How to Connect Instagram

Connect your ChatFlow chatbot to Instagram to automatically respond to Direct Messages (DMs) from customers.

Important: Facebook Page Required — Meta requires your Instagram Business/Creator account to be linked to a Facebook Page for messaging to work. If you see "Instagram Business Account Not Found" after authorizing, your accounts aren't linked — see Steps 1–2 below. If you only have a Facebook Page, try Messenger instead.

Prerequisites

• ChatFlow Account (Growth or Enterprise plan)
• Trained Chatbot - A chatbot with FAQs or documents
• Instagram Business Account - Not a personal account
• Facebook Page - Linked to your Instagram Business account (most common setup issue)
• Facebook Business Account - To manage permissions

Required Plan: Growth or Enterprise

Quick Overview

The Instagram integration allows your AI chatbot to:

• Automatically respond to Instagram DMs
• Provide 24/7 customer support
• Hand off to human agents when needed
• Track all conversations in your dashboard

Steps

Step 1: Convert to Instagram Business Account

If your Instagram isn't already a Business account:

1. Open Instagram app > Profile
2. Tap menu (three lines) > Settings and privacy
3. Go to Account type and tools > Switch to professional account
4. Select Business
5. Connect to a Facebook Page when prompted

Step 2: Link Instagram to Facebook Page

Your Instagram must be connected to a Facebook Page:

1. Go to your Facebook Page
2. Click Settings > Linked Accounts > Instagram
3. Click Connect Account
4. Log in to Instagram and confirm

Step 3: Open Integrations in ChatFlow

1. Go to Chatbots in the sidebar
2. Click on your chatbot
3. Click the Integrations tab
4. Find Instagram and click Connect

Step 4: Authorize with Facebook

1. Click Connect with Facebook button
2. A popup window opens for Meta authorization
3. Log in with your Facebook account
4. Select your Instagram Business account
5. Select the Facebook Page linked to Instagram
6. Approve these permissions:
   • instagram_basic - Account access
   • instagram_manage_messages - Send/receive DMs
   • pages_messaging - Message delivery
7. Click Done

Step 5: Complete Setup

ChatFlow automatically:

• Registers webhook endpoints
• Configures message permissions
• Saves your credentials
• Enables the integration

You should see your Instagram username and Active status.

Verify It's Working

1. Open Instagram on a different account (or ask a friend)
2. Send a DM to your Business account
3. Your chatbot should respond automatically
4. Check Conversations in ChatFlow to see the message

Troubleshooting

Popup Blocked

• Allow popups for chat-flow.app in browser settings
• Try again after enabling popups

Instagram Account Not Showing

• Ensure Instagram is a Business or Creator account (not personal)
• Verify it's linked to a Facebook Page
• Check you're logged into the correct Facebook account

Messages Not Received

• Verify integration shows Active status
• Check webhook permissions are configured
• Ensure chatbot has training data

Authorization Failed

• Disconnect and reconnect the integration
• Ensure you have admin access to the Facebook Page
• Verify your Facebook Business account is verified

Supported Features

Feature	Supported
Text DMs	Yes
Quick Replies	Yes
Conversation Threading	Yes
Story Mentions	No
Post Comments	No
Voice Messages	Coming soon

Detailed Guide

For complete instructions, see the full Instagram Integration Guide.

Next Steps

• Connect WhatsApp - Add WhatsApp messaging
• Connect Messenger - Add Facebook Messenger
• Enable Human Support - Add live agent handoff