How to auto-DM people who comment on Instagram
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Plans: Free: limited · Pro: included · Scale: included. Free: 2 active automations and 1,500 DMs a month. Pro and Scale: unlimited.
Free: 2 active automations and 1,500 DMs a month. Pro and Scale: unlimited.
Use a Business or Creator account and a tool that works through Instagram’s official API. Choose a keyword, write the DM, and the tool sends it to everyone who comments that word.
Open Automations →What you need
- An Instagram Business or Creator account. Instagram allows automated messages only for these. Switching is free in the Instagram app, under Settings, then Account type and tools.
- A tool that uses Instagram’s official API. You sign in on Instagram’s own page. You never give the tool your password.
- A clear keyword. Pick one word people will type, like GUIDE or PRICE.
The steps, in any tool
- Connect your Instagram account to the tool.
- Choose the posts or reels to watch, or all of them.
- Set the keyword people must comment.
- Write the DM, with the link or answer you promised.
- Optionally, write a short public reply, like “Check your DMs”.
- Switch it on, and tell people in your caption to comment the word.
The rules to know
- One DM per comment. Instagram allows one automated private message per comment. More can follow only after the person replies or taps a button.
- 24 hours. Once the person writes back or taps, you can message them for 24 hours. See What is Instagram’s 24-hour messaging window?
- Never require a follow. Always send what you promised. You may invite people to follow afterwards, but not make it a condition.
- One tool per account. Two tools answering the same comment race each other, and some people get nothing.
How to do it in Replavia
- Create a free account at app.replavia.com and confirm your email.
- Go to Accounts and click Connect Instagram. See How to connect your Instagram account.
- Go to Automations and click New automation.
- Under Select a trigger, choose User comments on your post or reel. Under Which posts?, pick every post and reel, or only some.
- Under Set up keywords, type your word. Choose Contains keyword or Exact match, or tick Any keyword to answer every comment.
- Under Public comment replies, write the reply people see. Add a few versions so they do not all look the same.
- Under Response flow (DM), write your DM. Add your link with Send a link button.
- Optionally, add Invite them to follow. It is sent after the content, never instead of it.
- Click Save & activate.
For full details, see How to create an automation.
Test it
Comment your keyword from a different Instagram account, not the one you connected. The reply comes a few seconds later, not at once. Replavia waits a short, random time on purpose, so it reads like a person.
Good to know
- Turn on Use a tappable button if you want to send more than one message. The tap opens the 24-hour window.
- Each comment is answered once. Replavia also paces sending per account, so a viral post does not flood Instagram.
- The Free plan includes 1 Instagram account and 2 automations. See The Free plan.