Instagram shortcode

The code in an Instagram post's URL that identifies the post, as in instagram.com/p/ followed by the code.

What Instagram shortcode means

Each Instagram post and reel has a shortcode, a string of letters, digits, hyphens, and underscores that appears in its URL after /p/ or /reel/. The same shortcode opens the post at either path.

The shortcode is the stable way to refer to a post: captions can be edited, but the shortcode stays the same for as long as the post exists, so it is the key to store when tracking posts over time.

Clair's Instagram profile endpoint returns latest_posts with each post's shortcode, url, type, and caption.

How it appears in a response

GET /v1/instagram/profile?username=nasa · profile.latest_posts.0

{
  "shortcode": "DeTUk4sDSp-",
  "url": "https://www.instagram.com/reel/DeTUk4sDSp-/",
  "type": "reel",
  "caption": "POV: you're watching the Earth set\n\nWe just released hundreds of new images and hours of new audio from our Artemis II mission around the Moon this spring. Check out our link in bio for the Artemis II Preliminary Lunar Science Report.\n\n#NASA #ArtemisII #Artemis",
  "alt_text": "Video by NASA on October 10, 2026. May be an image of planet, eclipse and text.",
  "cover": "https://scontent-lax3-2.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/842191580_18656578867049152_4200499629839780998_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_s640x640_tt6&_nc_cat=111&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0xJUFMuYmVzdF9pbWFnZV91cmxnZW4uQzMifQ%3D%3D&_nc_ohc=-pFHKreB7_EQ7kNvwEBhhxz&_nc_oc=AdoMNKzX90mmLh8V1cxCSlWnt2NDKhNvOb_SGTeTGkS6R9BqE1NUpx4EiRNW7QqMQ1Y&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-lax3-2.cdninstagram.com&_nc_gid=MIDOetHntRxGG_YsMvXc7A&_nc_ss=79689&oh=00_AQSQIi58_mrV856_SJI_UrZd_uOpOj2tBmaRbSxwsbWOtw&oe=6AE81757",
  "author_username": "nasa"
}

A NASA reel, with its shortcode and URL. From a recorded Instagram API response.

Glossary

Instagram shortcode

The code in an Instagram post's URL that identifies the post, as in instagram.com/p/ followed by the code.

Try the Instagram API →

What Instagram shortcode means

Each Instagram post and reel has a shortcode, a string of letters, digits, hyphens, and underscores that appears in its URL after /p/ or /reel/. The same shortcode opens the post at either path.

The shortcode is the stable way to refer to a post: captions can be edited, but the shortcode stays the same for as long as the post exists, so it is the key to store when tracking posts over time.

Clair's Instagram profile endpoint returns latest_posts with each post's shortcode, url, type, and caption.

How it appears in a response

GET /v1/instagram/profile?username=nasa · profile.latest_posts.0

{
  "shortcode": "DeTUk4sDSp-",
  "url": "https://www.instagram.com/reel/DeTUk4sDSp-/",
  "type": "reel",
  "caption": "POV: you're watching the Earth set\n\nWe just released hundreds of new images and hours of new audio from our Artemis II mission around the Moon this spring. Check out our link in bio for the Artemis II Preliminary Lunar Science Report.\n\n#NASA #ArtemisII #Artemis",
  "alt_text": "Video by NASA on October 10, 2026. May be an image of planet, eclipse and text.",
  "cover": "https://scontent-lax3-2.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/842191580_18656578867049152_4200499629839780998_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_s640x640_tt6&_nc_cat=111&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0xJUFMuYmVzdF9pbWFnZV91cmxnZW4uQzMifQ%3D%3D&_nc_ohc=-pFHKreB7_EQ7kNvwEBhhxz&_nc_oc=AdoMNKzX90mmLh8V1cxCSlWnt2NDKhNvOb_SGTeTGkS6R9BqE1NUpx4EiRNW7QqMQ1Y&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-lax3-2.cdninstagram.com&_nc_gid=MIDOetHntRxGG_YsMvXc7A&_nc_ss=79689&oh=00_AQSQIi58_mrV856_SJI_UrZd_uOpOj2tBmaRbSxwsbWOtw&oe=6AE81757",
  "author_username": "nasa"
}

A NASA reel, with its shortcode and URL. From a recorded Instagram API response.

What Instagram shortcode means

How it appears in a response

Keep reading

What Instagram shortcode means

How it appears in a response

Keep reading