# How do I make InstantDM answer comments it missed on a post?

Guide: https://instantdm.com/how-to/rerun-missed-comments  
Section: Fix a problem  
Works on: Web app, iPhone app, Android app  
Plan: Trendsetter 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:** Open the post in InstantDM and click Re-run missed comments, then Continue. InstantDM reads the post's comments in batches of 50 and runs your automation for the ones it never handled, skipping comments already answered. It works on Trendsetter and above (not during the free first week), on one specific post or Reel at a time.

## Before you start

- You need **Trendsetter, Trendsetter Pro or a Multi plan**. The button shows on every plan, but other plans get "Re-running a post is available on Trendsetter and above" after clicking. The free first week doesn't include it either.
- It works on one **specific post or Reel**. It doesn't work on stories, Live, **All posts** or **Next post** automations.
- The post needs an active automation. Set it up first if it says **No automation configured**.
- Instagram allows a private reply only within **7 days** of a comment. Older comments will fail.

## Steps

1. Open **Quick Automation**, click the **Instagram** tab (or **Facebook**), choose **Posts** and click the post.
2. Next to the heading "Post Automations", click **Re-run missed comments**.
3. Read the window "Re-run missed comments on this post?" and click **Continue**.
4. A progress panel opens. It loads comments 50 at a time and shows each one as **Waiting**, **Processing**, **Queued**, **Already done** or **Failed**, with totals at the top.
5. Leave it running until it finishes, then click **Close**. To end early, click **Stop**.
   - If you close the panel while it runs, you'll see "Stopping after the current comment…" and it stops too.
6. Check the result later in the post's **All Comments** tab, and look in **Automation Recovery** → **Missed & Failed** for any that Instagram refused.

## On the phone app

Home → **Instagram** → **Posts** → tap the post → **Re-run missed comments** → confirm. The app shows the same counters (Queued, Already done, Failed) and a **Stop** button. It works on posts and Reels only.

## What your followers see

People whose comments were missed get the same DM and public reply as everyone else, just later.

## Good to know

- Skipped automatically: comments already handled, your own account's replies, and replies inside comment threads.
- Re-run looks back at comments already on the post. To catch new comments Instagram doesn't report, use **Comment Pooling** in Automation Recovery (also Trendsetter and above). See [when a post goes viral](https://instantdm.com/how-to/post-going-viral.md).
- Each comment a re-run queues is remembered for 7 days, so running it twice should not DM the same comment twice.
- Comments older than 7 days are tried but Instagram refuses them. They then appear in Missed & Failed and can't be resent.

## What you can't do

- Re-run stories, Live videos, all-posts or next-post automations ("Re-run is only available on a specific post or reel").
- Answer comments older than 7 days.
- Use Re-run on Free or Legend Pro, including during the first-week trial.

## If it doesn't work

- **"Re-running a post is available on Trendsetter and above"**: upgrade in **My Plan** to use it.
- **"You are out of credits — top up and try again"**: you have no credits left. Upgrade or renew, then try again.
- **"Rate limited by Instagram/Facebook — try again in 30–60 minutes"**: Instagram is limiting requests. Wait and run it again.
- The button is greyed out: a re-run is already running on this post (wait for it to finish, then click **Close**), or you are a team member without permission to edit automations.

## Questions people also ask

**Will people who already got my DM get it again?**

Re-run skips comments that were already handled, so people should not get a second DM. Comments a re-run already queued are also remembered for 7 days.

**Can it answer people who commented before I set up the automation?**

Yes, if the comment is less than 7 days old. Comments tagged No automation configured can be re-run once you set up the automation.

**Why does it say Re-running a post is available on Trendsetter and above?**

Re-run is a Trendsetter feature, checked by InstantDM's servers. The button shows on every plan, but it only works on Trendsetter, Trendsetter Pro and the Multi plans. The free first week does not include it.

**Does Re-run use credits?**

Each DM it sends counts like any other DM. You need at least 1 credit to start.

## Related guides

- [What should I do when a post goes viral?](https://instantdm.com/how-to/post-going-viral.md)
- [How do I resend DMs that failed or were missed?](https://instantdm.com/how-to/resend-missed-dms.md)
- [Why didn't my automation send a DM?](https://instantdm.com/how-to/automation-not-sending.md)
- [What InstantDM plan should I choose?](https://instantdm.com/how-to/which-plan-do-i-need.md)