Instagram DM MCP server

This is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for sending instagram Direct Messages.

With this you can send Instagram Direct Messages from your account (more capabilities coming soon).

Here's an example of what you can do when it's connected to Claude.

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/9c945f25-4484-4223-8d6b-5bf31243464c

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Hackathon Submission

Build anything using this Instagram DM MCP (can be technical, no-code or low-code) and submit!

No restrictions, open to anyone/anywhere to join.

Note: submisions due by Friday 27 June 11:59PM PST

Three cash prizes up for grabs

1. $5k USD - Breaking the internet (go viral AF)
2. $2.5k USD - Technical Sorcery (coolest technical implementation)
3. $2.5k USD - Holy Sh*t Award (make our jaws drop)

Installation

Prerequisites

• Python 3.11+
• Anthropic Claude Desktop app (or Cursor)
• Pip (Python package manager), install with python -m pip install
• An instagram account

Steps

1. Clone this repository

   git clone https://github.com/trypeggy/instagram_dm_mcp.git
   cd instagram_dm_mcp
   

2. Install dependencies

• Using uv (recommended):

  uv sync
  

• Using Pip:

  pip install -r requirements.txt
  

3. Configure Instagram credentials

   You have two options for providing your Instagram credentials:

   Option A: Environment Variables (Recommended)

   Quick Setup (Recommended):

   Run the helper script:

   python setup_env.py
   

   This will interactively prompt you for your credentials and create the .env file securely.

   Manual Setup:

   Create a .env file in the project root:

   cp env.example .env
   

   Then edit .env with your actual credentials:

   INSTAGRAM_USERNAME=your_instagram_username
   INSTAGRAM_PASSWORD=your_instagram_password
   

   Option B: Command Line Arguments

   You can still pass credentials as command line arguments (less secure).

4. Connect to the MCP server

   For Claude Desktop:

   Save this as claude_desktop_config.json in your Claude Desktop configuration directory at:

   ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
   

   For Cursor:

   Save this as mcp.json in your Cursor configuration directory at:

   ~/.cursor/mcp.json
   

   Configuration with Environment Variables (Recommended):

   • Using uv

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "instagram_dms": {
           "command": "uv",
           "args": [
             "run",
             "--directory",
             "PATH/TO/instagram_dm_mcp",
             "python",
             "src/mcp_server.py"
           ]
        }
      }
    }
   

   • Using Python

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "instagram_dms": {
         "command": "python",
         "args": [
           "{{PATH_TO_SRC}}/instagram_dm_mcp/src/ mcp_server.py"
         ]
       }
     }
   }
   

   Configuration with Command Line Arguments:

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "instagram_dms": {
         "command": "python",
         "args": [
           "{{PATH_TO_SRC}}/instagram_dm_mcp/src/mcp_server.py",
           "--username",
           "{{YOUR_INSTAGRAM_USERNAME}}",
          "--password",
          "{{YOUR_INSTAGRAM_PASSWORD}}"
         ]
       }
     }
   }
   

5. Restart Claude Desktop / Cursor

   Open Claude Desktop and you should now see the Instagram DM MCP as an available integration.

   Or restart Cursor.

Usage

Below is a list of all available tools and what they do:

Troubleshooting

Instagram Login Hanging: The server now includes automatic session management to prevent login hangs. Session files (e.g., username_session.json) are automatically created and reused to maintain authentication state between runs.

For additional Claude Desktop integration troubleshooting, see the MCP documentation. The documentation includes helpful tips for checking logs and resolving common issues.

Feedback

Your feedback will be massively appreciated. Please tell us which features on that list you like to see next or request entirely new ones.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.