New Instagram APIs

Instagram has released a new set of APIs that will replace the existing one. Discover the new Instagram Graph API and Instagram Basic Display API.

Legacy Instagram API (now deprecated)

It was the first official API released by Instagram. We supported it from the very beginning of LightWidget. This Instagram API is now deprecated and removed on June 29, 2020. 

It means that all features of this API are no longer available. The deprecation of the Instagram API was due to privacy and security concerns. Instagram wants to ensure that its users’ data is protected and that only authorized third-party apps can access it.

Instagram Graph API

The Instagram Graph API is the new API provided by Instagram after deprecating the old Instagram API. It offers a more secure and privacy-conscious way for businesses and developers to access Instagram’s data.

The Graph API provides access to many of the same features as the old Instagram API, such as retrieving media and profile data.

The Instagram Graph API is used when you connect your Instagram account through the Business connection or when you Log in with Facebook on our login page. 

To use this new API, your Instagram account must meet two requirements:

1. It must be a Professional Instagram account – either a Business or Creator account. Personal Instagram accounts are not suitable for using this API. 
2. Connecting a Professional Instagram account with a Facebook Page is also a requirement. The connection is going through the Facebook Page instead of the Instagram account. 

Instagram Basic Display API

The Instagram Basic Display API is a simplified version of the Instagram Graph API that allows developers to access basic data from Instagram profiles, such as posts and profile information.

The Instagram Basic Display API has some limitations compared to the Graph API. Getting information about the number of likes and comments per post is impossible. We need access to the account profile picture and information about the followers.

The Basic Display API is used when you connect your Instagram account through the Consumer connection on our website.  

Our widget creator automatically disables some options if the consumer connection account is in use. For example, selecting the Likes and comments hover effect is impossible due to the lack of access to these values in Basic Display API. It is also not possible to enable some aspects in the widget header. 

Here you can find the comparison between the Business and consumer connection.

New APIs in our service

LightWidget utilizes both the Instagram Graph API and the Basic Display API. The deprecated Instagram API is no longer in use in our service. You can safely use our service:)