> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://cntillion.com/docs/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Instagram DM automation with AI > Connect a Business or Creator account so your agent answers Instagram direct messages and comments become Helpdesk tickets. Set it up here. Connect a professional Instagram account and your agent answers the direct messages customers send it. This is Instagram DM automation with AI that signs in with Instagram itself, so you need no Facebook Page, and comments on your posts can become tickets for your team. ![Instagram card on the Channels page asking for a Business or Creator account](https://mintcdn.com/centillion/c2PdnfANmy9VvO1l/images/channels/instagram-01-channel-card.webp?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=c2PdnfANmy9VvO1l\&q=85\&s=dc0bff8269428e5735fd00677b241400) The Instagram card on the Channels page signs in directly with Instagram. ## What it does * Answers direct messages in plain text, within Instagram's 24-hour window after the customer's last message. * Keeps each reply to at most 1,000 bytes, which is not the same as 1,000 characters. * Turns new public comments into Helpdesk tickets, if you switch comment monitoring on. Comments never get an automatic reply. * Reads text only. A message that is only a photo, a voice message or another attachment goes to a person instead of being answered. * Refreshes Instagram's access in the background, and flags the connection when it needs you. ## What you need * Admin rights on the Centillion workspace. * Hobby or above for messaging; Standard or above for Helpdesk. See [plans](https://cntillion.com/docs/workspaces/billing.md). * An Instagram **Business** or **Creator** account with message access turned on. A linked Facebook Page is not required. New to Centillion? Start with [What Centillion is](https://cntillion.com/docs/introduction.md), then [Connecting a channel](https://cntillion.com/docs/channels/overview.md). This page covers what is specific to Instagram. ## Set it up **1. Sign in with Instagram** Open **Channels** in your agent's sidebar and choose **Connect Instagram**. Sign in to the account your customers message. **2. Approve all three permissions** Approve access to your profile, your messages and your comments. All three are needed. Leaving one out stops the connection, with a message saying so. **3. Check the account** Check the username shown in **Channels**. Replies start paused. **4. Turn on replies and test** Turn on **Automatic replies**, send the account a direct message from another Instagram account, and watch **Recent activity**. A personal Instagram account cannot be connected. If you see a message about a professional account, switch the account to Business or Creator in Instagram and try again. ## Use it every day ### The 24-hour window The customer has to message you first, and the agent can only reply within 24 hours of their last message. That is Instagram's rule. Inside the window the agent answers normally. ### Comments on your posts Comment monitoring is off by default, and it is independent of direct messages. Turn it on in the connection's settings and new public comments become Helpdesk tickets, kept with the post they belong to. Public comments never receive an automatic reply. Your team answers them from the ticket. Events that arrive while monitoring is off are discarded. ### When a person takes over When a conversation needs a human, a person takes over from the [helpdesk inbox](https://cntillion.com/docs/helpdesk.md). They can also answer from a [Slack thread](https://cntillion.com/docs/helpdesk.md#answering-a-handoff-from-slack), as long as the Slack workspace is connected to the same agent as the Instagram account. The 24-hour window applies there as well, and so does text only: a reply with a file added in the thread is not sent, and the thread says why. ### If the connection needs attention Instagram access expires, and a permission change on the account can revoke it. Centillion refreshes access in the background. If the connection shows **Needs attention**, reconnect and grant the same permissions again. ## Limits and good to know * **Text only.** Instagram direct replies are plain text. The agent does not read images, voice messages or other attachments that come in, and it cannot send files out. If your team needs to send something, send a link. * **Attachments without words.** A direct message that carries only an attachment is marked for a person and not answered. One with words in it is answered from the words. * **Reply size.** Replies are capped at **1,000 bytes**. Accented letters and emoji each take several bytes, so a reply with emoji in it runs out sooner. * **Comments.** Comment replies are always written by your team, from the ticket. * **Account type.** Only Business and Creator accounts connect. A personal account is refused. ## Questions ### Do I need a Facebook Page to connect Instagram? No. Centillion signs in with Instagram directly. You need a Business or Creator account with message access turned on. ### Can the agent read photos or voice messages? No. It reads the text of a direct message. A message that is only a photo, a voice message or another attachment is marked for a person, and a message with words in it is answered from the words. ### Why was my reply cut short? Instagram replies are capped at 1,000 bytes. Accented letters and emoji take several bytes each, so a reply with them reaches the cap sooner than plain English text would. ### Will the agent answer comments under my posts? No. With comment monitoring on, new public comments become Helpdesk tickets kept with their post, and your team answers them. Comments that arrive while monitoring is off are discarded. ### Why does the connection say Needs attention? Instagram access expires or was revoked by a permission change on the account. Reconnect from **Channels** and grant the same three permissions again. ### Can my team send a file to a customer on Instagram? Not as an attachment. Instagram direct replies here are text only, so send a link. A reply with a file added in a Slack thread is not sent, and the thread says why. ## Try it Connect your Business or Creator account, turn on automatic replies, and send it a direct message from another account. The reply arrives in Instagram and the conversation shows up in the dashboard. > [card] [Start free](https://app.cntillion.com/sign-up?utm_source=docs\&utm_medium=article\&utm_campaign=channels-instagram) > > Start on the Free plan, or take a seven-day trial of a paid plan. Your agent is live on your site in an afternoon. > [card] [Book a demo](https://cal.com/patrick-turricelli-smgfks/15min?utm_source=docs\&utm_medium=article\&utm_campaign=channels-instagram) > > Fifteen minutes with the team, on your own use case. Or ask the assistant on this page. ## Related > [card] [What Centillion is](https://cntillion.com/docs/introduction.md) > > The product in one page: agents, knowledge, channels and the helpdesk. > [card] [Helpdesk](https://cntillion.com/docs/helpdesk.md) > > Where your team answers Instagram conversations and comment tickets. > [card] [Messenger](https://cntillion.com/docs/channels/messenger.md) > > Answer Messenger conversations on your Facebook Pages. This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.