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I'm building an app that has the user log in through instagram, it then reads their feed and uses that information for the app. Instagram has a page that says their API's will be deprecated in 2020 but some things will still work. It's not straightforward as to what is being deprecated and what isn't, and I have not found any way to contact them directly. Does anyone know if the following URL will continue working, and if not if this type of app will even be viable in the future? Why is IG and Facebook becoming much more closed platforms to 3rd party integrations?

https://api.instagram.com/v1/users/self/media/recent/

Deprecation notice: https://www.instagram.com/developer/

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Nemo
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Ryan Langton
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2 Answers2

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The legacy Instagram API - https://www.instagram.com/developer/ will be deprecated in favor of Instagram Graph API provided by Facebook - https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-api

In order to use https://api.instagram.com/v1/users/self/media/recent/ this endpoint you need Basic permission. As documentation says, it will be deprecated in early 2020, which means that the legacy API will be most probably shut down, since there will be no more capabilities to request for.

You should most definitely start building your app with Graph API. Please keep in mind that it takes some time before you can go live with your app. It requires couple of things like Business Verification, review of requested permissions in App review and it can take some time to be able to go live.

Please keep in mind that the Graph API works only for Instagram Business type of accounts. You can't use it for regular accounts at the moment. It is not clear yet if it will be available for all accounts, but most probably it will be in the future. It was the same as with deprecating Public Content permission on Instagram legacy API. They added similar functionality in Graph API.

If you plan to support all users, you will also have to apply for Basic capability in legacy API. In other words, you need to support both Instagram API and Instagram Graph API if you plan to target all Instagram users, both regulars and Business profiles.

Another thing to keep in mind is that you can't really report bugs or get any help from legacy Instagram API. If you will find the bug you can't report it as they do not accept it due to deprecation.

So start building with Instagram Graph API, once you will be good to go, try to add Instagram legacy API support. If everything will be fine and Facebook will add support for legacy accounts, your Graph API should easily take over Instagram legacy API functionality.

Most probably the reason why they are tightening the integrations and makes it harder for the developers is user privacy. They do not want to have yet another incident like Cambridge Analytica for instance.

Krystian
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  • when you say Graph API works only for Instagram Business accounts, can you clarify how that works? My app will be registered under my business. My users are not "business accounts", they are standard IG and FB users. My app has the user authenticate with IG and then queries their data for use in the app. Because I will be a verified business, will this flow work? – Ryan Langton Apr 24 '19 at 14:12
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    @RyanLangton Graph API works for Instagram Business accounts means that you will not be able to get feeds from users with regular accounts. You will be able to query the data of the users that have accounts converted to Business Account. When you use Instagram Graph API you need to log in with Facebook, not with the Instagram login flow. You can check out Getting started here: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-api/getting-started It explains the flow of user logging into your app. The legacy API has it's own flow with redirecting to Instagram page. – Krystian Apr 24 '19 at 15:30
  • Thanks @astaz3l.. unfortunately this completely defeats the purpose of my apps instagram integration.. guess I'll have to rethink it – Ryan Langton Apr 24 '19 at 17:17
  • @Astaz3l I'm confused by your answer! Are you saying that if someone wants to access user data and media they have to keep using the Legacy API and hope that Facebook are kind enough to add same support in new API before the old one gets shutdown in early 2020? – Haseeb Burki Aug 23 '19 at 07:29
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It does not make sense to build something with the old API, that old API URL will definitely stop working (with all the old api.instagram.com endpoints). There is a new API though: https://developers.facebook.com/products/instagram/

andyrandy
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    hi @luschn, I've read this documentation and it's very confusing to me.. these are not business accounts, they are regular instagram users.. the new API reads like it is only to be used for businesses – Ryan Langton Apr 23 '19 at 14:54
  • ok, there is no api or regular instagram users anymore. at least not right now, it may be possible that they include them later. – andyrandy Apr 23 '19 at 15:44
  • Update: for consumer accounts use https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-basic-display-api – nathan Jul 22 '20 at 16:25