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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.asistian.com/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

Asistian connects to Instagram through the Meta Messaging API, giving you full access to Instagram Direct Messages inside your unified inbox. When a customer sends you a DM — whether they typed it directly, replied to a story, or messaged from a post — it routes instantly to Asistian. Your team and AI assistants can see every conversation in one place and respond without opening the Instagram app.

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Overview

Instagram Direct Messages are a high-intent channel: people who reach out via DM are often ready to buy, book, or ask a specific question. Asistian captures every incoming DM and surfaces it alongside your WhatsApp and Facebook conversations so nothing slips through. AI assistants can respond around the clock, and your team can jump in whenever a conversation needs a human touch.

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Prerequisites

Before connecting Instagram, make sure you have:
  • An Instagram Business account or Instagram Creator account (personal accounts are not supported by the Meta API)
  • The Instagram account linked to a Facebook Page that you manage — this linkage is required by Meta to grant API access
  • Admin access to the Facebook Page connected to your Instagram account
If your Instagram account is not yet linked to a Facebook Page, go to your Instagram profile settings and connect it under Account → Linked accounts → Facebook. You must be an admin of the Facebook Page.

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Connect Instagram to Asistian

1

Open channel settings

In your Asistian dashboard, navigate to Settings → Channels, then click Add channel and select Instagram.
2

Sign in with Meta

Click Connect with Meta. A Meta login window opens. Sign in with the Facebook account that manages the Page linked to your Instagram account.
3

Select your Facebook Page

Choose the Facebook Page that is connected to your Instagram Business or Creator account. Asistian uses this Page to establish the Instagram API connection.
4

Authorize Instagram permissions

Review the permissions Asistian needs — including access to Instagram Direct Messages — and click Confirm to grant them.
5

Configure your inbox

Give your Instagram channel a name, assign it to an inbox, and optionally select an AI assistant to handle incoming DMs automatically. Click Save to finish.
Your Instagram account is now connected. New Direct Messages appear in your unified inbox alongside conversations from all your other channels.

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Data Asistian receives from Instagram

When a customer messages your Instagram account, Asistian receives the following information:
  • Username — the customer’s Instagram handle
  • Profile picture — the customer’s current Instagram profile photo
  • Message content — the full text of each message
  • Media attachments — images, videos, and other media files the customer sends
  • Message timestamps — when each message was sent
This information is stored securely and used to power conversation history, AI responses, and your CRM contact records.

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How conversations appear in the unified inbox

Each Instagram conversation appears as a thread in your Asistian inbox, labeled with the Instagram channel name you configured. You can see the customer’s username and profile picture at a glance. Conversations are ordered by most recent activity alongside your WhatsApp and Facebook threads, so you can manage all channels without switching context. You can assign conversations to team members, add internal notes, apply labels, and let your AI assistant handle initial responses — all from the same interface.
Asistian captures DMs that come from replies to your posts and stories, not just direct-message conversations. If you regularly post content that prompts engagement, make sure an AI assistant is configured for your Instagram inbox so replies are handled instantly, even outside business hours.