[GH-ISSUE #61] HTTP error 429 / user agent mismatch

kerem commented

2026-02-27 20:05:08 +03:00

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Originally created by @imnotawhore37-dotcom on GitHub (Feb 3, 2026).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/misiektoja/instagram_monitor/issues/61

Every time i enter a target instagram i get this error can someone explain what im doing wrong . i have instagram app turned off but permission keeps getting denied . this has happened from the first time i started it.

Originally created by @imnotawhore37-dotcom on GitHub (Feb 3, 2026). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/misiektoja/instagram_monitor/issues/61 Every time i enter a target instagram i get this error can someone explain what im doing wrong . i have instagram app turned off but permission keeps getting denied . this has happened from the first time i started it.

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2026-02-27 20:05:08 +03:00

kerem commented

2026-02-27 20:05:09 +03:00

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@misiektoja commented on GitHub (Feb 3, 2026):

How many users are you tracking ? The 429 error (Too Many Requests) typically indicates that Instagram's automated-tool detection is blocking your connection, which often happens with anonymous or new sessions sending a lot of requests.

Please use a Firefox Session Cookie method as described here.

Also follow the tips from here.

PS. I like your user name, lol

@misiektoja commented on GitHub (Feb 3, 2026): How many users are you tracking ? The 429 error (Too Many Requests) typically indicates that Instagram's automated-tool detection is blocking your connection, which often happens with anonymous or new sessions sending a lot of requests. Please use a Firefox Session Cookie method as described [here](https://github.com/misiektoja/instagram_monitor#option-3-session-login-using-firefox-cookies-recommended). Also follow the tips from [here](https://github.com/misiektoja/instagram_monitor#how-to-prevent-getting-challenged-and-account-suspension). PS. I like your user name, lol

kerem commented

2026-02-27 20:05:09 +03:00

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@tomballgithub commented on GitHub (Feb 3, 2026):

There is an issue thread on this blowing up on the instaloader github

@tomballgithub commented on GitHub (Feb 3, 2026): There is an issue thread on this blowing up on the instaloader github

kerem commented

2026-02-27 20:05:09 +03:00

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@misiektoja commented on GitHub (Feb 3, 2026):

Yep, that's true: Persistent 429 Error and "Useragent Mismatch"

It seems Instagram changed something yesterday. I will look later to see if we can do something on a tool level as a temporary fix.

@misiektoja commented on GitHub (Feb 3, 2026): Yep, that's true: [Persistent 429 Error and "Useragent Mismatch"](https://github.com/instaloader/instaloader/issues/2651) It seems Instagram changed something yesterday. I will look later to see if we can do something on a tool level as a temporary fix.

kerem commented

2026-02-27 20:05:09 +03:00

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@misiektoja commented on GitHub (Feb 3, 2026):

I just checked some of my accounts and everything seems to be working fine, including fetching of profile info, posts/reels, stories and followers/following lists. I use the Firefox session cookie method with accounts that I also use for other activities (like liking posts).

But Session mode 1 / anonymous is indeed broken now when trying to get the list of posts/reels.

* Error while processing posts/reels: IndexError: list index out of range

@misiektoja commented on GitHub (Feb 3, 2026): I just checked some of my accounts and everything seems to be working fine, including fetching of profile info, posts/reels, stories and followers/following lists. I use the Firefox session cookie method with accounts that I also use for other activities (like liking posts). But Session mode 1 / anonymous is indeed broken now when trying to get the list of posts/reels. ```* Error while processing posts/reels: IndexError: list index out of range```

kerem commented

2026-02-27 20:05:09 +03:00

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@imnotawhore37-dotcom commented on GitHub (Feb 3, 2026):

last question you have to be already be following the targets instagram in order to see?

@imnotawhore37-dotcom commented on GitHub (Feb 3, 2026): last question you have to be already be following the targets instagram in order to see?

kerem commented

2026-02-27 20:05:09 +03:00

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@misiektoja commented on GitHub (Feb 3, 2026):

last question you have to be already be following the targets instagram in order to see?

Technically, you do not have to follow the user unless it is a private account. In that case, only basic stats are available unless you follow them and they approve your friend request.

@misiektoja commented on GitHub (Feb 3, 2026): > last question you have to be already be following the targets instagram in order to see? Technically, you do not have to follow the user unless it is a private account. In that case, only basic stats are available unless you follow them and they approve your friend request.

kerem commented

2026-02-27 20:05:09 +03:00

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@misiektoja commented on GitHub (Feb 3, 2026):

But Session mode 1 / anonymous is indeed broken now when trying to get the list of posts/reels.

* Error while processing posts/reels: IndexError: list index out of range

OK, I was actually wrong. This error was not due to the 429 errors, but to an empty caption I had on my test account. It was not really related, but it is fixed in e70224f8f2. So anonymous mode appears to still work.

Anyway, I also enhanced request jitter with exponential backoff and improved 429 error handling (455e79d3db), available in the dev branch.

What worries me is that people report in that Instaloader thread that sometimes it works perfectly and minutes later it gets those 429 errors. We need to observe the situation closely.

@misiektoja commented on GitHub (Feb 3, 2026): > But Session mode 1 / anonymous is indeed broken now when trying to get the list of posts/reels. > > `* Error while processing posts/reels: IndexError: list index out of range` OK, I was actually wrong. This error was not due to the 429 errors, but to an empty caption I had on my test account. It was not really related, but it is fixed in e70224f8f2. So anonymous mode appears to still work. Anyway, I also enhanced request jitter with exponential backoff and improved 429 error handling (455e79d3db), available in the dev branch. What worries me is that people report in that Instaloader thread that sometimes it works perfectly and minutes later it gets those 429 errors. We need to observe the situation closely.

kerem commented

2026-02-27 20:05:09 +03:00

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@misiektoja commented on GitHub (Feb 3, 2026):

I just noticed someone created a PR in Instaloader, presumably fixing the issue. Let's see.

@misiektoja commented on GitHub (Feb 3, 2026): I just noticed someone created a [PR](https://github.com/instaloader/instaloader/pull/2652) in Instaloader, presumably fixing the issue. Let's see.

kerem commented

2026-02-27 20:05:09 +03:00

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@tomballgithub commented on GitHub (Feb 5, 2026):

I'm testing the PR with the current instagram_monitor code base. I'll know pretty quickly if it works, as I haven't been able to get past fetching 4000+ 'followings' without issue for a few days

@tomballgithub commented on GitHub (Feb 5, 2026): I'm testing the PR with the current instagram_monitor code base. I'll know pretty quickly if it works, as I haven't been able to get past fetching 4000+ 'followings' without issue for a few days

kerem commented

2026-02-27 20:05:09 +03:00

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@tomballgithub commented on GitHub (Feb 5, 2026):

It worked better for me for sure. My account still got flagged later doing 'be human' activity, but to be fair, this account wasn't fresh and had already been flagged a few times.

@tomballgithub commented on GitHub (Feb 5, 2026): It worked better for me for sure. My account still got flagged later doing 'be human' activity, but to be fair, this account wasn't fresh and had already been flagged a few times.

kerem commented

2026-02-27 20:05:09 +03:00

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@misiektoja commented on GitHub (Feb 5, 2026):

Cool, thanks, it looks promising. Hopefully they'll release 4.16 soon.

@misiektoja commented on GitHub (Feb 5, 2026): Cool, thanks, it looks promising. Hopefully they'll release 4.16 soon.

kerem commented

2026-02-27 20:05:09 +03:00

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@tomballgithub commented on GitHub (Feb 23, 2026):

I thought that you capped backoffs at 60s. I am seeing this at startup:

Monitoring Instagram user YYY
───────────────────────────────────────────
[DEBUG 14:40:21] [YYY] UI Data Update: targets=['YYY']
[DEBUG 14:40:21] [YYY] UI Data Update: check_count=0
Target:                                 YYY
[DEBUG 14:40:21] [YYY] Loading session for Malaysiau352 from file (no password provided)...
- loading profile from username...
[DEBUG 14:40:21] [YYY] UI Data Update: targets=['YYY']
[DEBUG 14:40:32] [YYY] * Back-off 76s after 400
[DEBUG 14:41:49] [YYY] * Back-off 142s after 400
[DEBUG 14:44:15] [YYY] * Back-off 264s after 400

@tomballgithub commented on GitHub (Feb 23, 2026): I thought that you capped backoffs at 60s. I am seeing this at startup: ``` Monitoring Instagram user YYY ─────────────────────────────────────────── [DEBUG 14:40:21] [YYY] UI Data Update: targets=['YYY'] [DEBUG 14:40:21] [YYY] UI Data Update: check_count=0 Target: YYY [DEBUG 14:40:21] [YYY] Loading session for Malaysiau352 from file (no password provided)... - loading profile from username... [DEBUG 14:40:21] [YYY] UI Data Update: targets=['YYY'] [DEBUG 14:40:32] [YYY] * Back-off 76s after 400 [DEBUG 14:41:49] [YYY] * Back-off 142s after 400 [DEBUG 14:44:15] [YYY] * Back-off 264s after 400 ```

kerem commented

2026-02-27 20:05:09 +03:00

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@misiektoja commented on GitHub (Feb 23, 2026):

I capped it only for Spotify projects.

@misiektoja commented on GitHub (Feb 23, 2026): I capped it only for Spotify projects.

kerem commented

2026-02-27 20:05:09 +03:00

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@tomballgithub commented on GitHub (Feb 23, 2026):

What's interesting is this account has been running for many days or a week without issues. It worked this morning and was on a break until the evening hours open up. I restarted it after making a code change and immediately starting getting the back offs, which I am sure mean the account is flagged. Not sure what triggered Instagram, but it sure feels like something that occurs just during initial script boot.

@tomballgithub commented on GitHub (Feb 23, 2026): What's interesting is this account has been running for many days or a week without issues. It worked this morning and was on a break until the evening hours open up. I restarted it after making a code change and immediately starting getting the back offs, which I am sure mean the account is flagged. Not sure what triggered Instagram, but it sure feels like something that occurs just during initial script boot.

kerem commented

2026-02-27 20:05:09 +03:00

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@tomballgithub commented on GitHub (Feb 26, 2026):

Bringing this over from a duplicate issue thread that was closed:

Per misiektoja:
It is due to recent changes made by Instagram, which require adjustments to Instaloader. The issue has already been reported https://github.com/instaloader/instaloader/issues/2651 and there is already a https://github.com/instaloader/instaloader/pull/2652 for that. Also discussed https://github.com/misiektoja/instagram_monitor/issues/61.

We are waiting for the official Instaloader 4.16 release. Meanwhile, you can install the beta version from the PR branch as shown below. However, keep in mind that it currently breaks session mode 1, so you need to use mode 2 (the best with Firefox session cookie).

pip uninstall instaloader -y
pip install git+https://github.com/cxyfer/instaloader.git@fix/profile-graphql-v4.16

@tomballgithub commented on GitHub (Feb 26, 2026): Bringing this over from a duplicate issue thread that was closed: _Per misiektoja:_ It is due to recent changes made by Instagram, which require adjustments to Instaloader. The issue has already been reported https://github.com/instaloader/instaloader/issues/2651 and there is already a https://github.com/instaloader/instaloader/pull/2652 for that. Also discussed https://github.com/misiektoja/instagram_monitor/issues/61. We are waiting for the official Instaloader 4.16 release. Meanwhile, you can install the beta version from the PR branch as shown below. However, keep in mind that it currently breaks session mode 1, so you need to use mode 2 (the best with Firefox session cookie). ``` pip uninstall instaloader -y pip install git+https://github.com/cxyfer/instaloader.git@fix/profile-graphql-v4.16 ```

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