# How do I stop automations for a specific person?

Guide: https://instantdm.com/how-to/exclude-someone-from-automation  
Section: Contacts and results  
Works on: Web app, iPhone app, Android app  
Plan: Legend Pro and above  
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:** Add the person to Whitelist Contacts in Account Settings, on the Automation tab, or click Exclude from automation on their contact in Contacts. Whitelisted people get no automations at all: no DMs, no public replies, no flows and no follow-ups.

"Whitelist" here means the opposite of what it sounds like: people on this list are **skipped** by every automation.

## Steps

**Option A: by username, in Settings**

1. Click **Account Settings** in the sidebar.
2. Open the **Automation** tab.
3. Find **Whitelist Contacts**.
4. Type the person's username in "Enter username" (without the @) and click **Add**.
5. Click **Save** at the top of Settings.

**Option B: from Contacts**

1. Click **Contacts** in the sidebar and find the person.
2. Click the stop icon on their row, or click their name and then **Exclude from automation**.
3. Confirm "Skip all automation for this contact?". A message confirms the contact is excluded.

Option B adds them to the same **Whitelist Contacts** list, using their account number instead of their username.

## On the phone app

Tap your profile photo, then **Settings** → **Automation**. Under **Whitelist Contacts**, type the username, tap **Add**, then tap **Save Changes**.

## What the person sees

Nothing from your automations. They can still comment and message you, and you can reply to them yourself in Instagram or Facebook.

## Good to know

- It stops everything for that person: comment replies, DMs, story replies, DM keywords, flows, AI replies and pending follow-up messages.
- The setting is per InstantDM account. If you manage several accounts, add the person on each one.
- A username entry stops matching if the person changes their username. Entries added from **Contacts** use their account number, which doesn't change.
- On **Contacts**, the exclude button is hidden when you filter by a flow that has no AI step. Clear the filter to see it.
- The button's tooltip mentions "Safety settings". The list is actually on the **Automation** tab.

## How to turn it off

Open **Account Settings** → **Automation** → **Whitelist Contacts**, click the × on the entry, then click **Save**. Entries added from Contacts show as a number, for example "@1784…".

## Other ways to quiet the bot

- Stop only the AI for one person: [How do I take over a chat from the AI?](https://instantdm.com/how-to/take-over-from-ai.md)
- Stop automations while you're chatting with someone: [How do I stop automations from interrupting when I'm chatting?](https://instantdm.com/how-to/stop-automation-while-chatting.md)

## Questions people also ask

**Does whitelisting stop only flows and AI?**

No. The settings text mentions Flow, Lead-gen and AI, but a whitelisted person gets no automation of any kind, including comment replies and Send Link DMs.

**How do I undo an exclusion I made from Contacts?**

Open Account Settings, go to the Automation tab, find Whitelist Contacts and click the × on that entry. Then click Save.

**I only want the AI to stop for this person. What should I use?**

Use Human takeover instead. It silences only AI Reply steps for that person, and your other automations keep running.

## Related guides

- [How do I see, search and export my contacts?](https://instantdm.com/how-to/contacts-page.md)
- [How do I take over a chat from the AI?](https://instantdm.com/how-to/take-over-from-ai.md)
- [How do I stop automations from interrupting when I'm chatting with someone?](https://instantdm.com/how-to/stop-automation-while-chatting.md)
- [What do the switches in Account Settings > Automation do?](https://instantdm.com/how-to/automation-settings.md)