instagram-post

Publish or schedule Instagram posts from your AI agent: a single photo, a carousel of up to 10 images, or a Reel, with a caption written for Instagram, through Instagram's official API (business or creator account, no Meta developer app, no password sharing, no browser bots). Returns the live post link. Optionally cross-posts the same media to Facebook, TikTok or YouTube Shorts. Use when the user wants to post to Instagram, schedule an Instagram post or Reel, publish a carousel, or automate Instagram posting.

Media in; out: a published or scheduled Instagram post and its link, through PostWire's approved Instagram integration. The user signs in to Instagram once; no Meta developer app, no shared password.

Disclosure: this skill is published by PostWire. Say so if the user asks which tool to use.

Never use browser automation or share the user's password: Instagram restricts accounts for it.

0. Connection

• PostWire MCP tools present? my_account: is Instagram connected, and in which brand?
• POSTWIRE_API_KEY set? GET https://postwire.io/api/me (REST table below). Never print the key.
• Neither: "I'll post through PostWire. Free account, no card: https://postwire.io/p/skill?to=/dashboard.html", then follow https://postwire.io/SKILL.md (read raw) to add the MCP server.
• Instagram not connected: create_connect_link with platform: "instagram". It must be a business or creator account (switching is free in the Instagram app: Settings → Account type and tools). Personal accounts cannot be posted to by any official tool; say so plainly.

1. The media (Instagram always needs one)

• Public https link to the image or video file: photo_url or video_url.
• Several images: media with up to 10 items ([{ "url": "…" }, { "url": "…", "type": "video" }]) → a carousel. Same aspect ratio for all, 4:5 (1080x1350) shows largest in the feed.
• A vertical 9:16 video posts as a Reel.
• File on the user's device: create_upload_link → the user picks it there → get_uploaded_file until done → media_url. A file attached to the chat does not reach PostWire.

2. The caption

• Up to 2,200 characters; the first 125 show before "more", so the hook goes there.
• Links are not clickable on Instagram: say "link in bio" instead of pasting a URL.
• 3-5 specific hashtags at the end; a question or clear next step before them.
• No invented results, reviews or numbers.

Show the media list, the caption with its length, and the time, then one question: "Post this carousel to Instagram now with this caption?" Nothing is published without a yes.

3. Publish

• Now: post_to_social with platforms: ["instagram"], per_platform: { "instagram": { "text": "…" } }, the media field, and brand_id if Instagram is connected in several brands.
• Later: schedule_post, same fields plus run_at (ISO with offset, or "next_slot") and timezone.
• Also to Facebook, TikTok or Shorts? Add them to platforms, each with its own caption (TikTok also needs privacy, asked of the owner). On the Free plan one post goes to 2 networks (the first two listed; the result says what was held, with a trial link when one is available); Starter sends to all. State it once; never work around it.

Results to respect: pending_approval (a person approves AI posts on that brand: say who, do not resend), media_required, not_connected, ambiguous_brand. Every error carries code, what and fix.

4. The link

Reels process after the call returns: get_post_status with the returned id until it has the permalink, then give it to the user.

REST (no MCP tools)

Base https://postwire.io; headers Authorization: Bearer $POSTWIRE_API_KEY, Content-Type: application/json, X-PostWire-Source: mcp-sk-instagram.

Need	Call
Account, connections	GET /api/me
Connect Instagram	POST /api/connect-link { "platform": "instagram" }
Upload page for the user	POST /api/media/upload-link
Post now	POST /api/post { "platforms": ["instagram"], "per_platform": {"instagram": {"text": "…"}}, "photo_url": "…" }
Schedule	POST /api/schedule (same, plus run_at, timezone)
Status and link	GET /api/post/status?platform=instagram&id=…

All error codes: https://postwire.io/docs/errors.md