Connecting and Publishing to Instagram
Updated
Connect an Instagram Business or Creator account to publish from Maeve. If you use a personal account, switch it to a professional account in Instagram before connecting.
Choose Facebook Login if you need the additional features listed below. Instagram Login lets you connect without a linked Facebook Page.
- 1Pick the network
- 2Approve on the network
- 3Connected
Connect available channels
3 / 20The Two Ways to Connect
Select your login method when you connect Instagram in Settings, Social channels.
| What you get | Facebook Login | Instagram Login |
|---|---|---|
| Account needed | Professional, linked to a Facebook Page | Professional, no Page needed |
| Publishing | Posts, Reels, Stories | Posts, Reels, Stories |
| Tag a collaborator | Yes | No |
| Tag a product | With catalog permissions | No |
| Add music or original sound | Yes | No |
| Delete a published post from Instagram | Yes | No |
| Hashtag tracking | Yes | No |
| Discovery and competitor benchmarks | Yes | No |
| Mentions in your inbox | Yes | No |
| Like a comment from your inbox | Yes | No |
| Analytics | Yes | Yes |
To use a feature listed only under Facebook Login, link your Instagram account to a Facebook Page and connect through Facebook. Product tags also require catalog and product-tagging permissions during authorization.
Connecting Instagram does not connect the Facebook Page itself. Follow Connecting and Publishing to Facebook to add the Page as a separate channel.
Connecting Through Facebook
- 1
Check the account is professional
Open the Instagram app, then Settings, Account type and tools. If it says Switch to professional account, switch to Business or Creator before continuing.
- 2
Check it is linked to a Facebook Page
Check the linked Page in Instagram's account settings. Your Facebook account must have access to the Page and its linked Instagram account.
- 3
Open Settings, then Social channels in Maeve
Select Instagram from the connection grid. Maeve asks which of the two logins you want.
- 4
Choose Connect via Facebook
Sign in on Facebook's sign-in page. Maeve does not receive or store your password.
- 5
Select the Meta assets Maeve can access
Facebook may ask you to choose Pages, Businesses, and Instagram accounts. Pick the assets for this connection. Selecting all current and future assets also makes new ones available to Maeve without another authorization.
- 6
Review the access request
Check the list, then select Save. Maeve needs publishing access to send posts, and the management permissions enable comments, messages, analytics, product tags, and Meta advertising features.
- 7
Confirm the Connected Account
Check the connected handle and profile picture. If you selected the wrong account, connect the intended account and remove the unwanted connection.
Connecting Instagram Directly
- 1
Open Settings, then Social channels
Select Instagram, then Connect via Instagram.
- 2
Sign in to Instagram
Sign in to the Business or Creator account you want to connect.
- 3
Approve Access
Approve the requested permissions, then check the connected handle in Maeve.
What Maeve Asks Permission For
The permission screen depends on your login method. Approve the permissions for the features you need.
Facebook Login asks for all of these:
| Access | What it enables |
|---|---|
| Basic account access | Read the account name, profile picture, and posts |
| Content publishing | Upload media and publish posts |
| Content management | Delete a published post from Instagram |
| Comment management | Receive and manage Instagram comments in your inbox |
| Engagement management | Like and manage comments from your inbox |
| Insights | Populate analytics and best times |
| Message management | Receive and manage Instagram DMs in your inbox |
| Page and business access | Find the Instagram account linked to the selected Page |
| Catalog access | Find products for Instagram product tags |
| Advertising access | Create and manage Meta campaigns from Maeve Ads |
Instagram Login requests these permissions:
| Access | What it enables |
|---|---|
| Basic account access | Read the account name and profile picture |
| Content publishing | Upload media and publish posts |
| Comment management | Receive and manage Instagram comments in your inbox |
| Insights | Populate analytics and best times |
| Message management | Receive and manage Instagram DMs in your inbox |
What You Can Publish
Select Instagram in the composer, attach media, and choose the post type.
Instagram section
Instagram Caption
Select Post Type
Write for Instagram...
0 / 2,200# 0 / 5A story takes no caption at all.
Media for Instagram
0 of 10 selectedUp to 10 items, photos and video togetherInstagram Settings
- Invite Collaborators
Will not publish without
- At least one image or video
- Posts. One image or video, or a carousel of up to 10. Images and video can go in the same carousel
- Reels. One video, with a cover image, a Share to Feed toggle, and music or original sound on the Facebook login
- Stories. One image or video. If several media items are attached, Maeve publishes the first one
For a Reel, turn on Share to Feed to include it on your profile grid. Turn on Trial reel to show it to non-followers first. Enabling Trial reel hides Share to Feed.
Instagram checks trial reel eligibility when you publish. If it rejects the post, turn off Trial reel or select an eligible account.
The Limits
Check the warnings below each media thumbnail and resolve them before scheduling.
| What | Limit |
|---|---|
| Caption | 2,200 characters |
| Story caption | Capped at 120, and not published |
| First comment | 2,196 characters |
| Hashtags | 5 per post |
| Items per post | 10 |
| Image size | 8MB |
| Video size | 300MB |
| Video length | 3 seconds to 15 minutes |
| Story length | 3 to 60 seconds |
| Video formats | MP4 and MOV |
| Crop presets | 4:5, 1:1, 1.91:1, and 9:16 for stories |
| Feed images must sit between | 9:16 and 1.91:1 |
Transform
Aspect Ratio
The list swaps with the post type. A Post is never offered the story shape, and a Story is offered nothing else.
What Will Stop a Post
- A post with no media. Instagram has no text-only post. Attach at least one image or video
- A video shorter than 3 seconds, or longer than 15 minutes for a feed video or 60 seconds for a story
- A file that is not MP4 or MOV. The composer flags it under the file, with the message Unsupported video format. Use MP4 or MOV
- An image over 8MB, including a custom Reel cover image
- A story wider than a 0.6 width-to-height ratio. Stories are designed for 9:16, and wider media is refused
Instagram will refuse
Instagram posts require at least one image or video.
6 of the ones people hit
When the Connection Breaks
If an account shows Needs reconnecting, restore its connection before the next scheduled post is due.
- Open Settings, then Social channels.
- Find the affected account and select Reconnect.
- Sign in to the same account and approve the requested permissions.
Reconnecting keeps scheduled posts attached to the account. After reconnecting, retry any posts that failed while the connection was unavailable.
For Instagram, use the same login method you used to connect the account.
Your connected channels
2@yourbrand
Instagram Business@yourotherbrand
Needs reconnectingThis account needs to be reconnected before it can publish.
Errors Instagram Returns
Open Failed Posts and read the error before retrying.
| Error message | What to do |
|---|---|
| This account's connection has expired. Reconnect it in Settings and try again | Reconnect the channel in Settings, Social channels, then retry the post |
| Instagram could not download one of the images. Retry this content. If it fails again, reattach the images and reschedule it | A transient fetch failure at Instagram's end |
| Instagram could not find one or more collaborators. Check the usernames or remove those collaborators, then reschedule this content | A collaborator handle is wrong or the account is private |
| This Instagram account cannot publish trial reels. Turn off Trial reel, or choose another eligible account | The account is not public, not professional, or under about 1,000 followers |
| Meta denied this action at the app level, so reconnecting will not fix it. Please contact support | A permission was revoked at Meta, or the account is restricted |
Questions
Can Maeve publish to a personal Instagram account?
No. Switch to a Business or Creator account in Instagram, then connect it to Maeve.
Do I need a Facebook Page to connect Instagram?
No. Instagram Login works without a Page. Use Facebook Login with a linked Page for collaborator tags, product tags, music, published-post deletion, Discovery, and additional inbox features.
How many hashtags can I use on Instagram?
Use up to five hashtags on a post or Reel. Remove extra hashtags before scheduling.
Why did my Instagram video fail when the image posts worked?
Check the warning under the video thumbnail. Use MP4 or MOV, keep the file within 300MB, and use a duration of 3 seconds to 15 minutes. Story videos must be 3 to 60 seconds.
Can I delete an Instagram post from Maeve?
Accounts connected through Facebook Login can delete published posts from Instagram. With Instagram Login, deleting in Maeve only removes the calendar entry. Delete the live post in Instagram.
Can I put images and video in the same Instagram carousel?
Yes. Attach up to 10 images and videos in total.
Does an Instagram account and its Facebook Page count as one connection or two?
Two. Connect the Instagram account and Facebook Page separately. Each uses one social connection.
Can the same Instagram account be connected in two workspaces?
Yes. Connect the account separately in each workspace.