Creating Instagram Reels by API sounds like the kind of thing only coders in hoodies at 2 am do, but… it's not. Whether you're a creator trying to batch content, an agency managing dozens of accounts, or a solo entrepreneur looking to automate and scale, here’s the full breakdown of how to post Instagram Reels using the API.
This what you probably want:
- Growth.
- Efficiency.
- To never open the Instagram app again - to manually upload content.
This guide has you covered. With a dash of code, a splash of no-code magic, and a whole lot of creator energy you were born with.
Why create Reels by API anyway?
Because doing everything manually sucks time from your day like a vampire at a coffee shop.
Automating Instagram Reels with the Instagram Graph API means you can:
- Post in real-time or schedule posts while you sleep.
- Auto-publish Reels across accounts (for you or clients).
- Hook up your AI tools (like ChatGPT or your custom workflow).
- Create systems — not chaos.
Plus, it scales. Whether you post 1 video or 100, it’s the same process.
There are two ways to do this.
- API and manually setting things up. You can surely vibe code the heck out of this.
- No code - but with all the vibes, scroll to the bottom for this
Let’s begin with the API/manual version.
This is what you will need to create Reels with the Instagram API
Here’s your basic API shopping list:
- Instagram Business Account (or Creator account)
- Facebook Page connected to the Instagram account
- Meta App set up on Meta for Developers
- Instagram Graph API access
- Access token (generated with
oauth) - Permissions:
instagram_basic, instagram_content_publish, pages_show_list, and pages_read_engagement - Knowledge of a programming language (like Python, Node.js, or PHP) — or a no-code workaround (I’ll get into that)
- Your video file (usually a
.mp4) and its video_url - Your endpoint:
https://graph.facebook.com/v18.0/{ig-user-id}/media
Yup, it looks intense. But you only need to set it up once.
Step-by-step: post Instagram Reels via API
Here’s the crash course
1. Get your access token
Generate a long-lived token using OAuth. This gives you the power to act on behalf of an Instagram user.
curl -X GET \
"https://graph.facebook.com/oauth/access_token?client_id={your-app-id}&client_secret={your-app-secret}&grant_type=client_credentials"
2. Upload your video file to a media container
The endpoint:
POST https://graph.facebook.com/v18.0/{ig-user-id}/media
With these params (sent as application/json):
{
"media_type": "REEL",
"video_url": "https://yourdomain.com/video.mp4",
"caption": "My caption here #hashtags",
"access_token": "your_access_token"
}
Note: Your video_url must be publicly accessible.
Publish the container
Get the container ID from the previous step and publish it:
POST https://graph.facebook.com/v18.0/{ig-user-id}/media_publish
With
{
"creation_id": "your_container_id",
"access_token": "your_access_token"
}
Boom. Reel posted.
Can I do this with no-code tools?
Yes. And it’s surprisingly easy.
Here’s how non-coders are pulling it off:
- Use Make (Integromat) or Zapier to connect form submissions → AI → Instagram.
- Tools like Pabbly or n8n also let you build visual flows.
- Pair it with Submagic’s AI video editor to handle captions, B-roll, and formatting before the upload.
- Store your token and Reels in Google Sheets or Airtable, and let automation do the rest.
Bonus points: Use Submagic Instagram Hashtag Generator.
Ideal no code workflow
- Get your Submagic API key
- Create a folder in Google Drive “Raw Videos” and connect it to Submagic
- Submagic grabs the videos from Raw Videos, edits, adds captions, b-rolls, and everything else and outputs it in Polished Videos - another folder you created
- Then connect Polished Videos to Make.com, Zapier, or n8n to publish these to your Instagram account
All without seeing a line of code. Simple visual workflows. We're is constantly adding templates that you can just click, change a few settings and you will be off.
What does Instagram allow (or not allow)?
Meta is cool with you automating as long as you follow these:
- Only Business and Creator accounts can publish via API.
- Reels need to be short-form video (under 15 minutes).
video_url must be hosted and public.- Obey the rate limits — around 25 posts per user per day.
- Your app must be reviewed to use
content_publish in production.
Don’t post junk or spam. The API is powerful, but misuse it and you’ll meet a cold, hard ban hammer.
More from the official Instagram Graph API docs.
Why not just use the Instagram app?
Two reasons:
- Time: You can’t scale content by copy-pasting captions into your phone 5x a week. It’s not the dark ages of 2017.
- Workflow: With API automation, you plug in your scripts, tools, or team and just watch the content fly. Especially when paired with something like Submagic’s AI video editor, it turns your long-form into scroll-stopping Magic Clips, adds captions, music, auto zoom, B-roll, sound effects, everything, all in 3 clicks.
Submagic vs editing Reels in Instagram
| Feature |
Submagic |
Instagram App |
| Add subtitles automatically |
Subtitle generator |
Manual only |
| Auto B-roll + sound effects |
Yes |
No |
| Trim by transcript |
Edit by text |
No |
| Magic Clips from long-form |
Viral clip generator |
No |
| AI-generated descriptions |
Description generator |
No |
| Export to Reels format |
Yes |
Yes |
| Schedule or auto-post by API |
(via automation) |
No |
| Edit for TikTok, carousels, YouTube |
Multi-platform magic |
No |
The only thing Instagram’s native editor has going for it is… being inside the app. Which is great if you like clunky interfaces, blurry previews, and captioning your video one painful word at a time.
Go on. Turn your Reels into a machine!
The point of using the Instagram Reels API isn’t just to post faster — it’s to build workflows that don’t need you.
Combine:
- Submagic for AI-powered video creation
- The Instagram Graph API for automated posting
- A bit of code or no-code for glue
- ChatGPT or OpenAI for content ideation
- Webhooks, cron jobs, or even Google Sheets for control
And you’ve got yourself a content machine that runs in real-time, 24/7, scaling you across TikTok, Instagram Stories, Facebook, YouTube Shorts… all while you sip coffee or sleep in.
