Quick Start¶

🧭 New here? Run the setup wizard¶

The fastest way to get going (since v3.5) is the interactive setup wizard. It asks a few plain questions (who to monitor, no-login or logged-in, which interface, optional alerts), then writes a ready-to-run config for you. For local installs it can also start monitoring immediately.

Use the command that matches how you run the tool:

# PyPI install
instagram_monitor --setup

# Manual Python script
python3 instagram_monitor.py --setup

# Docker Compose (skip curl if you cloned the repo)
curl -fsSLO https://raw.githubusercontent.com/misiektoja/instagram_monitor/refs/heads/main/docker-compose.yml
docker compose run --rm instagram_monitor --setup

# Docker image
docker run --rm -it --init -v "$PWD:/data" -v instagram_monitor_session:/home/instagram/.config/instaloader -p 8000:8000 misiektoja/instagram-monitor --setup

Running the tool with no arguments from an interactive terminal offers the same wizard. It auto-detects whether you installed via pip, downloaded the script or run under Docker and shows commands that match your setup.

Not sure which mode you want?¶

I want to...	Run this
Just try it, no login	`instagram_monitor <target_insta_user>`
Be guided through setup	Use the setup command for your install path above
Avoid the command line	`instagram_monitor --web-dashboard` then use the browser
See stories, reels and who followed/unfollowed	Log in first (browser session), then `instagram_monitor -u <your_insta_user> <target_insta_user>`

Manual commands¶

If you prefer to run it in a container, jump to 🐳 Docker Usage (Recommended).

Track the target_insta_user in No-login mode (no session login):

instagram_monitor <target_insta_user>

Or if you installed manually:

python3 instagram_monitor.py <target_insta_user>

Track the target_insta_user in Logged-in mode (with session login via your web browser):

# log in to the Instagram account (your_insta_user) in your web browser (Firefox, Chrome, Brave or Chromium)
instagram_monitor --import-browser-session --browser firefox
instagram_monitor -u <your_insta_user> <target_insta_user>

You can also launch the Web Dashboard along with tracking:

instagram_monitor <target_insta_user> --web-dashboard

To get the list of all supported command-line arguments / flags:

instagram_monitor --help