From my own experience in digital marketing, I often need to gather email addresses for outreach campaigns. One tool that really helps with this is PhantomBuster.
After trying many options, I found that PhantomBuster makes scraping emails from Instagram easy and quick. In this blog, I will share a simple step-by-step guide on how to scrape email from Instagram using PhantomBuster.
Let’s get started!
Key Things to Know
- Only collect data that users have publicly shared.
- Understand and follow Instagram's terms of service to avoid account issues.
- Use the collected emails responsibly and avoid spamming.
- Be aware of scraping limits to prevent getting blocked by Instagram.
- Check the validity of the emails you collect to ensure they are active.
What is PhantomBuster?
PhantomBuster is a platform that provides code-free tools for automating tasks. It helps you collect data from social media sites like Instagram. The tool you will use to scrape emails is called the Instagram Profile Scraper.
It can take a list of Instagram profile URLs and extract publicly available information, including email addresses, if they are listed.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
✅ Easy to set up | ❌ No free forever plan |
✅Ethical data extraction | ❌ Steep learning curve |
✅Helpful integrations | Cell |
✅Quick and efficient scraping | Cell |
If you want, you can read this blog to find a detailed PhantomBuster Review and learn whether using it is safe or not.
Facts and Issues Regarding Scraping Emails Using PhantomBuster
So, there are several things you must know regarding scraping emails from Instagram when you use PhantomBuster.
First off, You can only get emails that people share publicly on their profiles. If they don’t show their email, you can’t access it.
- Use the Profile Scraper Phantoms for this task. They help you gather the information you need from Instagram accounts.
- Remember, some social networks like Instagram don’t show emails for personal accounts. If the account isn’t a business one, you might not find any emails.
- PhantomBuster uses the desktop version of these networks. This can limit what information you can scrape. Some details might not be available because of this.
You can find an email if the user puts it in their bio. If it’s not there, the Phantom can’t get it since it doesn’t access private messages or hidden info.
Step-by-Step Guide to Scrape Emails from Instagram Using PhantomBuster
Now, let me share all the steps one by one.
- Go to PhantomBuster’s website and sign up for an account.
- You can choose to start with a free account.
- They offer a 14-day free trial - No credit card required.
Step 2: Install the PhantomBuster Extension
Download the PhantomBuster browser extension for Chrome or Firefox.
This extension helps you connect your account and automate tasks.
Step 3: Gather Instagram Profile URLs
- Collect a list of Instagram profile URLs you want to scrape.
- You can create a Google Spreadsheet with these URLs. Make sure the spreadsheet is viewable by anyone with the link.
Step 4: Choose the Right Phantom
In PhantomBuster, look for the Instagram Profile Scraper.
This tool will help you scrape the profiles you collected.
Step 5: Set Up the Instagram Profile Scraper
Input URLs: Paste the link to your Google Spreadsheet into the Phantom configuration. You can either input them manually or use a CSV file
Email Extraction: While PhantomBuster doesn't directly extract emails, you can use the scraped data to identify potential email addresses. Look for email addresses in the bio or other publicly available information.
- Connect to Instagram: Use your Instagram session cookie to connect PhantomBuster to your Instagram account. This is crucial for accessing profiles.
- If you have the PhantomBuster extension installed, just click on the "Connect to Instagram" button.
- Otherwise, you can find your cookie manually.
Step 6: Configure Your Scraper
Set the Limits: You can scrape a maximum of 100 profiles per day. Make sure to spread your requests throughout the day.
Set Frequency: Decide how often you want the scraper to run. This will help avoid overloading Instagram's servers.
Step 7: Run the Phantom
Once you have everything set up, click the Launch button to start scraping.
- The Phantom will visit each profile and extract the publicly available data.
Step 8: Analyze Your Results
- After the scraping process, download the results in CSV or JSON format.
- Open the file and look through the data. You will find usernames, bios, and potentially email addresses.
Check the bios for email addresses. They may not always be listed, but you might find links to websites that could lead to contact info.
How to Find and Use Session Cookies
As session cookies are a must to run this Phantom, you have to understand how to retrieve session cookies for Instagram using PhantomBuster:
Important note: Keep your Instagram account logged in to keep the session active.
What’s a Session Cookie?
- A session cookie keeps you logged into Instagram, so PhantomBuster can perform actions on your behalf.
- When you log in, Instagram stores this cookie, which helps PhantomBuster recognize you.
- Note: When you log out, the session cookie expires, so you’ll need to update it in PhantomBuster.
Using PhantomBuster’s Browser Extension for Instagram
- Install PhantomBuster’s extension (for Chrome or Firefox).
- Log into Instagram on your browser.
- Go to your PhantomBuster Dashboard, click on the three dots next to the Phantom that needs the cookie, and choose Setup.
In Settings, click Connect to… to automatically retrieve and save your cookie.
Manually Retrieve Session Cookies in Chrome for Instagram
- Open Chrome and log into Instagram.
Right-click on the page, select Inspect and go to the Application tab.
Choose Cookies and then choose Instagram.
Double-click on the “sessionid” cookie
- Go back to your PhantomBuster Dashboard, open Setup for the needed Phantom, and paste the sessionid in the Connect to… field.
- Save the cookie to keep your automation active.
My Performance Test 📈
Here’s what I did and how the results turned out:
What I Set Up and Launched
- Logged In: I used my session cookie to authenticate. This allowed PhantomBuster to work as if I was logged in.
Scraper Settings:
- Profiles Per Launch: I set it to scrape 10 profiles in each run. However, I gave one profile link, so it’ll scrape one, obviously.
- Scrape Email: Turned on to capture emails if they’re visible on profiles.
- Scrape Phone Number: Turned off, so no phone numbers were collected.
- Spreadsheet URL: Entered an Instagram profile link for the scraper to target.
Launched Manually
I started the task manually. The Phantom began, successfully logged in, and completed its scraping.
My Performance Summary 📈
Setting | Value |
---|---|
Authentication | Successful |
Email Scraping | Enabled |
Phone Number Scraping | Disabled |
Profiles Actually Scraped | 1 |
Launch Time | 11/4/2025, 1:57:46 PM |
Duration | 15 seconds |
I think the performance duration of 15 seconds is quite good for scraping one profile. It's quick and efficient, especially since I only provided one link.
I appreciate how fast PhantomBuster works, and it gives me the data I need without wasting time.
Additional Tips
- Be mindful of Instagram's scraping limits to avoid getting banned.
- Use the data responsibly. Don’t spam or harass anyone.
- Follow data privacy regulations when handling personal information.
- PhantomBuster frequently updates its features. Keep an eye on new tools and improvements.
Pricing Plans
After the free trial, you can choose from several paid plans:
- Starter: $69/month
- Pro: $159/month
- Team: $439/month
Wrapping Up
Hopefully, you now have a pretty good idea of how to scrape email from Instagram using PhantomBuster. Definitely, PhantomBuster is a helpful tool, but remember that Instagram doesn’t show user emails directly. How well email scraping works depends on what info users make public on their profiles.
Always use web scraping tools in a legal and ethical way.
Besides, you can visit this insightful blog to learn about the best Instagram Email Extractor and Scraper online.
FAQs
Is it legal to scrape data from Instagram?
Scraping public data from Instagram is usually allowed, but it’s important to follow Instagram’s rules. Avoid heavy use that could strain their servers.
How accurate is the email extraction process with PhantomBuster?
Email extraction works only if the email is publicly listed on the Instagram profile. If it’s there, PhantomBuster can find it. If not, it won’t be able to extract the email.
Can I use PhantomBuster to scrape emails from other social media platforms?
Yes, PhantomBuster can be used to scrape data from various social media platforms, including LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.