# solari catalog instagram account search

> Find collected Instagram accounts by username, name, or a phrase in their bio. Use this to get an account_id.

- **CLI**: `solari catalog instagram account search`
- **MCP tool**: `solari_catalog_instagram_account_search`
- **Access**: `solari:read` — Works with any signed-in SOLARI account.
- **Required plan**: Free
- **Credit**: 0

Search SOLARI's catalog of collected Instagram accounts by username, display name, or words in their bio. This is not Instagram's own search. The account_id you get is what the other Instagram tools need.

**When to use it** — When you have a name or username, and not an account_id yet.

**What comes back** — Matching accounts, closest first.

## Parameters

- `query` (string, required) — Username, display name, or — with query_type=bio — words from the profile bio.
- `query_type` (enum, optional, default "auto") — Where to look: username, display name, bio, or all of those (auto). Values: `auto`, `username`, `full_name`, `bio`.
- `brands_only` (boolean, optional, default false) — Only known brand accounts. Turn this on when looking up a brand.
- `limit` (integer, optional, ≥ 1) — How many accounts to return.
- `region` (string, optional, ≤ 8 chars) — Country code such as KR or JP. Leave this off to search everywhere.

## Response

### `Response`

- `found` (boolean) — Whether anyone matched.
- `items` (object[]) — Accounts that matched, closest first.

### `items[]`

- `account_id` (uuid) — account_id for the other Instagram tools.
- `username` (string) — Instagram username.
- `full_name` (string) — Display name.
- `biography` (string) — Profile bio.
- `follower_count` (integer) — Follower count.
- `region` (string) — Region code.
- `is_verified` (boolean) — Verification badge.
- `profile_pic_url` (string) — Profile picture URL.

## Example

```console
$ solari catalog instagram account search query=oliveyoung brands_only=true limit=5
```

_Long strings and repeated array entries are trimmed for readability._

```json
{
  "found": true,
  "items": [
    {
      "account_id": "018cab6d-1648-7071-9734-c47a2be2fd19",
      "username": "oliveyoung_official",
      "full_name": "올리브영 OLIVE YOUNG",
      "biography": "ALL LIVE YOUNG 🫒\nALL LIVE BETTER @olivebetter.official",
      "follower_count": 1199628,
      "region": "KR",
      "is_verified": true,
      "profile_pic_url": "https://dcr.bzine.co/instagram/users/oliveyoung_official/profile-picture"
    },
    {
      "account_id": "018dc63c-31b5-740f-bde0-2c00931385e1",
      "username": "oliveyoung_global",
      "full_name": "OLIVE YOUNG Global",
      "biography": "Korea's No.1 Health & Beauty Store\n✈️ FREE SHIPPING on orders over $60",
      "follower_count": 535949,
      "region": "KR",
      "is_verified": true,
      "profile_pic_url": "https://dcr.bzine.co/instagram/users/oliveyoung_global/profile-picture"
    },
    {
      "account_id": "018cabcf-e60e-70af-95eb-eff777ce5195",
      "username": "oliveyoung_magazine",
      "full_name": "올리브영 매거진",
      "biography": "내 일상과 가까운 뷰티 매거진",
      "follower_count": 142316,
      "region": "KR",
      "is_verified": false,
      "profile_pic_url": "https://dcr.bzine.co/instagram/users/oliveyoung_magazine/profile-picture"
    },
    "… 2 more"
  ]
}
```

## As an MCP call

```json
{
  "name": "solari_catalog_instagram_account_search",
  "arguments": {
    "query": "oliveyoung",
    "brands_only": true,
    "limit": 5
  }
}
```

## Notes

- The name has to appear in the username or display name. Nicknames and abbreviations usually miss.
- For a brand, set brands_only=true so fan accounts drop out.
- region keeps only the specified country. Leave it off unless you need one.

## Related tools

- [`solari_catalog_instagram_account_profile`](https://solari.sh/docs/tools/catalog-instagram-account-profile.md)
- [`solari_catalog_instagram_account_posts`](https://solari.sh/docs/tools/catalog-instagram-account-posts.md)
- [`solari_catalog_tiktok_account_search`](https://solari.sh/docs/tools/catalog-tiktok-account-search.md)