Meet the inbox

The Inbox collects every DM conversation across your connected accounts. Each conversation wears a badge showing who’s handling it — the bot or a human — so you can scan the list and know exactly where automation ends and your attention is needed.

Automation and manual replies aren’t rivals here. Flows handle the volume; you step in for the moments that deserve a person.

Every conversation has a switch between Bot responding and Human takeover. Human takeover stops current automations for that contact so only manual replies go out. Turning Bot responding back on allows future automations; runs stopped by takeover do not resume.

The fastest way to take over is simply to type: an eligible manual reply switches the conversation to human takeover automatically, stopping automation as you take over. Instagram still requires the contact to have messaged you first.

If a contact sends STOP, the conversation is marked DM opt-out: automated messages stop immediately and the bot switch locks, while manual replies stay available. This is a guardrail working, not a bug — it keeps your automation welcome and your account safe.

Contacts can opt back in themselves by sending START, and the inbox has a resume control for when someone asks you to turn automation back on. Use it only when they actually ask.

Instagram opens the standard 24-hour reply window when a contact messages you. A comment and its one-time private reply do not open that window; the commenter must reply to the private message first. Manual support can continue from 24 hours through 7 days only when Meta has granted Human Agent access. After 7 days, the contact must message again.

This is the one platform rule most worth internalizing early — the messaging limits guide covers the details.