Run your Instagram with an AI agent.The Instagram MCP Server for Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and Claude Desktop.

Schedule a week of Reels with trending audio. Answer DMs in your voice. See who unfollowed you and what your audience responds to. All through the browser you are already logged into, on a personal, creator or business account. Nothing leaves your computer.

claude mcp add inssist -- npx -y @inssist/mcp

Install in your agent

Works with

GitHub·npm·Setup guide·Node.js 22+, or none with Claude Desktop

Install

Two steps, done once

Add the server to your agent, then let it into your browser. The server never logs in anywhere: it talks to the INSSIST Chrome extension, which already has your Instagram session.

1
Add the server to your agent
Pick your agent. It downloads and starts @inssist/mcp by itself, nothing to run by hand.
Claude Code
Run in any terminal
claude mcp add inssist -- npx -y @inssist/mcp
2
Connect your browser
The agent acts through INSSIST in your Chrome, and one switch controls all of it: turn Connect to AI Agents off and every agent is cut off at once. Nothing to revoke.
1. Install INSSIST
  Free Chrome extension. Chrome Web Store
2. Open instagram.com
  Logged in as you normally are. Any account type.
3. Turn on Connect to AI Agents
  In the INSSIST menu. The panel shows Connected within seconds.
Get INSSIST for Chrome Full setup guide

Compared

More of Instagram than the Graph API allows

Every other Instagram MCP wraps Meta's Graph API: business account required, app review for DMs, no music, no scheduling, and your access token kept by someone else. INSSIST works through your own browser session instead, so your account stays yours and your data stays on your computer.

	INSSIST MCP your browser session	Graph API MCPs mcpware/instagram-mcp, jlbadano/ig-mcp	Postiz scheduler with MCP	Zapier, Composio hosted MCPs
Personal or creator account	Personal, creator, business	Business or creator account via Meta API	Professional account and a Meta developer app	Business account via Meta API (Zapier); business or creator (Composio)
Reels with music	Tracks from Instagram's library	Reels publish; music not documented	Audio on Reels with a Facebook Business connection only	Video as Reel; music not documented
Stories with music	Music, mentions, links, places	Read Stories only (mcpware); no publishing documented	Image and video Stories, no music	Not offered (Zapier); read only (Composio)
Read and send DMs	Read, reply, accept or decline requests. Any account type	After Meta app review (Advanced Access)	Not supported	Not offered (Zapier); via Messenger API (Composio)
Schedule posts	Queued in INSSIST, published from your browser	Not in the tool set	Core feature	Publish now only
Unfollowers & Analytics	Unfollowers, bots, best times, growth	Meta insights only; no unfollowers	Post analytics; no unfollowers documented	None (Zapier); Meta insights (Composio)
Runs locally	On your machine, through your own Chrome	Local Python process, calls go to Meta	Cloud, or self-host the whole app	Hosted
Security	No password, cookie or token ever leaves your machine	Meta access token in your local config	OAuth token on Postiz cloud, or your own server	Managed connections on their cloud
Price	Free reads. Writes need INSSIST PRO. Server is MIT.	Free, MIT. Plus a Meta developer app.	From $29/mo (5 channels), or self-hosted.	On every Zapier plan, 2 tasks per call. Composio: free to start.

Checked Sep 2026 against mcpware/instagram-mcp, jlbadano/ig-mcp, Postiz Instagram docs, Postiz pricing, Zapier MCP for Instagram, Composio Instagram toolkit. The trade-off runs the other way too: INSSIST works from your browser, so Chrome has to be open and online when a scheduled post goes out.

How it works

Private and secure by design

Four hops, three of them on your machine. The agent talks to the server, the server talks to the INSSIST extension in your Chrome, and the extension makes the same requests instagram.com makes when you click. No cloud in the middle, no password or token stored anywhere.

Your machine

Your agent

Claude Code, Codex, Cursor or any MCP client

stdio

@inssist/mcp

Open source, started by npx

localhost

INSSIST extension

In your Chrome, already logged in

logged-in tab

Instagram

Same requests as clicking

Paced like a person
Calls to Instagram are spaced seconds apart per account, so a burst of agent activity looks like normal use.
Many agents, one server
Run Claude Code and Cursor side by side. The first server becomes the hub and the others relay through it.
One switch, full control
Turn Connect to AI Agents off in INSSIST and every agent is cut off at once. Nothing to revoke, nothing to uninstall.

The server is MIT licensed and open to audit: github.com/inssist/mcp.

Tools

The most complete Instagram toolkit an agent can get

Publishing, DMs, comments, insights, audience and downloads: everything INSSIST does, callable by your agent. Reads are free. Writes and reports need PRO, and a PRO tool called without access returns an upgrade link instead of an error, so the agent simply passes it on.

Read-only
Writes to Instagram or your queue
Actions, paced under limits

Account and profile

Which browsers are connected, who is logged in, and your own bio.

account_infoConnected browsers, the account each is logged into, the default target.
Connected browsers, the account each is logged into, the default target.
account_switchSwitch the browser profile to another logged-in account.
Switch the browser profile to another logged-in account.
profile_updateEdit the logged-in account's bio.PRO
Edit the logged-in account's bio.
note_setSet or clear the Note above the DM inbox (60 chars, gone in 24h).PRO
Set or clear the Note above the DM inbox (60 chars, gone in 24h).

Read any account

Profiles, posts, Stories and search, as your session sees them.

ig_fetch_profileBio, links, follower and post counts, viewer relationship.
Bio, links, follower and post counts, viewer relationship.
ig_fetch_postsRecent posts with captions, likes, comments and timestamps.
Recent posts with captions, likes, comments and timestamps.
ig_fetch_postOne post by URL or shortcode, with owner and full-size media.
One post by URL or shortcode, with owner and full-size media.
ig_fetch_storiesCurrently live Stories of an account.
Currently live Stories of an account.
ig_fetch_savedYour saved posts, newest first.
Your saved posts, newest first.
ig_searchAccounts and hashtags by free text, like the app's search box.
Accounts and hashtags by free text, like the app's search box.

Direct messages

Listing chats and requests is free. Reading and replying needs PRO.

dm_listRecent conversations, last message, whether a reply is awaited.
Recent conversations, last message, whether a reply is awaited.
dm_requestsPending message requests not yet in the inbox.
Pending message requests not yet in the inbox.
dm_readA conversation's recent messages, oldest first.PRO
A conversation's recent messages, oldest first.
dm_sendSend a text message by thread id or username.PRO
Send a text message by thread id or username.
dm_mark_seenMark a conversation as read.PRO
Mark a conversation as read.
dm_acceptAccept a message request into the inbox.PRO
Accept a message request into the inbox.
dm_removeDecline and remove a message request.PRO
Decline and remove a message request.

Publish and schedule

Drafts live in INSSIST's Post Assistant queue and publish from your browser.

draft_createA draft post, carousel, reel or story from local files or URLs.PRO
A draft post, carousel, reel or story from local files or URLs.
draft_scheduleSchedule a draft for a date and time.PRO
Schedule a draft for a date and time.
draft_publishPublish a draft right now.PRO
Publish a draft right now.
draft_updateChange caption, time, type, music, place, tags or framing.PRO
Change caption, time, type, music, place, tags or framing.
draft_getOne queued post with caption, assets and last error.PRO
One queued post with caption, assets and last error.
draft_listQueued posts: drafts, scheduled, published or failed.PRO
Queued posts: drafts, scheduled, published or failed.
draft_reorderSwap the time slots scheduled posts already hold.PRO
Swap the time slots scheduled posts already hold.
draft_deleteRemove a post from the queue. Live posts are untouched.PRO
Remove a post from the queue. Live posts are untouched.
ig_post_editEdit a published post's caption. Own posts only.PRO
Edit a published post's caption. Own posts only.
ig_post_deleteDelete a published post. Own posts only.PRO
Delete a published post. Own posts only.
music_searchTrack ids from Instagram's music library to attach to a draft.
Track ids from Instagram's music library to attach to a draft.
location_searchPlace ids to tag a post with.
Place ids to tag a post with.

Downloads

Media lands on your disk with a JSON manifest, not in the agent's context.

downloads_startA whole account's posts, reels, stories and highlights, or one post.PRO
A whole account's posts, reels, stories and highlights, or one post.
downloads_statusProgress, then the folder and manifest path.PRO
Progress, then the folder and manifest path.
downloads_cancelCancel a job and delete its data.PRO
Cancel a job and delete its data.

Comments

Read the thread under a post and take part in it.

comments_listComments on a post and their replies.PRO
Comments on a post and their replies.
comment_addPost a comment.PRO
Post a comment.
comment_replyReply to a comment.PRO
Reply to a comment.
comment_likeLike or unlike a comment.PRO
Like or unlike a comment.
comment_deleteDelete your own comment, or any on your own post.PRO
Delete your own comment, or any on your own post.

Engagement

The inbound side of your account.

story_viewersWho viewed one of your active Stories.PRO
Who viewed one of your active Stories.
notifications_listRecent comments, likes, follows and mentions.PRO
Recent comments, likes, follows and mentions.
follow_requests_listPending follow requests.PRO
Pending follow requests.
follower_removeRemove a follower without blocking.PRO
Remove a follower without blocking.
ig_blockBlock or unblock an account.PRO
Block or unblock an account.

Insights

Engagement, best times, top posts and follower growth, for any account.

insights_collectStart or refresh an analytics scan.PRO
Start or refresh an analytics scan.
insights_reportEngagement, best times, heatmap, post types, top posts, trends.PRO
Engagement, best times, heatmap, post types, top posts, trends.

Audience

Unfollowers, bot followers, and anyone's follower or following list.

unfollowers_scanStart an unfollower scan.PRO
Start an unfollower scan.
unfollowers_reportWho unfollowed you in the last 7 days.PRO
Who unfollowed you in the last 7 days.
unfollowers_exportFull unfollower list to CSV.PRO
Full unfollower list to CSV.
antibot_scanScore every follower: bot, suspicious, fresh or clean.PRO
Score every follower: bot, suspicious, fresh or clean.
antibot_reportFollower quality totals plus the flagged accounts.PRO
Follower quality totals plus the flagged accounts.
antibot_exportFull follower analysis to CSV.PRO
Full follower analysis to CSV.
peers_scanStart collecting an account's followers or following.PRO
Start collecting an account's followers or following.
peers_reportA page of a collected list.PRO
A page of a collected list.
peers_exportA full followers or following list to CSV.PRO
A full followers or following list to CSV.

Growth

One-off actions, and the lead-engagement sub-system. Paced.

ig_actionLike, unlike, follow or unfollow. One target per call.PRO
Like, unlike, follow or unfollow. One target per call.
growth_startTurn on lead engagement within a daily budget.PRO
Turn on lead engagement within a daily budget.
growth_pauseTurn lead engagement off.PRO
Turn lead engagement off.
growth_statusOn or off, current config, leads and sources found.PRO
On or off, current config, leads and sources found.
growth_configureSource accounts, leads, banned words etc.PRO
Source accounts, leads, banned words etc.
growth_exportLeads and likes made to CSV.PRO
Leads and likes made to CSV.

FAQ

Before you paste the command

The six things people check first. Short answers, nothing hidden.

Does it work with a personal Instagram account?

Yes. Personal, creator and business accounts all work. The agent acts through the browser you are already logged into, not through the Graph API. No Meta app, no app review, no account type switch.

Does the agent get my password or a token?

No. The agent sends tool calls to a server on your own computer. That server relays them over loopback to the INSSIST extension, which already has your session. Nothing is proxied through a cloud. The only file kept is ~/.inssist/mcp-pairings.json with one pairing token per browser profile.

Will Instagram block my account?

The extension makes the same requests instagram.com makes when you click, from your own browser and IP. Agent calls are spaced seconds apart per account. Instagram's own action limits still apply: an agent asked to like hundreds of posts can be action-blocked, exactly like a person would.

Which agents can I use?

Any client that launches a stdio MCP server: Claude Code, Claude Desktop and Cowork, Codex, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Grok Build, Windsurf, VS Code with Copilot, Pi through pi-mcp-adapter, and agents built on the Claude Agent SDK or OpenAI Agents SDK. Several can be connected at once.

What is free and what needs PRO?

Reads are free: profiles, posts, Stories, search, music and place lookup, listing DMs and requests. Writes need INSSIST PRO: publishing, scheduling, sending DMs, comments, insights, audience scans, downloads. The first browser pairing starts a one-time MCP trial that unlocks the PRO tools.

What do I need installed?

Node.js 22 or newer, Chrome or another Chromium browser with INSSIST and Instagram open, and an MCP client. Claude Desktop needs no Node at all: the .mcpb bundle runs on Claude's built-in runtime.

Let your AI agent run your Instagram

Install INSSIST, add the MCP server with one command, and turn on Connect to AI Agents.

Get INSSIST for free