--- title: "Connect Instagram" description: "Step-by-step guide to connecting your Instagram Professional account to Interlinked AI — authorize through Meta OAuth, select your account, and start receiving AI-powered responses to Instagram Direct messages." section: "Channels and integrations" url: https://interlinked-ai.com/en/resources/docs/connect-instagram lang: en lastUpdated: 2026-04-28 --- # Connect Instagram ## What this connection does Connecting Instagram allows your Interlinked AI agent to receive and respond to **Instagram Direct messages** automatically. When a customer sends a Direct message to your connected Instagram account, the AI agent processes the conversation using your published workflow, product catalog, and business context — then replies on your behalf. All Instagram conversations are also visible in the [CRM inbox](/en/resources/docs/crm-overview), where you can monitor AI responses, take manual control when needed, and manage customer interactions alongside your other channels. ## Requirements Before you begin, make sure you have: - **An Instagram Professional account** — Your Instagram account must be set to Business or Creator. Personal accounts cannot receive messages through the API. If your account is still personal, switch it in Instagram Settings → Account → Switch to Professional account. - **A connected Facebook Page** — Instagram Professional accounts must be linked to a Facebook Page. This is a Meta requirement for all business API integrations. You can link them in Facebook Page Settings → Instagram. - **Admin access to the Facebook Page** — The Meta account you use to authorize must have admin permissions on the Facebook Page linked to your Instagram account.

Note

If you manage multiple Instagram accounts, you can select which one to connect during the authorization process. Each Interlinked workspace connects to one Instagram account at a time.

## How to connect Instagram ### Step 1: Open the connection screen You can connect Instagram in two places: - **During onboarding** — On the [Connect channels](/en/resources/docs/connect-channels) step of the setup wizard, find the Instagram card and click **Connect**. - **After publishing** — In the [AI Config wizard](/en/resources/docs/edit-your-setup-from-ai-config), navigate to the Channels step and click **Connect** on the Instagram card. ### Step 2: Authorize with Meta After clicking Connect, you are redirected to Meta's authorization page. This is Meta's official OAuth flow — your credentials are entered directly on Meta's secure domain, not on Interlinked. On the Meta authorization screen: 1. **Log in to your Meta account** if you are not already signed in. 2. **Review the permissions** Interlinked is requesting. These are limited to messaging capabilities — Interlinked does not request access to post on your behalf, manage your ads, or access your personal profile. 3. **Select the Facebook Page** linked to the Instagram account you want to connect. 4. **Select the Instagram account** from the list of Professional accounts associated with that Page. 5. **Click Allow** to grant Interlinked messaging permissions.

Screenshot: Meta OAuth authorization screen showing the Facebook Page and Instagram account selection step

### Step 3: Return to Interlinked After authorization, you are redirected back to Interlinked with the Instagram channel now showing as **Connected**. The redirect URL includes a success parameter confirming the connection was established. If you are in the onboarding wizard, you remain on the Connect channels step so you can connect additional channels before publishing. ## What happens after connection Once Instagram is connected and your AI agent is published: - **New Direct messages** from customers are received by the AI agent and appear in the CRM inbox under the Instagram tab. - **The AI responds** using your published configuration — greeting message, workflow, product catalog, and business context. - **Conversation history** is stored in the CRM, including both AI-generated and manual responses. - **You can take manual control** of any Instagram conversation at any time from the CRM. See [Switch between AI and manual control](/en/resources/docs/switch-between-ai-and-manual-control).

Tip

After connecting Instagram, send a test Direct message from a personal account to your business account. Watch the AI response in the CRM to confirm everything is working correctly before your first real customer interaction.

## Instagram-specific behaviors ### Supported message types Instagram Direct supports text messages, images, and videos. The AI agent can receive and process all of these types. Audio messages, documents, and stickers are not supported on Instagram Direct. ### Story replies and mentions When a customer replies to one of your Instagram Stories via Direct message, the AI agent receives and processes the message like any other Direct conversation. Story mentions (where someone tags your account in their own Story) may not trigger a Direct message conversation unless the customer follows up with a text message. ### Message request filtering Instagram may filter messages from accounts that do not follow you into a separate "Message Requests" area. Interlinked processes all incoming messages regardless of this filter, so your AI agent responds to both followers and non-followers. ## Permissions explained When you authorize Interlinked through Meta OAuth, the following permissions are requested: | Permission | What it allows | |-----------|---------------| | **Read messages** | Interlinked can receive incoming Direct messages sent by customers | | **Send messages** | Interlinked can send responses on behalf of your Instagram account | | **Page access** | Required by Meta's API architecture — Instagram messaging is accessed through the linked Facebook Page | Interlinked does **not** request permissions to: - Post content on your Instagram feed or Stories - Access your personal Instagram account data - Manage your Instagram ads or promotions - View your follower analytics ## Disconnecting Instagram If you need to disconnect Instagram, you can do so from the [AI Config wizard](/en/resources/docs/edit-your-setup-from-ai-config) Channels step or from your Meta Business Settings. See [Manage connected channels](/en/resources/docs/manage-connected-channels) for detailed steps.

Important

Disconnecting Instagram stops the AI agent from receiving and responding to Direct messages on that account. Existing conversation history in the CRM is preserved.

## Troubleshooting If you encounter issues connecting Instagram, check the following: - **Account is not Professional** — Switch your Instagram account to Business or Creator in Instagram Settings before attempting to connect. - **No linked Facebook Page** — Your Instagram Professional account must be linked to a Facebook Page. Link them in Facebook Page Settings → Instagram. - **Insufficient permissions** — Make sure the Meta account you use to authorize has admin access to the Facebook Page. - **Authorization was cancelled** — If you closed the Meta OAuth window before completing authorization, try connecting again from the beginning. - **Connection lost after initial setup** — Meta tokens can expire if permissions are changed. Reconnect from AI Config. For more solutions, see [Meta connection troubleshooting](/en/resources/docs/meta-connection-troubleshooting).