Before you start
- A plan with Instagram and Messenger: Growth, Instagram Only or Messenger Only. Both open soon, once Meta's approval is through - until then you can reserve one at no charge on Plan & Billing.
- A Facebook Page for your business, and a Facebook login that's an admin of it. Not an admin? Ask the Page owner to make you one first.
- For Instagram: an Instagram professional (business or creator) account, linked to that Facebook Page.
- Your Frontivo.io role: only owners, co-owners and admins can connect channels.
Connect Facebook Messenger
- 1Click Integrations in the menu, under Setup, then click the Facebook Messenger tile (under Channels).
- 2On its card, click Connect Messenger.
- 3Log in to Facebook. When it asks which Pages to share, tick only this business's Page. Using Instagram too? Tick its Instagram account as well.
- 4Allow the permissions Facebook asks for. You come back to Integrations automatically.
- 5Check the card shows Connected with your Page name, then click Test connection. It should say your AI can answer Messenger chats.
Connect Instagram DMs
Instagram messages reach Frontivo.io through the Facebook Page your Instagram account is linked to, so check the first three steps before you click Connect. Each takes about a minute.
- 1In the Instagram app, check your account is a Professional (business or creator) account.
- 2In Instagram, go to Settings > Messages and story replies > Message controls > Connected tools and turn on Allow access to messages.
- 3On Facebook, open your Page > Settings > Linked accounts > Instagram. If your Instagram account isn't shown there, click Connect account and follow the steps.
- 4In Frontivo.io, open Integrations, click the Instagram DM tile (under Channels), then click Connect Instagram on its card.
- 5Messenger already connected? Instagram usually switches on straight away, with no Facebook login. If Facebook opens instead, log in, choose this business's Page and its Instagram account, and allow the permissions.
- 6Check the card shows Connected with your @username, then click Test connection.
Instagram and Messenger share one Facebook Page connection, but connecting one doesn't switch on the other - each has its own card. In the setup guide you see after signing up, Connect with Facebook switches on both at once.
What your AI answers
- Instagram direct messages and Messenger chats sent to your Page, including voice messages: your AI listens and replies in text.
- Every conversation lands in your Inbox, with the customer's name when Instagram or Facebook shares it.
- Comments on your posts aren't answered by the AI. Reply to those in Instagram or on Facebook.
- Photos sent without any text land in your Inbox under Needs reply, and the customer is told your team will take a look. Your AI can't see photos, so open the photo in Instagram or Messenger to see it.
- Frontivo.io can read and reply to your DMs and Messenger chats, and see your Instagram username and Page name. It can't post, edit or delete anything on your Page or profile, and never sees your password or your personal Facebook messages.
Step in and reply yourself
Open the conversation in your Inbox and click Take over. The AI stops replying to that customer, and your reply reaches them on Instagram or Messenger. Click Hand back to AI when you're done.
Reply from your Frontivo.io Inbox rather than the Instagram or Messenger app. Your AI doesn't see replies sent from those apps, so it would keep answering the customer.
Test it
- 1Click Channel tester in the menu and pick Instagram DM or Messenger at the top. Each appears once that channel is connected.
- 2Write a question the way a customer would, and check the answer.
- 3For a real test, message your Page or Instagram account from a different account, and check the chat appears in your Inbox.
Your AI starts replying to real messages once your email address is confirmed.
Turn it off
Click Disconnect Instagram or Disconnect Messenger on its card. The other one keeps working. When both are off, your Facebook Page is disconnected from Frontivo.io completely.
Troubleshooting
It couldn't find an Instagram account linked to my Page
On Facebook, open your Page > Settings > Linked accounts > Instagram > Connect account, and in Instagram check Allow access to messages is on. Wait a minute, then click Connect Instagram again.
It couldn't find a Facebook Page I manage
Connect again, and when Facebook asks which Pages and Instagram accounts to share, tick your Page. Don't see your Page there? You need to be an admin of it - ask the Page owner to make you one, then try again.
It says none of the Pages I chose match this business
Connect again and choose only this business's Page, or make your business name in Settings > Profile match your Page name.
It says the Page is already connected to another Frontivo.io account
A Facebook Page can only be connected to one Frontivo.io business. Disconnect it in the other account first, or email support@frontivo.io if you no longer have access to that account.
DMs or Messenger chats aren't being answered
Check the card says Connected and click Test connection. For Instagram, check Allow access to messages is on. Your AI only replies once your email address is confirmed, and not in a conversation your team has taken over - open it in your Inbox and click Hand back to AI. If a message wasn't answered for another reason, your notifications (the bell at the top) say why.
The card says Needs attention
Facebook stopped accepting the connection (for example after a password change). Click Reconnect Instagram or Reconnect Messenger and log in to Facebook again.
Test connection says Facebook didn't accept the connection
Click Disconnect Messenger (or Disconnect Instagram), then Connect Messenger (or Connect Instagram) again and allow every permission.
Facebook says the app or a feature isn't available yet
Facebook is still reviewing Frontivo.io's access to Messenger and Instagram. Email support@frontivo.io and we'll tell you as soon as it's ready - nothing is wrong with your Page.
I don't see a Connect button
Only owners, co-owners and admins can connect channels. On Starter, the card shows Upgrade to Growth. On WhatsApp Only, Instagram Only or Messenger Only, it shows Add Instagram Only in Plan & Billing or Add Messenger Only in Plan & Billing until you add that plan too. If the card says Not switched on yet, email us and we'll sort it out.