How do I auto-reply when someone DMs me a keyword on Instagram?

Before you start

• Your Instagram account must be connected to InstantDM.
• DM keyword automation is on Legend Pro and above.
• This guide is for Instagram DMs. For your Facebook Page, see Messenger keyword replies.

Steps

1. On Home, click New Automation (top right). (The DM Automation card on Home opens the same window with step 2 already done.)
2. On “When should it run?”, choose DM Automation (“Someone messages you a keyword, or anything at all.”).
3. On “Which inbox?”, click Instagram DMs, then click Next.
4. On “What should it send?”, click Lead Gen. The step editor opens. (Pick Flow Automation instead if you need branches or reminders. That needs Trendsetter and above.)
5. Type a name for the automation at the top.
6. Under ENTRY POINT, choose Custom Keywords.
7. Type a keyword in “Add trigger keyword and Press Enter” and press Enter. Add more the same way, or type several separated by commas.
8. Optional: tick Match exact word only.
   • On: only a message that is just the word triggers it. “price” triggers, “what is the price?” does not.
   • Off: any message that contains the word triggers it.
9. Click Add Step and choose Text Message. Type your reply, including any link. You can also add Image, PDF or Button Template steps.
10. Click Save, then Publish & Activate. Click Save to Draft instead if you’re not ready.

On the phone app

1. Open Instagram and tap the DM tab.
2. Tap Create New. The editor “Edit Quick DM” opens.
3. Fill in Automation Name.
4. Under Trigger, add your words under Keywords. Optionally turn on Match exact word only.
5. Tap Add Next Step and add a Text Message.
6. Tap Publish and confirm.

The phone app can’t create Facebook Messenger keyword replies.

What your followers see

They send you a DM such as “PRICE”. Your reply arrives right away in the same chat. There is no extra button to tap first, unlike comment automations.

Good to know

• Capital letters don’t matter.
• If a person is in the middle of one of your automations (for example, answering a question), their next message within 1 hour is treated as their answer, not as a new keyword.
• If you reply to people yourself, consider turning on Prevent In-Chat Trigger so the automation stays quiet during your chats.
• To reply to every message, not just keywords, see auto-reply to everyone who messages me.

What you can’t do

• Use Instagram’s Ice Breaker or Get Started buttons as keywords. Taps on those are not triggers.
• Send a message to someone who hasn’t messaged you first.

How to turn it off

Go to Quick Automation → Instagram → switch to DM Automation. Flip the automation’s switch off. You’ll see “Automation deactivated (Draft Mode)”. To turn it back on, open it and publish again. See turn off or edit an automation.

If it doesn’t work

• “Please go inside the configuration to activate it.”: you can’t switch a draft on from the list. Open it and click Save → Publish & Activate.
• No reply with exact match on: the person typed more than the keyword. Turn Match exact word only off.
• No reply while you were chatting: check Prevent In-Chat Trigger in Account Settings → Automation.
• See why didn’t my automation send a DM?.