Short answer: Go to Learning → Add additional channels and click Instagram if your Instagram account is linked to a Facebook page. Click Instagram (organic) only if it is not. You can connect one Instagram account per brand, and only one of the two types.
Before you start
You need an Instagram professional account (Business or Creator).
Only the account owner can connect channels. Team members can’t.
For Instagram: the Instagram account must be linked to a Facebook page that you manage as an admin.
For Instagram (organic): no Facebook page is needed. You log in with Instagram directly.
Which connection should I choose?
replient.ai offers two ways to connect Instagram:
Instagram (via Facebook login) | Instagram (organic) (Instagram login) | |
Needs a linked Facebook page | Yes | No |
Comments on your organic posts | Yes | Yes |
Comments on your ads | Yes | No |
Like comments | Yes | No |
Reply, hide and delete comments | Yes | Yes |
💡 Tip: If your Instagram account is linked to a Facebook page, always choose Instagram. It covers organic posts and ads. Direct messages work with both connection types. For Instagram direct messages, set up Conversation Routing as well: How do I set up Conversation Routing for Instagram?
Step 1: Open the channel list
In the sidebar, click Learning (1). Your connected channels are listed under Connected social media accounts (2). Click Add additional channels (3).
Step 2: Choose Instagram or Instagram (organic)
Click Instagram (2) or Instagram (organic) (3). Tiles with a green check are already connected. Facebook (1) is covered in How do I connect a Facebook page?.
Step 3: Authorize and pick your account
Option A: Instagram (via Facebook)
If you haven’t connected Facebook yet, the Authorize Meta dialog opens. Tick the checkbox for the terms and click Authorize. If you connected Facebook before, replient.ai skips this step.
Log in to Facebook with the profile that manages your page. When Facebook asks which pages and Instagram accounts to allow, choose all current and future pages and Instagram accounts. You can pick the one to connect afterwards.
Back in replient.ai, the dialog Choose from your authorized accounts opens. Open the dropdown Page name, select your Instagram account and click Connect now.
Option B: Instagram (organic)
The Authorize Instagram dialog opens. Tick the checkbox (1) and click Authorize (2).
Log in with your Instagram account and allow access.
Back in replient.ai, select your account in the dropdown Page name and click Connect now.
Step 4: Wait for the first import
A message shows Connecting channel… and then Channel connected successfully. Your account appears under Connected social media accounts. The badge shows Learning in progress while replient.ai imports your existing comments, then Active.
My Instagram account is not listed
No professional account: switch the Instagram account to a Business or Creator account in the Instagram app.
Not linked to a Facebook page (option A only): link your Instagram account to your Facebook page in Meta’s settings. If there is no Facebook page, use Instagram (organic) instead.
Not all access granted: in the dialog, click Reconnect Facebook, log in again and select all pages and Instagram accounts. replient.ai shows a warning when too little access was granted.
Facebook page is already connected to this brand: only the Instagram account linked to that page is offered.
Already connected elsewhere: an account that is already connected to another brand shows the message “You cannot add this page, because its already connected within replient.” Ask your team who has access, or remove it from the other brand first.
Dialog open too long: if you see “This channel selection expired or is invalid”, start again with Step 2. The selection is valid for 10 minutes.
Switch from one connection type to the other
A brand can have only one Instagram account. If one type is connected, the other tile is blocked:
Click Instagram (organic) while Instagram is connected and replient.ai tells you that Instagram is already connected. Nothing to do.
Click Instagram while Instagram (organic) is connected and you see “Only one Instagram account can be connected per brand.”
To switch, remove the connected Instagram channel first (Learning → three dots → Delete), then connect the other type. Details are in My channel was disconnected – how do I reconnect or remove it?.
⚠️ Important: Deleting a channel permanently deletes its comments and the AI learning built from them. Your analytics for that channel change as well. Switching the type means starting that channel from scratch.
Good to know
If a connected Instagram account shows Inactive, see My channel was disconnected – how do I reconnect or remove it?.
Instagram direct messages not arriving? See Why are my Instagram DMs not showing in replient.ai?.