Instagram DM
The Instagram DM inbox brings direct messages sent to your Instagram account into Teloring. Each Instagram conversation becomes a conversation in the shared inbox, and agents reply as your Instagram account — from the same place they handle every other channel.
Instagram DM is one of the four Meta inboxes. It uses the Facebook Page that your Instagram account is linked to. For comments on your Instagram posts, use Instagram Posts.
Prerequisites
| You need | Why |
|---|---|
| Inbox permission | Connecting a Meta inbox needs My Ring → Create. See Roles and Permissions. |
| A Facebook Page you admin | Instagram connects through its linked Facebook Page. |
| An Instagram Business or Creator account linked to that Page | Instagram data only appears when the account is a linked business/creator account. |
| A Facebook login | You authorize Teloring during setup. |
Connect the Instagram DM inbox
Open My Ring, click the Instagram DM icon, and choose Add. The Meta setup opens with a three-step bar: Connect → Select Pages → Done.
- Connect — click Continue with Facebook, sign in, and grant the requested permissions. The connection never expires.
- Select Your Pages — choose the Facebook Page whose linked Instagram account you want. For Instagram inboxes, the card shows a rich Instagram profile — profile picture, name,
@username, bio, and Followers / Following / Posts stats — so you can confirm it's the right account. The chip confirms you're connecting the Instagram DM inbox. - Done — Pages Connected! confirms it's live. Click Go to My Ring.
What it handles
- Private Instagram Direct messages to your linked account.
- Incoming: text and attachments (image, video, audio, file).
- Story replies: when someone replies to your story, Teloring saves the story image (Instagram's own link expires quickly) and shows it as context on the conversation.
- Read receipts: outgoing messages show when they're read.
- Replies: send text or a single attachment.
The 24-hour messaging window
Instagram, like Messenger, only lets you send free-form replies within 24 hours of the customer's last message, extendable to 7 days by a human agent for follow-up. After that, you cannot message the person until they message you again.
The edit page
Same layout as the other Meta inboxes, with Instagram extras:
| Element | What it shows / does |
|---|---|
| Profile header | The Page name and status, plus an Instagram line (📸 @username). |
| Instagram profile card | Profile picture, @username, bio, and Followers / Following / Posts, with a Refresh Instagram Profile button. |
| Inbox Type | Instagram DM. |
| Channel Name | Editable. |
| Connection info / Token Health | Business Portfolio — never expires. |
| Reconnect / Disconnect / Danger Zone | Manage or remove the inbox; conversations are kept. |
How Instagram DMs become conversations
- Someone sends your account a direct message.
- Teloring matches them to a contact or creates one.
- It opens or reuses their conversation on this inbox and stores the message, media, and any story context.
- Real-time updates, Studio triggers, and AI Copilot fire.
Agents reply as your Instagram account from Conversations.