Connecting Instagram

Go to Instagram accounts → Connect Instagram. You sign in on Instagram's own screen and approve messaging permissions; we never see the password.

• Confirm your email first. Until you click the link in the confirmation email, the page shows Confirm your email to connect Instagram instead of the button. Resend email sends a new link (also in the yellow bar at the top, and in Settings → Your account, which shows Confirmed or Not confirmed). Reconnecting an account you already have is never blocked.
• The account must be a Professional account (Business or Creator). Personal accounts can't be automated. Switch in the Instagram app under Settings → Account type and tools.
• To let automations reply to DMs, in the Instagram app turn on Settings → Messages and story replies → Message controls → Connected tools → Allow access to messages.
• Sync on an account card pulls in your recent posts so you can pick specific posts in automations. Accounts also re-sync on their own twice a day, so the profile picture and post images stay current (Instagram's image links expire after a few days). If a picture is missing, Sync brings it back straight away.
• If a card says Reconnect needed or Access revoked, click Reconnect @username. Automations for that account are paused until you do.
• If a card says webhooks aren't subscribed, click Retry subscription; until then triggers won't fire for that account.
• If a card says Only the first reply is getting through, the Instagram account is linked to a Facebook Page whose inbox is taking over its conversations, so Instagram lets us send the first private reply and refuses the rest. Fix it on Facebook: open the Page's settings, go to Advanced messaging, find InstaDM247 under Connected apps, and turn on Take control of conversations. It takes effect within a few minutes; nothing needs changing here, and the warning clears after the next message goes through.
• If a card says automated messages are paused for a while (Instagram asked us to slow down, or blocked sending for a few hours), nothing needs doing: waiting messages send by themselves after the time shown. Replies you type in the Inbox are not held.
• Connect another account adds more accounts, up to your plan's limit.