists posts and reels together.

### How do I read all the reels of an account?

Send the `next_cursor` of the answer back as `cursor` for the next page, and stop when `has_more` is `false`. Each page takes 1 request. A cursor works only on the endpoint that returned it.

### Do the video links stay valid?

No. They point to Instagram's servers and stop working after some time. Save the file when you need to keep it.

## Related endpoints

- [GET /v1/user/posts](https://storiesfly.com/developers/docs/user-posts): Posts with likes, comments, views, shares, saves and reposts
- [GET /v1/user/reposts](https://storiesfly.com/developers/docs/user-reposts): Posts and reels the account reposted
- [GET /v1/user/profile](https://storiesfly.com/developers/docs/user-profile): Profile with verified badge, bio, link and counts
- [GET /v1/post](https://storiesfly.com/developers/docs/post): One post: media links, caption, views, likes, comments, shares, saves and reposts

## Links

- [This page on the site](https://storiesfly.com/developers/docs/user-reels)
- [Instagram data API](https://storiesfly.com/developers): what the API is and what it returns
- [Pricing](https://storiesfly.com/developers/pricing): rates, examples and billing rules
- [Documentation](https://storiesfly.com/developers/docs): quick start, authentication, errors and every endpoint
- [OpenAPI file](https://storiesfly.com/openapi.json): the whole API in one file
- [API dashboard](https://storiesfly.com/developers/dashboard): get a key and top up
- [Changelog](https://storiesfly.com/developers/changelog): what changed and when