How to connect Instagram to reply to comments via Direct
Connect your Instagram professional account so Cognizy can send a Direct message right away to anyone who comments on your posts.
1 min readBasicUpdated on November 12, 2026
Where to find it in Cognizy
Video lesson coming soon. For now, follow the steps below.
When someone comments "I want it" on a post, the sale tends to go cold before anyone replies. With Instagram connected, Cognizy replies on the post, sends the Direct message in seconds, and the AI keeps the conversation going. The first step is connecting your account.
Where to find it in Cognizy
Before you start
- Instagram needs to be a professional account (Business or Creator).
- Only the owner and admins can connect accounts.
- If Instagram is already connected for messages, in Settings › Channels, it will show up here without needing to connect again.
- Takes about 3 minutes.
Step by step
- Step 1:
In the menu, under Promote, click Comment → Direct.
- Step 2:
Without a connected account, the screen shows Connect Instagram to get started. Click Connect Instagram: you'll go to the channels screen.
- Step 3:
Under Connect with 1 click, click Connect with Instagram.
- Step 4:
In the Meta window, log in with your Instagram professional account, keep the messaging and comments permissions turned on, and finish.
- Step 5:
Go back to . The account appears at the top of the screen and the New automation button becomes available.
How to know it worked
The Instagram Comments screen shows the connected account and unlocks the New automation button.
If something goes wrong
It shows "This account isn't receiving comments."
The account was connected only for posting, or it's paused. Click Open channels, activate the account, and add it to the inbox.
I connected it and the screen still asks me to connect.
A permission was unchecked in the Meta window. Connect again and leave all of them turned on.
The window says the account isn't professional.
In the Instagram app, switch to a professional account in the account settings and connect again.
Next step
Create your first comment-to-Direct automation.
Sign in with your Cognizy account to save your progress.
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