instagram-reels
Download Instagram Reels, transcribe audio, and extract captions. Share a reel URL and get back a full transcript with the original description.
Best use case
instagram-reels is best used when you need a repeatable AI agent workflow instead of a one-off prompt.
Download Instagram Reels, transcribe audio, and extract captions. Share a reel URL and get back a full transcript with the original description.
Teams using instagram-reels should expect a more consistent output, faster repeated execution, less prompt rewriting.
When to use this skill
- You want a reusable workflow that can be run more than once with consistent structure.
When not to use this skill
- You only need a quick one-off answer and do not need a reusable workflow.
- You cannot install or maintain the underlying files, dependencies, or repository context.
Installation
Claude Code / Cursor / Codex
Manual Installation
- Download SKILL.md from GitHub
- Place it in
.claude/skills/instagram-reels/SKILL.mdinside your project - Restart your AI agent — it will auto-discover the skill
How instagram-reels Compares
| Feature / Agent | instagram-reels | Standard Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Support | Not specified | Limited / Varies |
| Context Awareness | High | Baseline |
| Installation Complexity | Unknown | N/A |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this skill do?
Download Instagram Reels, transcribe audio, and extract captions. Share a reel URL and get back a full transcript with the original description.
Where can I find the source code?
You can find the source code on GitHub using the link provided at the top of the page.
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SKILL.md Source
# Instagram Reels Skill
Download Instagram Reels, transcribe the audio, and extract the caption/description.
## Setup
1. Install required tools:
```bash
pip install yt-dlp
apt install ffmpeg # or: brew install ffmpeg
```
2. Get a free Groq API key at [https://console.groq.com](https://console.groq.com)
3. Set your environment variable:
```bash
export GROQ_API_KEY="your-groq-api-key"
```
## Usage
Process a reel in three steps: extract metadata, download audio, transcribe.
### Step 1: Extract metadata and audio URL
```bash
yt-dlp --write-info-json --skip-download -o "/tmp/reel" "REEL_URL"
```
This writes `/tmp/reel.info.json` with the caption, uploader, CDN URLs, and other metadata. No login required for public reels.
### Step 2: Download audio and convert to mp3
Extract the audio CDN URL from metadata and download it directly:
```bash
AUDIO_URL=$(python3 -c "
import json
d = json.load(open('/tmp/reel.info.json'))
for f in d.get('formats', []):
if f.get('ext') == 'm4a':
print(f['url'])
break
")
curl -sL "$AUDIO_URL" -o /tmp/reel-audio.m4a
ffmpeg -y -i /tmp/reel-audio.m4a -acodec libmp3lame -q:a 4 /tmp/reel-audio.mp3
```
### Step 3: Transcribe with Groq Whisper
```bash
curl -s https://api.groq.com/openai/v1/audio/transcriptions \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $GROQ_API_KEY" \
-F "file=@/tmp/reel-audio.mp3" \
-F "model=whisper-large-v3-turbo" \
-F "response_format=verbose_json"
```
Returns JSON with `text` (full transcript) and `segments` (with timestamps). Language is auto-detected.
### Extract caption from metadata
```bash
python3 -c "
import json
d = json.load(open('/tmp/reel.info.json'))
print('Caption:', d.get('description', 'No caption'))
print('Author:', d.get('uploader', 'Unknown'))
print('Duration:', round(d.get('duration', 0)), 'seconds')
"
```
## Notes
- Metadata extraction works on public reels without authentication
- For private reels, pass cookies: `yt-dlp --cookies /path/to/cookies.txt --write-info-json --skip-download -o "/tmp/reel" "REEL_URL"`
- Export cookies with a browser extension like "Get cookies.txt LOCALLY"
- Groq Whisper is free (rate-limited) and returns results in ~1-2 seconds
- Max audio length: 25 minutes per request
- Clean up temp files after: `rm -f /tmp/reel.info.json /tmp/reel-audio.*`
- Also works with TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and other platforms supported by yt-dlp
## Examples
```bash
# Full transcription pipeline
yt-dlp --write-info-json --skip-download -o "/tmp/reel" "https://www.instagram.com/reel/ABC123/" && \
AUDIO_URL=$(python3 -c "import json; [print(f['url']) for f in json.load(open('/tmp/reel.info.json')).get('formats',[]) if f.get('ext')=='m4a'][:1]") && \
curl -sL "$AUDIO_URL" -o /tmp/reel-audio.m4a && \
ffmpeg -y -i /tmp/reel-audio.m4a -acodec libmp3lame -q:a 4 /tmp/reel-audio.mp3 2>/dev/null && \
curl -s https://api.groq.com/openai/v1/audio/transcriptions \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $GROQ_API_KEY" \
-F "file=@/tmp/reel-audio.mp3" \
-F "model=whisper-large-v3-turbo" \
-F "response_format=verbose_json"
# Just get the caption (no transcription)
yt-dlp --write-info-json --skip-download -o "/tmp/reel" "https://www.instagram.com/reel/ABC123/" && \
python3 -c "import json; d=json.load(open('/tmp/reel.info.json')); print(d.get('description',''))"
# Transcribe a TikTok video (same pipeline)
yt-dlp --write-info-json --skip-download -o "/tmp/reel" "https://www.tiktok.com/@user/video/123" && \
AUDIO_URL=$(python3 -c "import json; [print(f['url']) for f in json.load(open('/tmp/reel.info.json')).get('formats',[]) if f.get('ext')=='m4a'][:1]") && \
curl -sL "$AUDIO_URL" -o /tmp/reel-audio.m4a && \
ffmpeg -y -i /tmp/reel-audio.m4a -acodec libmp3lame -q:a 4 /tmp/reel-audio.mp3 2>/dev/null && \
curl -s https://api.groq.com/openai/v1/audio/transcriptions \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $GROQ_API_KEY" \
-F "file=@/tmp/reel-audio.mp3" \
-F "model=whisper-large-v3-turbo" \
-F "response_format=verbose_json"
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