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Connect Instagram

BABAV replies to your Instagram DMs and comments, and posts for you.

10minutes
10steps
8fixes
Before you start4 things to have readyConnect it10 steps, about 10 minutes the first timeSettings2 to know aboutDid it work?3 signs you’re liveFix a problem8 messages, each with the fix

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Still stuck?

Email support@babav.co and say which step you are on. A person answers.

Before you start

  1. An Instagram professional account (a Business or Creator account). A personal account will not work.
    • To check: open Instagram and go to your profile. If you see Professional dashboard, you are set.
    • To switch: profile → ☰ menu → Settings and activity → under For professionals, tap Account type and tools → Switch to professional account. Pick a category, choose Business or Creator, then tap Next.
    • Good to know: if your account is private, switching makes it public.
  2. A Facebook Page (a business page on Facebook, not your personal profile) linked to that Instagram account.
    • In Instagram: profile → Edit profile → under Public business information, tap Page. If a Page name shows, it is linked.
    • Not linked? Tap Connect or create, log in to Facebook, and pick your Page.
    • No Page yet? Make one for free at facebook.com/pages/create.
  3. Your Facebook login must have access to that Page. Full control is safest.
    • On Facebook, switch into your Page. Go to Settings & privacy → Settings → Page setup → Page access.
    • Your name should be listed under People with Facebook access.
    • Someone else owns the Page? Ask them to give you Facebook access with full control.
  4. Use a normal web browser, like Safari or Chrome.
    • Connecting does not work inside the Instagram, Facebook, TikTok or Gmail apps’ built-in browser.

Connect it

  1. In BABAV, open Connections. Find the Instagram card. Tap Connect →.
  2. Facebook opens. You connect Instagram through Facebook. Check the name shown is you. Wrong person? Log out of facebook.com in this browser and start again.
  3. Facebook asks which Pages BABAV can use. Tick the Page linked to your Instagram. Not sure which one? Tick them all.
  4. Next it asks which Instagram accounts BABAV can use. Tick your Instagram account. This is the step people miss most.
  5. If it asks which businesses to include, tick yours.
  6. Facebook lists what BABAV wants to do. Do not turn any of them off. Tap Continue or Save.
  7. Connected before? Facebook may skip the ticking screens. If you see a link to edit your earlier choices, tap it and check your Page and Instagram are ticked.
  8. Back in BABAV you see Choose your Instagram account. Tap your account, then Connect selected.
  9. You see You’re connected. BABAV takes you back to Connections.
  10. Now do the Instagram setting below. Without it, DMs will not work.

Settings to check in Instagram

Allow access to messages

Instagram keeps this switched off on many accounts. While it is off, BABAV cannot read or send your DMs, even though the card looks connected.

On your phone

  1. Open the Instagram app. Go to your profile.
  2. Tap the ☰ menu (top right).
  3. Tap Messages and story replies.
  4. Tap Message requests. (Some versions say Message controls.)
  5. Under Connected tools, turn on Allow access to messages.

On a computer

  • Meta only shows this setting in the phone app. Use your phone.

Change which Pages or accounts BABAV can use

Facebook only gives BABAV the Pages and Instagram accounts you ticked. If you unticked one, fix it here.

On your phone

  1. Open Facebook. Tap your profile picture.
  2. Tap Settings & privacy, then Settings.
  3. Tap Business integrations. (Some versions put it under Your activity.)
  4. Find BABAV and tap View and edit.
  5. Tick every Page and Instagram account BABAV should use. Tap Save.

On a computer

  1. On facebook.com, click your profile picture.
  2. Click Settings & privacy, then Settings.
  3. Click Business integrations. Find BABAV and click View and edit.
  4. Tick the Pages and accounts BABAV should use. Click Save.
  5. Still missing? Click Remove next to BABAV, then connect again in BABAV and tick everything.

Did it work?

  • The Instagram card shows your @handle.
  • There is no red “Not receiving messages.” box on the card.
  • Best test: from a different Instagram account, send yourself a DM. It shows up in BABAV’s Activity within a few minutes.

Fix a problem

  1. Turn on Allow access to messages in the Instagram app (steps under “Settings to check” above).
  2. Back in BABAV, tap Check again on the Instagram card.
  3. It turns green in about a second. You do not need to reconnect.

  1. Your Instagram may still be a personal account. Switch it to professional (see “Before you start”).
  2. Your Instagram may not be linked to a Facebook Page. Link it: Instagram → Edit profile → Page.
  3. You may have unticked your Instagram account on the Facebook screen. Fix it in Facebook → Settings & privacy → Settings → Business integrations → BABAV → View and edit. Tick your Instagram account and tap Save.
  4. Then tap Connect → in BABAV again.

  1. You may be logged in to the wrong Facebook account. Log out of facebook.com and connect again.
  2. Your Facebook login may not have access to the Page. Check Page access (see “Before you start”).
  3. You may have unticked every Page. Fix it in Business integrations (see “Settings to check”).

  1. One of the switches on Facebook’s screen was turned off.
  2. Tap Disconnect on the Instagram card. Then tap Connect → and leave every switch on.

  1. BABAV’s access to Instagram ran out or was removed.
  2. Tap Reconnect → on the card and sign in again. You do not need to disconnect first.

  1. The “Choose your accounts” screen was left open for more than 10 minutes.
  2. Go back to Connections and tap Connect → again.

  1. Every connection your plan includes is already in use.
  2. Tap Go to Billing and add a connection. The price is prorated to today.
  3. Or disconnect a connection you no longer need, then try again.

  1. You opened BABAV inside another app, like Instagram, Facebook or Gmail. Google and Meta block connecting there.
  2. Tap the ••• menu and choose Open in browser. Or copy app.babav.co/dashboard#connections into Safari or Chrome.
  3. Log in and tap Connect → again.
Something wrong? See the fixes →