Post to Instagram from Claude Code

How to connect Instagram to Claude Code

1. 1

   Paste the install line in Claude Code

   Claude Code runs in your terminal and can execute commands, so the install is a single line typed into the chat. It installs the Scorper skills (posting, scheduling, DM automations, dashboard building) and a prompt hook, so Claude knows the tools exist in every future session on this machine. Your machine is linked to your account with a scoped key. You never paste a token.

   Type into the Claude Code chat, or into any terminal

   npx scorper@latest init

   Needs Node 18 or newer. scorper doctor confirms the install afterwards.

2. 2

   Sign in with the code from your email

   Claude Code asks for your email. A 6-digit code arrives, you type it into the chat. No account yet? One is created on the spot, no password. You pick a plan and its 7-day free trial starts at checkout.

3. 3

   Say “connect my instagram”

   Claude Code opens Instagram's approval page in your browser. Log into the right Instagram account first, approve, come back. Claude Code confirms the connection. For comment-to-DM automations, run scorper connect --dm once as well; Instagram needs one extra permission for messaging.

4. 4

   Tell it what to post

   post the video on my desktop called launch.mp4 to instagram

   Claude Code uploads the media, proposes a caption, then reads the whole post back. Say yes and it publishes to Instagram. Say “schedule it for 6pm tomorrow” instead and it queues it.

What you can publish to Instagram from Claude Code

Photos, videos (Reels) and carousels, with a caption, to the feed of a connected Instagram professional account.

Instagram is the platform where the connection step matters most. Meta only lets professional accounts publish through the API, so switch a personal account to Creator or Business first (free, in the Instagram app under Settings, Account type and tools). Log into the right Instagram in your browser before you say "connect my instagram", because the approval page connects whichever account the browser is signed into. Once connected, posting is the same for photos, Reels and carousels: name the file, say Instagram, confirm the read-back.

Instagram's own rules, which your AI works within

Prompts that work in Claude Code

Scheduling: “schedule this for 9am monday on instagram”. The calendar: “what's going out this week?”. Moving things: “move friday's post to saturday”. Everything you schedule from Claude Code also shows in the dashboard calendar.

Instagram comment-to-DM automations from Claude Code

The thing ManyChat charges per contact for is included. Arm a post with a keyword and anyone who comments it gets your link by DM:

Works on the next post, the latest post or a specific post. Two-step flows (button first, then the link) are supported. “list my DM automations”, “pause the GUIDE one” and “delete it” manage them. Instagram requires one extra messaging permission, granted once with scorper connect --dm.

Something only Claude Code users should know

Because Scorper is a skill plus a CLI rather than a browser automation, the same prompt also works in Claude Code's non-interactive mode (claude -p "..."), which is how people run a daily posting job from cron or CI. Claude still reads the post back and waits for confirmation unless you tell it otherwise in the prompt.

What happens before anything posts

⏺ Posting to Instagram @yourbrand
   Caption: "Three things I wish someone told me at 21…"
   Confirm?
> yes
✓ Posted · link below

Honest limits

• Instagram publishing goes through the official Instagram API, so Instagram's rules above apply. Scorper does not work around them.
• The AI-agent connection is on every plan. Pro posts to Instagram only. Max ($25 a month), Studio and Agency post to every social.
• The install needs Node 18 or newer on the machine.
• Some things are easier in the dashboard than in chat: bulk-editing a month of scheduled posts, for example. Both views share one calendar.

Frequently asked questions

Can Claude Code post to Instagram on its own?

Not without a connection. Claude Code can write a caption but has no permission to publish. Scorper is that permission: one command installs the posting skills and links your machine to your account, then Claude Code can publish and schedule to Instagram through the official API.

Can I post to a personal Instagram account?

No. Instagram's publishing API only works with Business or Creator accounts. Switching is free and takes a minute in the Instagram app; your followers and posts are unaffected.

How many Instagram posts can the AI publish per day?

Meta allows 25 API-published posts per account per 24 hours. Scorper works within that limit.

Can it post Reels and carousels, not just photos?

Yes. A video file is published as a Reel. Several images in one prompt become a carousel (2 to 10 items). Captions and hashtags are set per post.

Does this work in Claude Code's headless mode?

Yes. The skills and CLI are available to claude -p the same way they are in an interactive session, so a cron job or CI step can run a prompt like "post today's draft from ./posts to instagram". Keep a confirmation step in your prompt unless you really want fully unattended posting.

Will it post without asking me?

No. Claude Code reads the exact post back (platform, media, caption) and publishes only after you confirm. Scheduled posts are shown before they are queued.

What does posting to Instagram from Claude Code cost?

The AI-agent connection is included in Scorper Max ($25 a month, one brand, all five platforms) and Studio ($55 a month, three brands). Every plan starts with a 7-day free trial, card needed to start.