In this article, you will find a step-by-step guide on how to connect Instagram to ChatPlace and learn how to avoid and solve possible issues.

The article content:

I. Instagram account setup before connecting.

II. Connecting Instagram account to ChatPlace.

III. Updating permissions.

IV. Solving possible issues and errors.

The automation and chatbot service ChatPlace is approved by Meta and operates via the official Facebook API. Connection of an Instagram account is carried out exclusively through the Facebook platform: ChatPlace does not store or request personal data.

Therefore, you can be sure your Instagram account does not get blocked, and no other restrictions are applied for using ChatPlace. ChatPlace complies with all the rules and restraints of Instagram and Facebook, so you can use all the functionality of our service without fearing for the safety of your account.

1.1 Check if your Instagram account is ready for connection

In order for your Instagram account to successfully connect to ChatPlace and for all the automations to work, make sure your account is set up properly.

1.1.1 Set your account to Business or Creator mode

*If you already have a Business account, "Business tools and controls" will be shown on the "Settings and privacy" tab, which means there is no need for you to change your account type for connection with ChatPlace.

1.1.2 Your Instagram Business account must be linked to Facebook

*Please note the account must not be linked to a personal Facebook profile, but to a business page created on Facebook.

*If not, connect one following Instagram's prompts. In case you have no Facebook business page, you should create one and connect it to the Instagram business account (check Step 1.2.1 for details). When verifying via Facebook, the linked account should look like this:

*In case there is a blue button "Review connection" next to the account, the connection with the account is not confirmed, and you need to click on this button and log in to your Instagram account again to complete the connection. When this button disappears, the connection between the page and the account is confirmed, and you can connect this account to ChatPlace.

1.1.3 Allow access to messages

If actions described in Steps 1.1.1 - 1.1.3 are completed, you can proceed to Section II. Connecting Instagram account to ChatPlace.

1.2 Your Facebook page must be linked to Instagram Business account

An Instagram business account should be linked to a Facebook page, not just your personal Facebook profile. If you already have a Facebook page created, or you have been given admin access to manage some page, check if your Instagram account is linked to that page.

If you do not have a Facebook page — create one using a desktop since the mobile version of Facebook and its app are minimal, stripped-down versions of the service available on the platform’s website (check Step 1.2.1 for details).

Go to Facebook and click on your profile in the upper right corner of the screen:

In the list of profiles, select the desired Facebook page and switch to it:

Click on this page profile again in the top left corner of the screen and select "Settings & privacy" in the menu that opens up to the right:

Choose the "Settings" option:

Find the "Linked Accounts" option and click on it:

Choose "Instagram" and click "Connect account"

*Better log in to your Instagram account in advance in your browser and save your login details (make sure your device is considered a ‘trusted one’). It will reduce the likelihood of errors when connecting the account.

Be sure to check that access to Instagram messages is allowed and click "Confirm"

If everything goes smoothly, you will see this notification:

Your linked account should look like this:

*In case there is a blue button "Review connection" next to the account, the connection with the account is not confirmed, and you need to click on this button and log in to your Instagram account again to complete the connection. When this button disappears, the connection between the page and the account is confirmed, and you can connect this account to ChatPlace.

1.2.1 Create a Facebook page

*If you did not have a Facebook account before or for some reason had to create a new one, you better ‘warm up’ this new account for a few days first — this helps to avoid possible issues with connection to ChatPlace.

Fill out your profile, set up a photo, add a few friends, and send a couple of messages. After that, spend 1-2 days without touching your account. Then, you can start creating a page. Follow the steps below, and after creating one, leave it as it is for a few days (1-2 days). After that, you can go back to Step 1.2 and finish setting up the page.

If you already have a running Facebook account, you can start creating a Facebook page — find the "Pages" section on the left side of the Facebook home page. If it is not there, click "Show more" and find the desired section:

Start creating the page. To avoid possible issues and restrictions from Facebook, customize the page, fill in as many fields as possible, add contact information, and upload a profile picture.

When the page is created, proceed to the settings of this page to link an Instagram business account to it:

Return to Step 1.2 and link your Instagram business account to the page you just created.

To connect your account to ChatPlace, choose the "Automation" section, find the "Accounts" option, and click on a "+" button:

Choose "Instagram" from the list of available platforms:

Check the parameters of your account described in paragraph 1.1, and click "Continue" if all is set.

By clicking on the button "Continue with Facebook", you leave our service and proceed to Facebook. Choose the correct Instagram business account associated with a particular Facebook page and provide permissions to our application.

*To avoid possible issues with Facebook, do not perform authorization from a new device or through a new application that has not been authorized before. To prevent Facebook from perceiving these actions as suspicious activities, we recommend you log in to your Facebook account beforehand and save your login details in your browser (make sure your device is considered a ‘trusted one’).

Allow access: click "Continue as..." You will see this page in the language set in your Facebook settings: in this case, the account owner's language is English. If yours is in Spanish - it will be in Spanish, if in Russian - it will be in Russian. In any case - befriend the Google Translator (it will help).

Connect your Instagram. Click "Connect".

Done! Click "Create Automation" and go to your profile in ChatPlace.

Choose the plan

Congratulations, you are ready to launch your first automation!

Connecting another account or connecting an account previously deleted from ChatPlace

If you have previously connected an Instagram account to ChatPlace, or if you have made any changes to your Instagram or Facebook accounts, and, when you establish a connection with ChatPlace, you cannot see any accounts to connect - you need to make sure that all accounts and pages related to our application are selected in Facebook itself.

Go to the Facebook Integrations Settings via link: ​https://www.facebook.com/settings/?tab=business_tools

Find our application and click: View and edit.

Find and enable the option “Show a list of Pages you manage”

If the selection of pages and accounts appears - select all of them. If it does not appear, then all accounts are already selected, the main thing is to activate this option. Do not forget to click “Save”.

Go to ChatPlace again: start connecting your account as shown above. If the account itself is fully set up - you will immediately see a selection of accounts available for connection.

2.2 Connecting one or more additional Instagram accounts to ChatPlace.

Repeat all preliminary steps to prepare a new account for integration with ChatPlace: switch to a business account, connect it to a Facebook page, set permissions for message exchange between Instagram and Facebook via the Instagram mobile app (steps 1.1 - 1.3).

inside the ChatPlace account click on the "+" icon next to the already integrated account's avatar.

If you have the "Pro" plan, not "Unlimited" - activating a slot will change the plan's cost. On the Pro-plan the cost of subscription depends on the amount of connected accounts.

Connecting a new account is done by changing settings: click “Continue” then on “Click here to access the list of your business integrations on Facebook”

Click “View and edit”

Check that our application (ChatPlace) has all permissions granted, and click "Save".

Go back to ChatPlace and complete the connection of the additional account: select a new Instagram account to be used within this project and click "Connect".

You will be asked to log in into the account you are connecting:

Done! You have connected an additional account to ChatPlace and can use it.

Facebook may break the integration connection in case changes are made to the Instagram account or Facebook Page settings.

If you change your Instagram or Facebook login, password, or username, Facebook may require you to confirm the linking of your Instagram account and Facebook page again.

If you change your Instagram account type, the connection between your Instagram account and Facebook page breaks automatically.

If you change the Facebook account password, the connection breaks, too.

If there are new restrictions applied to your Facebook advertising or business account, Facebook will not allow you to use the account until the restrictions are lifted.

Facebook might unexpectedly break the integration connection due to internal failures on Facebook's side, along with many others.

When it happens, there will be a red exclamation point next to your account, and no messages will be sent, as well as no automations will be working. In this case, you need to update your permissions:

The permissions update was successful if you see no errors on this page:

If any error appears when updating permissions, it means that the account is not fully configured, check the previous steps of the instructions and try to update permissions again.

If any changes have been made to Instagram or Facebook accounts - it is necessary to check that all accounts and pages are selected in Facebook itself in our application, for this purpose:

Go to the Facebook Integrations Settings via link: ​https://www.facebook.com/settings/?tab=business_tools

Find our application and click: View and edit.

Find and enable the option “Show a list of Pages you manage”

If the selection of pages and accounts appears - select all of them. If it does not appear, then all accounts are already selected, the main thing is to activate this option. Do not forget to click “Save”.



After that, go to ChatPlace and update the permissions again.

4.1 Page not linked to Instagram business account

In this case, there is no confirmed connection between your Instagram account and Facebook page. Check Step 1.3 to confirm the connection with the account.

4.2 Grey "Connected" button

If you see the button "Connected" is gray, it means this account is already connected to another ChatPlace project.

To delete this account from the previous project, log in to the previous project, open its settings, choose the account you need, and click "Delete account".

*This will irrevocably delete the account, including associated customers, automations, growth tools, and chats.

After these actions, the account can be connected to a new ChatPlace project.

4.3 Non-working automations and unsent messages

If you are experiencing problems with message exchange between ChatPlace and Instagram or with other integrations, make sure that ChatPlace is selected as the primary recipient of the transmission protocol in Instagram.

*Please note that this may affect the performance of other integrations, and we do not guarantee the correct operation of the service if you have several integrations.

Go to the settings of the Facebook page that your Instagram business account is associated with, and in the settings of that page, select the "Page Setup" tab

Find and choose the "Advanced Messaging" option, and next to "Recipient in Instagram", click on the "Configure" button.

Choose the ChatPlace app with the number 577123790741386 as the Primary Recipient (of transmission protocol) and click on it:

After that, the automations should start working.