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Troubleshooting and FAQ

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Jimmy Nordström edited this page Nov 4, 2026 · 6 revisions

Common problems and their solutions. If your problem is not here, see the InstaloaderSharp troubleshooting page, which covers the downloading itself in more detail.

Contents

Is it a GUI problem?

The GUI does not download anything itself: it passes your options to InstaloaderSharp, exactly as InstaloaderSharp.exe would receive them. To find out where a problem comes from:

  1. Go to Settings → Command line and click Copy.
  2. Open a command prompt in your download folder and run the copied command with the InstaloaderSharp.exe that is next to InstaloaderSharpGUI.exe.
  3. Compare:
InstaloaderSharp.exe shows… The problem is probably in… Report it to
the same error or the same wrong result InstaloaderSharp, or a change on Instagram's side InstaloaderSharp issues
no problem the GUI InstaloaderSharp GUI issues

As a rule of thumb, errors in the output while downloading, missing or wrong files, and sign-in failures usually come from InstaloaderSharp or Instagram. Problems with the window, options without effect, wrong messages before starting, importing command lines, the Activity page and the Look up page usually come from the GUI.

Installation and start-up

The program says InstaloaderSharp.exe was not found. Put InstaloaderSharp.exe into the same folder as InstaloaderSharpGUI.exe. It is a separate download; see Getting started.

Windows says that .NET Framework 4.8.1 is missing. Install .NET Framework 4.8.1 from Microsoft. It is a free runtime and is included in recent Windows 11 builds.

Windows SmartScreen or my antivirus warns about the program. The programs are not signed, which triggers SmartScreen. Click More info → Run anyway if you downloaded them from the official releases pages. You can also build them yourself.

A dialog Something went wrong appears. Something unexpected failed. If it mentions MissingMethodException or a similar error, the InstaloaderSharp version does not fit the GUI version; see Compatibility with InstaloaderSharp. Otherwise, please report it with the dialog's text.

The title bar is light, not dark. The dark title bar needs Windows 10 version 1809 or later.

Signing in

The password is not accepted, although it is correct. Enter your Instagram username on the Account page, not your e-mail address or phone number. If Instagram refuses the sign-in anyway, sign in to instagram.com in Firefox and use Browser cookies; see Signing in.

Checkpoint required. Point your browser to … Instagram wants to confirm that it is you. Open the link in a browser where you are signed in to the same account, follow the instructions, and try again. Or use Browser cookies.

Importing browser cookies finds no cookies, or is not signed in. Sign in to instagram.com in that browser first. Close Chromium-based browsers (Chrome, Edge, Brave, Opera, Vivaldi) before importing. Recent Chrome versions encrypt cookies so that only Chrome can read them; use Firefox or LibreWolf.

It imports the wrong account. The browser's default profile is signed in to another account. Sign in with the right account there, or choose the browser profile's Cookie file.

The session stopped working. Sessions end when you sign out in the browser you imported them from, change your password, or Instagram ends them. Click Sign in again (or Import cookies). Check session on the Account page tells you whether a session is still valid.

Two-factor authentication does not work. Instagram's two-factor sign-in for programs is unreliable. Use Browser cookies instead.

The account chip shows a grey dot although I am signed in. The green dot only appears once the session has been verified in this run of the program: by Sign in, Check session or a successful download.

Rate limits and blocks

Too many queries in the last time. Need to wait … The program is pacing its requests to stay within Instagram's limits. This is normal for large downloads; it continues by itself. With InstaloaderSharp 1.1.3 or later, signed-in downloads allow half as many requests in the same time as before, so they wait more often and take longer; signed-out downloads are not affected.

429 - Too Many Requests, Please wait a few minutes before you try again. (401) Instagram limited the account or the connection. The program waits and retries. If it keeps happening, do not run several downloads at the same time (also not from the command line), keep Pause between requests on, avoid using the account heavily in the app or browser meanwhile, and stop for a while: hours rather than minutes.

Download aborted: Instagram answered … with a web page instead of data, probably a verification (captcha). Instagram has flagged the account and asks for a verification. Open instagram.com in the web browser you are signed in with and complete it; the program cannot do it for you. Then let the account rest for a while, preferably a day, before downloading again: downloading right away usually leads to feedback_required. The position is saved, so the download continues where it stopped. Older versions of InstaloaderSharp report this as JSON Query to graphql/query: Expecting value: line 1 column 1 (char 0) and go on with the next targets, which Instagram counts against the account; use InstaloaderSharp 1.1.3 or later.

Download aborted: Instagram keeps redirecting …, or endless HTTP redirect from … to https://www.instagram.com/ lines in the output. Instagram redirects every request of the account, usually because the account is suspended, restricted or signed out. Open Instagram in a web browser with that account and follow the instructions there; a suspended account may have to be appealed. Then sign in again on the Account page, or import fresh browser cookies. With InstaloaderSharp 1.1.0 or later, the download stops by itself with Download aborted; older versions follow the redirects forever, so click Stop.

See Rate limits and blocks and Rate limits and connections in the InstaloaderSharp manual.

Profiles and posts

Profile … does not exist Check the spelling on the Look up page. The profile may have been renamed or deleted, or it may have blocked you. Some profiles, for example age-restricted ones, are only found when you are signed in (with InstaloaderSharp 1.0.3 or later). When signed in, the program also tries again anonymously, in case you are blocked.

A private profile downloads nothing. You must be signed in with an account that follows the profile. The Look up page shows Private · you follow if it does.

Only some posts are downloaded. Check the Post filter, Maximum number of posts (hashtags, locations, feed and saved posts only), Fast update and Remember latest downloads: each of them can stop or skip posts on purpose.

Only a few tagged posts are downloaded. Use InstaloaderSharp 1.0.5 or later; older versions stop after the first few tagged posts. With Fast update or Remember latest downloads, a post in which the profile was tagged recently can also stop the download early, because Instagram lists tagged posts in the order of tagging; see Tagged posts.

Downloading the reels of a profile with many reels got the account flagged. Each reel is loaded with a request of its own. Older versions of InstaloaderSharp also ask Instagram's app for each video's details, two requests per reel; use InstaloaderSharp 1.1.3 or later, which needs one. The first download of a profile with many reels still takes about one request per reel; with Fast update or Remember latest downloads, later downloads only load the new reels. Spread first downloads of large profiles over several days, one profile at a time.

Signed in, no posts are downloaded, and the output mentions a redirect to https://www.instagram.com/. Use InstaloaderSharp 1.0.2 or later; see Compatibility with InstaloaderSharp.

Stories, highlights, feed and saved posts

Login is required to download stories - stories will be skipped. Stories, highlights, the feed and saved posts need you to be signed in; see Signing in.

Some highlights are missing, with 400 Bad Request or "invalid request" in the output. Instagram refuses to list the items of some highlights. Use InstaloaderSharp 1.1.1 or later, be signed in, and keep Use iPhone API on (Settings → Connection): such highlights are then downloaded through Instagram's app interface. Older versions also stop downloading a profile's highlights at the first one that fails.

Stories are on, but no story is downloaded. The profile has no current story; stories disappear after 24 hours. When you are signed in, the Look up page shows Story · N items when there is one. If it does and the download still gets nothing, check with InstaloaderSharp.exe (see above).

The feed contains fewer posts than in the app. Posts that Instagram suggests from accounts you do not follow are skipped.

Look up and search

Search failed: Searching Instagram requires login. - sign in on the Account page. Instagram only answers searches from signed-in accounts. Sign in on the Account page.

Search failed: JSON Query to web/search/topsearch/: 404 Not Found Your InstaloaderSharp version uses Instagram's retired website search. Use InstaloaderSharp 1.0.4 or later.

Search finds profiles and hashtags, but no locations. Locations are searched with a separate request, which failed; the output on the Activity page shows why. Try again later.

Single posts cannot be previewed here Only profiles and hashtags can be previewed. Add posts to the download list directly.

Starting a download

Start download shows Almost there with a list of problems. Each problem says what to fix; the page where it can be fixed opens. See Before the download starts.

The status bar shows a problem in amber, although everything looks right. The message names the option. A common one is a filter or a number field on the Settings page; see the Settings reference.

"Pictures" off and "Fast update" cannot be used together. Fast update recognizes downloaded posts by their pictures. Use Remember latest downloads instead, or turn Pictures back on.

A filter is red. The message under it says why, for example a misspelled property. Use Attributes to insert valid names; see Filtering posts and stories.

Files and folders

Where are my downloads? In the Download folder shown under Save to on the Download page, and in the status bar. Open opens it; each target has its own folder. The default is Pictures\InstaloaderSharp.

Why is the folder called ：feed / why do names contain odd characters? Characters that are not allowed in Windows file names are replaced by similar-looking ones; see File and folder names.

Downloading to a network drive stops right after the first picture, with FileStream was asked to open a device that was not a file. Setting the downloaded file's date failed on the network drive. Use InstaloaderSharp 1.1.4 or later, which sets the date the way Instaloader does and tries again when the drive is briefly unavailable. With older versions, download to a local folder instead.

After changing a name pattern, everything is downloaded again. Existing files are only recognized under the names the current pattern gives. Change patterns before the first download, or use Remember latest downloads.

Can I use the same folders with InstaloaderSharp or Instaloader on the command line? Yes. All three write the same files and names; see Interoperability with Instaloader.

Updates and resuming

An update downloads everything again. The files are not where the current download folder and patterns expect them, for example after moving the folder. Choose the right Download folder, or use Remember latest downloads, which does not depend on the files.

A stopped download starts from the beginning. Resume files expire after 29 days, and only work with the same account. Check also that Resume interrupted downloads is on (Settings → Resuming interrupted downloads).

The window

Text or controls look too small or too large. The program follows Windows' display scaling. If you changed the scaling while it was running, restart it.

The Recent files list on the Activity page is missing. It is shown when the window is wide enough. Make the window wider or maximize it.

The output stops scrolling. Auto-scroll is off. Turn it on, above the output.

General questions

Is it free? Does it collect data? It is free and open source under the MIT License. It only talks to Instagram, and only for what you start: downloads, Sign in, Check session, Look up and Search.

Does the GUI need to be open for scheduled downloads? No. Scheduled downloads run InstaloaderSharp.exe with an argument file saved from the GUI; see Scheduled downloads.

Can I run several downloads at once? One download runs at a time. Add all targets to the list instead; they are downloaded one after the other, which is also gentler on Instagram's limits.

Can it upload, like or follow? No. InstaloaderSharp and the GUI only download.

Getting help

  • Read Is it a GUI problem? and report the problem to the right project, with both versions (Settings → About), the copied command and the output (Activity → Copy or Save…). See Reporting bugs.
  • Never post passwords, session files, cookies or two-factor codes.

Home

Getting going

Downloading

Reference

Project

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