Summary
Manage your Instagram Direct Messages (DMs) from the Wati Team Inbox. This guide explains how to find and reply to Instagram DMs, understand reply windows and chat statuses, view customer information, and handle conversations after they expire.
Instructions
Find your Instagram DMs
Go to Team Inbox from the top navigation.
Select the Instagram tab on the left.
Open Direct Messages.
If you have multiple Instagram accounts connected, use the account filter to view conversations for a specific account.
Each conversation shows which connected Instagram account it belongs to.
Reply to an Instagram DM
Open the conversation.
Enter your message in the message box.
Send the message.
Messages sent from Wati are sent as private Instagram DMs, just like replies sent from the Instagram app.
Your replies also appear in the Instagram app and Meta Business Suite. Delivery and read status are shown using double ticks and blue ticks.
Note: Instagram limits how long you can reply after a customer's last message. The available reply window depends on whether the reply is sent by an automated system or a human operator.
Understand Instagram reply windows
The reply window starts from the customer's most recent message. The available window depends on how the reply is sent:
Reply sent by | Reply window |
Automated reply, such as a rule or chatbot | 24 hours |
Human operator | 7 days |
You have 24 hours to reply after the customer’s last message. After this, the chat expires, and you can no longer reply from Wati.
You have an extended 7-day window to reply after the customer’s last message. This allows more time to resolve customer queries.
When the reply window expires, you cannot send another message from Wati until the customer messages you again.
Each new customer message starts a new reply window.
View customer information
Instagram's API provides basic profile information for contacts:
Username
Name
Profile picture
This information comes from Instagram and cannot be edited in Wati.
For other information, such as a phone number, order reference, or customer segment, you can store the data as a contact attribute in Wati.
Start a DM from an Instagram comment
You can start a private conversation with someone who commented on one of your Instagram posts without waiting for them to send you a DM.
For more information, see our guide view and reply to Instagram comments in Wati.
Understand who can start an Instagram conversation
Instagram conversations can be initiated through several customer interactions, including:
Sending a DM
Commenting on one of your posts
Replying to or reacting to a story
Tapping a Click-to-Instagram ad
These interactions provide a route for you to reply to the customer.
Unlike WhatsApp, Instagram does not have an equivalent of a WhatsApp template that lets you start a conversation with a customer who has not interacted with you.
This makes it useful to collect other contact details, such as a WhatsApp number, while the Instagram conversation is active.
Understand Instagram chat statuses
Status | Meaning |
Open | The conversation is active and supports two-way messaging. New customer-initiated conversations start with this status. |
Pending | You have replied and are waiting for the customer to respond. |
Expired | The reply window has closed. You cannot send messages until the customer messages again. |
Solved | The conversation has been resolved. You can reopen it while the reply window is still active. If the window has expired, you must wait for the customer to message again. |
Blocked | The conversation has been marked as spam or blocked. No further messages can be sent in either direction. |
What to do when a chat expires
Once an Instagram chat expires, you cannot send another message until the customer messages you again.
If you collected the customer's WhatsApp number while the Instagram conversation was active, you can follow up with them on WhatsApp instead.
To reduce the number of expired conversations:
Respond to new messages as quickly as possible.
Make sure your welcome and out-of-office rules are enabled so customers receive a response when operators are unavailable.
Collect useful contact information, such as a WhatsApp number, while the Instagram conversation is active.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Instagram DMs
1. How do I find and reply to Instagram DMs in Wati?
Go to Team Inbox, select the Instagram tab, and open Direct Messages. Open a conversation, enter your message in the message box, and send it. If you have multiple Instagram accounts connected, use the account filter to view conversations for a specific account.
2. How long can I reply to an Instagram DM?
An automated reply, such as a rule or chatbot, can be sent for up to 24 hours after the customer's last message. A human operator can reply for up to 7 days after the customer's last message. Each new customer message starts a new reply window.
3. What happens when an Instagram chat expires?
When the reply window expires, you cannot send another message from Wati until the customer messages you again. If you collected the customer's WhatsApp number while the Instagram conversation was active, you can follow up with them on WhatsApp instead.
4. What customer information is available for Instagram contacts in Wati?
Instagram provides the customer's username, name, and profile picture. This information comes from Instagram and cannot be edited in Wati. You can store additional information, such as a phone number, order reference, or customer segment, as a contact attribute in Wati.
5. What do the different Instagram chat statuses mean?
Open: The conversation is active and supports two-way messaging.
Pending: You have replied and are waiting for the customer to respond.
Expired: The reply window has closed, so you cannot send messages until the customer messages again.
Solved: The conversation has been resolved. You can reopen it while the reply window is active.
Blocked: The conversation has been marked as spam or blocked, and no further messages can be sent in either direction.