Troubleshoot an Instagram Business connection

To access all the Instagram features available in Hootsuite, you need an Instagram Business profile connected to a Facebook Page. This is a requirement from Instagram (which Facebook owns).

Instagram Business setup checklist

Use this checklist to make sure your accounts can successfully connect with Hootsuite.

Do you have an Instagram Business profile?

Instagram offers three profile types: Personal, Business, and Creator. Only Business profiles have access to all the Instagram functionality in Hootsuite. All Instagram accounts start out as Personal by default, but you can convert them to a Business account at any time so that it works with Hootsuite. See How to check your profile type and Convert an Instagram Personal profile to a Business profile to find out more.

Important: If you add a Creator profile to Hootsuite as a Business profile, it will be labeled Business, but due to limitations from Instagram, will not have access to direct publishing.

Do you have a Facebook Page?

To access all the Instagram features available in Hootsuite, your Business profile must be connected to a Facebook Page. Because Facebook owns Instagram, the permissions to manage your Instagram profile are granted to Hootsuite through Facebook. You don’t need to publish to the Facebook Page when you use Instagram with Hootsuite. Only one Instagram profile can be connected to a Facebook Page and vice versa. If you need to create a new Page, see Facebook's help article Create a Facebook Page.

Do you have an Admin or Editor role on the Page?

To connect Instagram to Facebook, and to connect to Hootsuite, you need to have the right Facebook permissions. You need an Admin or Editor role on a classic Page type or Facebook access with full control or partial control on a new Page type. See Facebook's help article See your Facebook Page role or access for more information. Only Page Admins can manage roles. See Facebook's help article Manage roles for your Facebook Page to learn more.

If you do have the correct role on the Page, but are still getting errors that say you need to be an admin, see the next checklist item.

Is your Facebook Page an asset in Facebook Business Manager?

If your business’ Facebook Page is an asset in a Business Manager account, you need management access to it in that account as well. See Add users to your Business Manager for more information.

Is your Instagram account connected to your Facebook Page?

Connect your Business profile to your Page in the Page’s settings on Facebook. See Connect an Instagram account to a Facebook Page for instructions.

If your Instagram account is connected in your Page’s settings, but you’re still getting an error that there is no Instagram Business profile linked to the Page, see Confirm the connection between Instagram and Facebook.

Troubleshoot issues adding an Instagram Business profile

When connecting a Business profile to Hootsuite, you may encounter one of the following issues after signing in to Facebook:

“There is no Instagram business profile linked to this Facebook Page.”

If you see this message, it can mean 1 of 3 things:

• There is no Instagram account connected to the Facebook Page. Learn how to connect an Instagram account to a Facebook Page.
• There is an Instagram account connected to the Page, but it's a Personal profile. See Convert an Instagram Personal profile to a Business profile for instructions.
• There is an Instagram Business profile connected to the Page, but either Instagram or Facebook still requires you to confirm the connection. See Confirm the connection between Instagram and Facebook.

“Your Page role must be admin or editor to add this Instagram profile.”

If you see this message, it means that your Facebook user doesn't have sufficient access to the Page. If it's a classic Page type, you can select Confirm roles on this Facebook page to check your Page role. You need an Admin or Editor role on a classic Page type or Facebook access with full control or partial control on a new Page type. See also Facebook's help article See your Facebook Page role or access.

Check to see if the Page is also managed in Business Manager (does one of the Page roles have a briefcase as its profile picture?). If it is, you will also need management access to the Page in the Business Manager account. See Add users to your Business Manager to find out more.

Your Facebook Page is not appearing in the list of accounts you can add to Hootsuite

Confirm that the Facebook account you’re connected to is the one that manages the Page. Hootsuite automatically connects to any social accounts you’re currently signed in to, so you won’t be asked for a specific email and password. For example, if you use Facebook in your browser, close the tab without signing out, and then later sign in to Hootsuite, Hootsuite detects and automatically connects to that Facebook account.

If it’s not obvious which account is connected based on the list of Pages displayed, open another browser tab, go to Facebook, and sign out. Then return to Hootsuite and restart the process of adding an Instagram Business profile (see Add an Instagram account for instructions). You’ll now be able to enter the correct Facebook account credentials.

A Page may not appear if Hootsuite doesn’t have the permissions to manage it yet. Check the permissions in your Facebook account's Business Integration settings:

1. Open another browser tab and sign in to Facebook as your personal profile. Then use this direct link to go to your account’s business integrations: https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=business_tools
2. Select View and edit next to Hootsuite.
3. Scroll through the information to each place where your Pages are listed and make sure all Pages are selected. If you don't see any lists of Pages in your settings, it means they are all already selected. See also Facebook's help article How do I edit the privacy settings for my business integrations?
   
4. Return to Hootsuite and resume adding your Instagram account.

Hootsuite is connecting to the wrong Instagram or Facebook account

Before adding an Instagram profile or setting up direct publishing, open a new web browser tab, and log out of both Instagram and Facebook. Then go back to Hootsuite and proceed. You’ll be able to enter the correct account credentials.

If you use the same login for multiple accounts on Instagram, you need to create a unique password for each one to add them to Hootsuite. Go to Instagram, enter the Instagram handle as the username, and then select Forgot password. Use the handle and unique password to add an Instagram profile to Hootsuite.

On Android, if you are being automatically signed in to the wrong Facebook account, you may need to clear the site date for Facebook that is stored in the Chrome app in your device settings.

Confirm the connection between Instagram and Facebook

When adding an Instagram Business account to Hootsuite, it’s common for Hootsuite to display “There is no Instagram business profile linked to this Facebook Page,” even when the Instagram account appears to be connected in the Facebook Page’s settings.

This is because either Instagram or Facebook still requires you to confirm the connection between Instagram and Facebook. You should find one of the following prompts on either your Facebook Page or in your Instagram app:

Follow these steps to check your Instagram connection in Facebook:

1. In a new browser tab, sign in to your Facebook account.
2. Select Pages on the left, and then select the Page.
3. Select Settings at the bottom of the Manage Page menu on the left.
4. Select Instagram from the Page Settings menu. You might see a prompt to Review Account Connection.
   

5. Select Review Connection and follow the prompts to complete the flow. You might be done after completing this step, or you might see another message that requires further steps. See Add users to your Business Manager.

Follow these steps to check your Facebook connection in Instagram:

1. Open the Instagram mobile app and sign in to your Instagram Business profile.
2. Select your profile picture, and then select Edit Profile.
3. Under Public Business Information, you might see an orange Confirm button next to your connected Facebook Page.
   
4. Select Confirm and follow the prompts to complete the confirmation flow. You might be done after completing this step, or you might see another message that requires further steps. See Add users to your Business Manager.

Add users to your Business Manager

After confirming the connection between Instagram and Facebook, you may see one of the following messages:

• “The Facebook Page you’ve tried to add is already owned by another business. You can still request access to this Page, but your request will need to be approved by the business that owns it.”
• “You must be an admin of the associated Page’s business in Business Manager to confirm the Instagram account.”

These prompts mean that the Facebook Page is an asset in a Business Manager account, so you need full management access to it there as well. An Admin of the Business Manager account needs to add you to the business and assign the Page as one of your business assets using the following instructions. See also Facebook's help article Add People to Your Business Manager.

1. In a new browser tab, use this direct link to sign in to the settings of your Facebook Business Manager account: https://business.facebook.com/settings
2. Select People under Users on the left, and then select Add to add a new user.
3. Enter the user’s email address, assign them a business role, and then select Next.
4. Select Pages, select the specific Page in the middle column, and then select the last toggle, Manage Page.
5. Select Invite.

Confirm you have the correct access in Business Manager:

1. In a new browser tab, use this direct link to sign in to your Facebook Business Manager account settings: https://business.facebook.com/settings
2. Select People under Users, and then select your name from the People list.
   
3. Make sure the Facebook Page connected to your Instagram Business profile is listed under your Assigned Assets.
4. Select the arrow next to the Page to view your permissions for the Page. Make sure that the last toggle, Manage Page, is turned on.
   

Now you’re ready to add your Instagram Business account to Hootsuite.