Connect an Instagram Business Account to respond.io to message customers directly from your Inbox. This guide walks through preparing your Instagram account, connecting it to respond.io, and configuring your Channel Name and chat link. Once connected, capture conversations through chat links, QR codes, widgets and ads.
Before you begin
Prepare your Instagram account before connecting it to respond.io:
Create an Instagram account or use an existing one.
Follow this guide to switch your Instagram account to a Business account.
Follow this guide to allow access to messages.
How to connect an Instagram Business Account
Connect respond.io to an Instagram Business account to chat with your customers over Instagram.
Go to Settings > Channels.
Click Add Channel > Instagram > Connect.
Click Connect With Instagram.
Sign in using your business Instagram account.
When the authorization dialog appears, click Allow.
After the Channel connects, scan the QR code to send a test message and confirm everything works.
How to configure your Instagram Channel
The Instagram Configuration page is where you change your Channel Name and get your chat link.
Go to Settings > Channels.
Locate the Instagram Channel and click Manage.
On the Instagram Configuration page, review these settings:
Chat Link — A click-to-chat link is a shortened URL that directs customers to start or continue a conversation with your Instagram account. Share this link to refer customers to a new or existing thread, based on whether the user has previously messaged your Instagram account. You can also generate a QR code to share the chat link with your Contacts.
Channel Name — The Channel Name is used internally to identify the Channel and can be changed.
Click Save Changes.
FAQ and troubleshooting
Why am I getting a 400 invalid session error when connecting my Instagram Business account?
This can happen when you log in with your Instagram Business username instead of your email address.
What to do
Log in with the email address linked to your Instagram Business account instead of your username.
Make sure that email is verified in your Instagram profile settings.
Why can’t I see my Instagram Business account listed in the dropdown?
If you cannot find the Instagram Business account while connecting it to the respond.io platform, try refreshing the list first. If that doesn't work, make sure you have prepared your Instagram Business account.
Why can’t I receive inbound messages?
This can happen when a user connected to Instagram changes their Facebook password, leaving the permission outdated. Refresh the Channel to fix it.
Set respond.io as the Primary Receiver for Handover Protocol on the Facebook Page: Settings > Advanced Messaging > Handover Protocol > Instagram receiver.
In the mobile app, enable Allow access to message: Settings > Message and story replies > Message controls.
Click Refresh Permission.
Send a test message to an Instagram Contact to confirm it arrives.
Why did I receive the error "The action is invalid since it’s not the thread owner" when trying to send an outbound message from the respond.io Inbox module?
This error is triggered by specific restrictions associated with the "human_agent" tag within the Inbox module, intended to extend the messaging window from 24 hours to 7 days for increased communication flexibility.
However, automated messages, including workflow messages, bot-generated responses, and echoes, are not permitted by the Channel after this period if they are not sent by a human agent.
Meta's guidelines restrict the use of the "human_agent" tag for these automated messages or for Content unrelated to user inquiry. If you encounter the error, it signifies that an outbound message from a workflow attempted to use the "human_agent" tag in a manner that conflicts with these guidelines.
Why did I encounter the error "Error validating access token: The session has been invalidated because the user changed their password or Facebook has changed the session for security reasons" when trying to send a message?
This error occurs if you recently updated your Facebook credentials. The change can disrupt the Channel connection on the platform, leading to errors when sending messages.
To resolve this issue, refresh the Channel permissions on the platform using your updated Facebook credentials. This process requires an Admin role. Refreshing the permissions re-establishes the connection with the new credentials, ensuring your outbound messages are sent successfully without errors.
Why does Instagram on iPhone prompt users to download WhatsApp when clicking a wa.me link?
iPhone users may see a prompt to download WhatsApp when clicking wa.me links in Instagram profiles, even if the app is already installed. This is a META (Instagram) issue.
Workaround: Use a short linker like Linktree or Switchy. Place the wa.me link within the short linker, which helps bypass the redirection problem experienced on Instagram.
Why did my outbound message fail with an "Invalid message id" error?
This error usually means Meta has applied a restriction to your Instagram Business Account. See why your Instagram Business Account may be unable to send or receive direct messages for the error messages to look for and how to request a review.
