Instagram preview images/thumbnails are broken

[joestump]

Version running

• UI v3.2.5
• RPC v3.2.5
• yt-dlp v2025.04.30

Describe the bug

I don't have an IG account, but of course get links to various things on IG from friends and family. I use yt-dlp-web-ui to download these videos to watch.

To Reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Download an Instagram video (e.g. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DI1XX07svDs/)
2. Go to the dashboard
3. Images are broken

Expected behavior

• Images are not broken.
• Don't use hotlinking; download the thumbnail/preview image locally.

Screenshots

Additional context

It looks like yt-dlp-web-ui is hotlinking the images from Instagram. Here's the image it hotlinks for the above video: https://instagram.fhio2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t51.2885-15/491464923_18500079568025939_2903768427370141723_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_p1080x1080_sh0.08_tt6&efg=eyJ2ZW5jb2RlX3RhZyI6ImltYWdlX3VybGdlbi4yMjY4eDQwMzIuc2RyLmY3NTc2MS5kZWZhdWx0X2NvdmVyX2ZyYW1lIn0&_nc_ht=instagram.fhio2-1.fna.fbcdn.net&_nc_cat=111&_nc_oc=Q6cZ2QEC3jQQ5mniL5WyIkWGf0Cey00xECzimxnEPrGDoNA8g-wzJt3QudG2AKFQA1vsS4s&_nc_ohc=nzVncNnyhVwQ7kNvwF0LbnP&_nc_gid=cS1pWGoKMAnyd5SAGhfzLw&edm=ANTKIIoBAAAA&ccb=7-5&oh=00_AfKuFo3iojhwJ92JFBb_baPxPcw8eRDx6jsZY8X-vT0zXA&oe=682677D5&_nc_sid=d885a2

Weirdly, it works when I go there in my browser, but not when hotlinked from the web UI.

[joestump]

This looks like a promising approach: yt-dlp/yt-dlp#6861 (comment)

Gave it a shot and it does download the image alongside the video. I think all that would be needed to fix the broken hotlinking would be to proxy that file via a local endpoint:

'Video by sunkissedblonde.travels.jpg'
'Video by sunkissedblonde.travels.mp4'