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Connect your Instagram Business account to Chatwoot to handle Instagram Direct Messages (DMs) from your unified inbox.

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Prerequisites

  • Instagram Business or Creator account
  • Facebook Page connected to your Instagram account
  • Admin access to both Facebook Page and Instagram account

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Setup

1

Connect Instagram to Facebook Page

First, connect your Instagram account to a Facebook Page:
  1. Go to Instagram Settings → Business
  2. Connect to a Facebook Page
  3. Ensure it’s a Business or Creator account
2

Add Instagram inbox in Chatwoot

Navigate to Settings → Inboxes → Add Inbox → Instagram
3

Authorize Facebook

Click Sign in with Facebook and grant permissions:
  • instagram_basic - Basic Instagram profile info
  • instagram_manage_messages - Send and receive messages
  • pages_messaging - Access via Facebook Page
4

Select Instagram account

Choose which Instagram Business account to connect from the list.
5

Configure and test

  • Add agents to the inbox
  • Send a test DM to your Instagram account
  • Verify it appears in Chatwoot

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Features

  • Direct messages - Receive and reply to Instagram DMs
  • Story mentions - Get notified of story mentions
  • Story replies - Respond to story replies
  • Rich media - Send images, videos, and voice notes
  • Quick replies - Use Instagram quick reply buttons
  • Ice breakers - Set up conversation starters

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Message Types

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Direct Messages

Standard one-on-one conversations with Instagram users.

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Story Replies

When users reply to your Instagram Stories, conversations appear in Chatwoot.

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Story Mentions

Get notified when users mention your account in their stories.

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Best Practices

Respond quickly to maintain engagement
Use visual content - images and videos perform well
Set up Instagram quick replies for common questions
Monitor story mentions and replies
Use automation for initial responses

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Troubleshooting

  • Verify it’s a Business or Creator account
  • Ensure Instagram is connected to a Facebook Page
  • Check Facebook Page admin permissions
  • Try disconnecting and reconnecting from Instagram settings
  • Reconnect Instagram account in Chatwoot
  • Check Facebook permissions
  • Verify Instagram account is not restricted
  • Ensure Instagram app is updated
  • Check if user has messaged you first (Instagram requires this)
  • Verify Instagram account status
  • Check for temporary restrictions
  • Ensure message content complies with Instagram policies

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Limitations

  • Instagram requires users to message you first before you can initiate conversation
  • 24-hour messaging window similar to Facebook Messenger
  • Some Instagram features (polls, quizzes) don’t sync to Chatwoot
  • Media files have size and format limitations

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