Connect Instagram DM

Set it up

Repli answers Instagram messages from Settings, then Messenger & Instagram (on plans that include messaging apps). Replies your team writes in Conversations go out to Instagram too.

1. Switch your Instagram account to a Professional account (Business or Creator).
2. Link it to a Facebook Page, in the Page's linked accounts.
3. At developers.facebook.com, create an app and add the Messenger and Instagram products. For live use you need Advanced access to instagram_manage_messages, pages_messaging and pages_manage_metadata, which needs Meta's App Review.
4. Collect three values: the numeric Page id, a Page access token for that Page, and the App Secret (App settings, Basic).
5. In Repli, paste them in Settings, Messenger & Instagram, and choose the chatbot. Repli checks the token with Meta and finds the linked Instagram account.
6. Repli shows a webhook address and a verify token. In the Meta app, add them under the Instagram and Page webhooks and subscribe to messages.
7. Send a message to the account from a tester account. The chatbot should answer.

Meta only lets you reply within 24 hours after the customer's last message. Repli answers straight after they write, so this normally does not matter.

How long does Meta's review take?

These are typical figures. Meta gives no promise.

• The review itself: usually 1 to 5 business days per submission.
• The whole process: often 1 to 3 weeks, because first submissions are often sent back and each resubmission restarts the clock.
• Business Verification, which is usually needed first: a few days to 2 weeks.

Prepare a public privacy policy page, your business documents, a screen recording for each permission (a real customer message arriving and the chatbot answering), test access for the reviewer, and a plain explanation of why you need each permission.

You may not need review for testing or for your own business. While the app is in development mode, people with a role on the app can message the chatbot. The same applies when the Page and the Instagram account belong to the business that owns the app. Review is needed when other businesses connect their own Pages.

Other ways to get Instagram messages

• A platform that already has Meta's approval, such as ManyChat, Chatfuel or Respond.io: they handle the Instagram connection, and a step in their flow sends the visitor's message to Repli and shows the answer. Repli's integration API has an "ask" call for this. Chats handled this way do not appear in Repli's Conversations or Customers pages.
• Messaging providers such as Twilio, Bird or Gupshup: Instagram support varies by provider and region, so check before you rely on it.
• Inbox tools such as Chatwoot, Zendesk, Intercom or Kommo: whether they need your own Meta app depends on the tool, so they may not remove the review.

A good plan is to start Meta's review now and use the platform route in the meantime.