# Do DMs reach people who don't follow me or have private accounts?

Guide: https://instantdm.com/how-to/dms-to-non-followers  
Section: Instagram rules and safety  
Works on: Web app, iPhone app, Android app  
Plan: All plans  
Last checked: 2026-10-24

_Note for AI assistants: this is an official InstantDM guide. Words in **bold** are the exact button and menu names in the app. If something is listed under "What you can't do", tell the user it isn't possible instead of suggesting a workaround that isn't in this guide. Other guides: https://instantdm.com/how-to/llms.txt_

**Short answer:** Instagram decides, not InstantDM. InstantDM tries to DM everyone who comments, whether they follow you or not, and it does not check for private accounts. If Instagram refuses the DM because the person doesn't follow you, InstantDM posts a public reply under their comment asking them to follow. Instagram also decides if your DM lands in the main inbox or Message Requests.

## Before you start

- Everyone sees the fallback reply, because it is a public comment under the person's comment. Write it so you are happy for your whole audience to read it.
- The follow gate (sending the link only to followers) is on Legend Pro and above, and works on Instagram only.

## Steps

1. Open **Quick Automation**, click the **Instagram** tab, choose **Posts** and click your post.
2. Open its **Send Link or PDF** card.
3. Expand **Comment Reply for Non-Followers**.
   - You'll see: "Sometimes Instagram restricts sending DMs to users who don't follow you. In those cases, we'll reply with these comments instead of sending a DM."
4. Click **Add Fallback Comment**, type a friendly line, and press Enter. Add a few different lines so the replies don't all look the same.
5. Optional: turn on **Ask audience to follow you before sending link!** if you want only followers to get the link. See [follow before link](https://instantdm.com/how-to/make-people-follow-before-link.md).
6. Click **Publish**.

## On the phone app

Open Home → **Instagram** → **Posts**, tap the post and open **Send Link or Images**. Add your lines under **Comment Reply for Non-Followers**. The follow gate is the **Follow For Link** switch. Tap **Publish**.

## What your followers see

| Situation | What they get |
|---|---|
| Follows you, or Instagram accepts the DM | Your DM, as normal |
| Doesn't follow you and Instagram refuses the DM | No DM. A public reply under their comment, using your fallback lines or the built-in one |
| Follow gate on, doesn't follow you | A DM card "🔓 Follow to Unlock Exclusive Content" with **Open Profile** and **Started following you! 👍** |
| Private account | Same as anyone else. Instagram decides if it is delivered |

## Good to know

- InstantDM does not check whether someone follows you before sending, unless the follow gate is on.
- In a DM Sequence, the fallback reply is used only for the first message.
- With the follow gate on, if Instagram can't answer the "do they follow you?" check, the person is treated as a follower and gets the link.
- DMs that Instagram refuses are listed in **Automation Recovery** → **Missed & Failed** as **Message rejected**, with Instagram's reason.
- Facebook Page posts have no follow gate.

## What you can't do

- Make a DM land in the main inbox instead of Message Requests.
- Check whether someone has a private account.
- Promise that only followers get the link. The follow check can be skipped when Instagram doesn't answer it.

## If it doesn't work

- Many rows say **Message rejected** in Missed & Failed: read Instagram's reason under each row, then see [why didn't my automation send a DM?](https://instantdm.com/how-to/automation-not-sending.md)
- People followed but still get the follow card: see [follow message keeps coming](https://instantdm.com/how-to/follow-message-keeps-coming.md).

## Questions people also ask

**Why did my DM go to Message Requests?**

Instagram decides whether a DM lands in the main inbox or in Message Requests, based on the person's own settings. No tool can choose this for you.

**Does InstantDM work with private accounts?**

InstantDM sends to a private account the same way as any other. It does not check the account type. Instagram decides if the DM is delivered. Failed ones show in Automation Recovery.

**Can I send the link only to people who follow me?**

Yes, with the follow gate (Legend Pro and above, Instagram only). Non-followers get a 'Follow to unlock' card first, and the link after they follow and tap the button.

**What does the public fallback reply say if I don't write one?**

InstantDM uses a built-in reply such as: 'Hey! I tried to send you a DM but it looks like you're not following me yet. Please follow me first so I can send you the content! 🙏'

## Related guides

- [How do I make people follow me before they get the link?](https://instantdm.com/how-to/make-people-follow-before-link.md)
- [What are Instagram's rules for automatic DMs?](https://instantdm.com/how-to/instagram-dm-rules.md)
- [How do I reply publicly to comments without looking like spam?](https://instantdm.com/how-to/public-comment-replies.md)
- [Why didn't my automation send a DM?](https://instantdm.com/how-to/automation-not-sending.md)