# How do I send a PDF, buttons or product cards in the DM? Guide: https://instantdm.com/how-to/send-pdf-buttons-or-products Section: Auto-DM people who comment 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:** In the comment automation editor, go to Send a DM!, keep Single Message and choose Button, Products or PDF instead of Text/Link. A button card holds up to 3 link buttons, Products holds up to 10 cards with 3 links each, and PDF sends your file. These options are on Legend Pro and above. ## Before you start - You need Legend Pro or a higher plan. On other plans these options show a crown. - Turn on the [Welcome Message](https://instantdm.com/how-to/welcome-message.md) too. Cards and files work best after the person has tapped a button, because the tap opens a normal chat. ## Steps 1. Open the post's editor: **Quick Automation** → **Instagram** → **Posts** → click the post → **Send Link or PDF** card. (For a new post, use **New Automation** → **Comment to DM** → **Send Link & PDF**.) 2. Under **Send a DM!**, keep **Single Message** ("Send one DM immediately after the trigger."). 3. Choose the message type: - **Button**: a card with a picture, a title, a short text and buttons. - Click **Upload Cover image** to add a picture (PNG only). - Click the title and text to edit them. - For each button, fill **Button Text** and **Button URL**. **Track link clicks** is on for buttons by default. - Click **Add more button** for up to 3 buttons. **Remove Button** deletes one. - **Products**: swipeable cards, for example one per product or size. Click **Add product** for each card. "You can add upto 10 products with 3 links each, you can send 30 links." - **PDF**: click **Upload PDF** and choose your file. 4. Set your trigger words and public replies as usual. 5. Click **Publish**. ## On the phone app In the post editor (**Send Link or Images** → **Edit Automation**), open **Send a DM!** and choose **Single Message**. Four icon tabs give you text, button card, carousel and PDF: - Button card: image, title, description, up to 3 buttons. "Paste link to auto-fill" fills the card from a link. - Carousel: tap **Add Carousel Card** for up to 10 cards. - PDF: tap **Tap to upload PDF**. Tap **Publish**. These are paid options in the app (Legend Pro is called **Starter** there). ## What your followers see - **Button**: a card with your picture and text, and up to 3 buttons. Each button opens its link. - **Products**: a row of cards they can swipe sideways. Each card has its own picture, text and up to 3 buttons. - **PDF**: a file in the chat that they can open and save. - With a Welcome Message on, they first get the welcome card, tap it, then get your card or file. ## Good to know - Each card or file is one DM, so it uses 1 credit on plans with credits. - To send a picture on its own, or a voice note, use **DM Sequence**. See [How do I send several DMs in a row?](https://instantdm.com/how-to/send-several-dms-in-a-row.md) - To count who opens your buttons, keep **Track link clicks** on. See [How do I see how many people clicked my link?](https://instantdm.com/how-to/track-link-clicks.md) ## What you can't do - Add more than 3 buttons to one card. - Add more than 10 product cards. - Take payment inside the DM. Buttons open your website or shop page, where people pay. - Use a JPG or WebP as the button cover image in this editor. ## How to turn it off Switch back to **Text/Link**, or switch off the whole automation. See [turn off, edit or delete an automation](https://instantdm.com/how-to/turn-off-or-edit-automation.md). ## If it doesn't work - "PDF Missing" (phone app) or nothing uploaded: upload the file again before you publish. - The options are greyed out with a crown: your plan doesn't include them. - "Button Limit reached. Upgrade your plan": your plan allows fewer buttons, or you already have 3. - People got a link instead of the file: Instagram refused the file, so InstantDM sent its link as text. - Nothing arrived at all: [Why didn't my automation send a DM?](https://instantdm.com/how-to/automation-not-sending.md) ## Questions people also ask **What happens if Instagram doesn't accept my PDF?** If Instagram rejects the file, InstantDM sends the PDF's link as a text message instead, so the person still gets it. **Can I use a JPG as the button card picture?** Not in this editor. The cover image upload accepts PNG files only. **Can a button send another message instead of opening a link?** Not in Send Link & PDF or Lead Gen, where buttons open links. In Flow Automation (Trendsetter and above), a Regular button can lead to its own next message. ## Related guides - [What is the Welcome Message and should I turn it on?](https://instantdm.com/how-to/welcome-message.md) - [How do I send several DMs in a row?](https://instantdm.com/how-to/send-several-dms-in-a-row.md) - [How do I see how many people clicked my link?](https://instantdm.com/how-to/track-link-clicks.md) - [How do I send a DM when someone comments on my post or Reel?](https://instantdm.com/how-to/send-dm-when-someone-comments.md)