---
ref: tool:apify/get-dataset-items
name: "Get an Actor run's results"
company: company:apify
workflows: [workflow:competitor-ad-teardown]
access: [mcp, cli, api]
tags: [capability:scrape-web, category:scraper, has:api, has:cli, has:mcp]
docs: https://docs.apify.com/api/v2/dataset-items-get
updated: 2026-09-29
---

# Get an Actor run's results

Returns the items an Actor run saved to a dataset, such as scraped records, a page at a time.

Note: Needs the dataset ID from a finished Actor run (`defaultDatasetId` on the run object).

## Set up

Use the first option your agent supports.

### MCP (official, remote)

Add this server to your agent's MCP settings, then sign in when asked.

```json
{ "mcpServers": { "apify": { "url": "https://mcp.apify.com" } } }
```

Call the MCP tool `get-dataset-items`.

Server URL: https://mcp.apify.com

### CLI (official)

Install the command and sign in with it, then confirm it runs.

```sh
npm install -g apify-cli
apify --version
```

Run `apify datasets get-items`.

Note: Sign in with `apify login`.

### API (official)

- Base URL: https://api.apify.com/v2
- Endpoint: `GET /datasets/{datasetId}/items`
- Auth: send the header `Authorization: Bearer $APIFY_TOKEN`
- Get a key: https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations
- Docs: https://docs.apify.com/api/v2

Before anything else, confirm access with the cheapest read-only call, like a list or a search. Never send or change anything to test access.

## Rules

- Ask the user before anything that sends messages, costs money, or changes data, and say how many records it touches. One approval covers a batch the user has seen.
- Never print API keys.