Connect an Instagram Business or Creator account so your agent can reply to DMs, comments, and story replies — with or without a Facebook Page.
Connect your Instagram professional account and your agent answers DMs, turns comments into DMs, and follows up on story replies. Connecting takes about a minute — this page tells you which connect method to pick, what to check first, and what to do when something fails.
Before you connect
Three things cause almost every failed or silent connection. Check them first:
- Your Instagram is a Business or Creator account. Personal accounts have no messaging API and can't connect. Switch in the Instagram app: Settings → Account type and tools → Switch to professional account.
- Instagram lets apps access your messages. In the Instagram app: Settings → Messages and story replies → Message controls → Connected tools → Allow access to messages must be on. If it's off, the connection still succeeds but no DMs ever reach your agent.
- No other DM automation tool is still connected (for example ManyChat). Two tools can't own the same inbox; disconnect the other one in its settings or in Meta Business Suite first.
If you connect from your phone, do it in Safari or Chrome — not inside the Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok in-app browser. Agentkit detects in-app browsers and asks you to open the page in a real browser.
Which connect method to use
Go to your agent's Publish → Instagram tab. You'll see one primary button and two more under See more options. All three are official Meta sign-ins; they differ only in what Meta asks you to have.
| Method | Needs a Facebook account | Needs a Facebook Page | Works on a phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connect via Meta | Yes | Yes — linked to your Instagram, in a business portfolio you admin | Yes |
| Connect via Instagram | No | No | Desktop browser recommended |
| Connect via Meta Business Suite | Yes | Yes — you need the Moderate task (or higher) on the Page | Yes |
Pick Connect via Meta if your Instagram is already linked to a Facebook Page you manage. It's the most complete option and works fine on mobile.
Pick Connect via Instagram if you don't use Facebook, or your Instagram isn't linked to a Page. You sign in with your Instagram credentials only. Use a desktop browser: on phones Meta's Instagram login page sometimes renders blank.
Pick Connect via Meta Business Suite only if Connect via Meta fails for an account that is linked to a Page — it's the same Facebook sign-in with an older permission dialog.
Step by step
Connect via Meta
- Click Connect via Meta. A Meta window opens.
- Log in to Facebook if asked.
- Choose the business portfolio, then the Instagram account, then the Facebook Page linked to it. If the Page doesn't appear, you're not an admin of the portfolio that owns it — ask the owner to add you, or use Connect via Instagram.
- Leave every permission checked and click Done.
- Back in Agentkit, the page shows Congratulations, @yourhandle is connected!
Connect via Instagram
- On a desktop browser, log in to instagram.com with the professional account you want to connect. If you're logged into a different account, log out first.
- Click Connect via Instagram.
- Confirm the account and click Allow. Keep all permissions checked.
- Back in Agentkit, the page shows Congratulations, @yourhandle is connected!
Connect via Meta Business Suite
Same steps as Connect via Meta. If several of your Pages have Instagram accounts linked, Agentkit asks you to choose the Page to connect.
After connecting
- Send your account a test DM from another Instagram account. If nothing arrives after a minute, re-check Connected tools → Allow access to messages (see above).
- Set up an automation: Respond to all DMs, Comment-to-DM, story leads, or conversation starters — see the Instagram automations guide.
- Open the connection's three-dot menu and select Refresh permissions to re-check permissions at any time.
Troubleshooting
The Meta dialog closed and nothing connected
You closed the Meta dialog or unchecked a permission. Click the connect button again and leave all permissions checked — Agentkit only asks for what replies and comment automations need.
"Link your Instagram professional account to a Facebook Page you admin"
Connect via Meta and Connect via Meta Business Suite need your Instagram linked to a Facebook Page. Either link it (Instagram app → Edit profile → Page, or in Facebook Page settings → Linked accounts → Instagram), or use Connect via Instagram, which needs no Page.
If the Page is linked but still not offered, it belongs to a business portfolio you don't administer. Ask the portfolio owner to make you an admin.
No account to choose / "You can't log in with this Instagram account"
Your account is personal. Switch it to a Business or Creator account in the Instagram app and try again.
Connect via Instagram opens a blank page on my phone
Known Meta behaviour when the browser has no instagram.com session or is logged into a different account. Try again from a desktop browser logged into the right account, or use Connect via Meta on the phone.
"This Instagram account is already connected to another chatbot"
One Instagram account connects to one agent. Disconnect it from the other agent's Instagram tab first.
Connected, but the agent never replies
Most likely causes, in order:
- Allow access to messages is off in Instagram (see Before you connect). Turn it on — no reconnect needed.
- Another tool still owns the inbox. Disconnect it (Meta Business Suite → Settings → Integrations, or the other tool's settings), then open the connection's three-dot menu and select Refresh permissions.
- The automation isn't live. Each automation has its own Go live button.
- The person messaged more than 24 hours ago and never wrote again — Meta only lets businesses reply within 24 hours of the last customer message (7 days for comment replies).
"Reconnect required"
Meta invalidated the token. This happens when you change your Instagram or Facebook password, pass a security check, remove Agentkit from Settings → Apps and websites, or switch the account back to personal. Click Reconnect Instagram on the Instagram tab. Tokens also expire after 60 days of inactivity; Agentkit refreshes active connections automatically.
Privacy and permissions
Agentkit asks only for the permissions it uses: reading your profile, receiving and sending DMs, and reading and replying to comments. Tokens are encrypted at rest. Disconnecting from the Instagram tab deletes the stored connection and token and stops all processing immediately. It does not revoke Agentkit's authorization on Meta's side — to do that too, remove Agentkit from Instagram's Settings → Apps and websites.