How to send automatic DMs on Instagram

“How do I send an automatic DM on Instagram?” has a short answer and a useful long one. The short answer: connect an account to a tool that uses Instagram’s official messaging API, pick what should trigger the message (a comment, a story reply, a DM keyword), write the message once, and switch it on. The long answer is what this guide covers, including the parts Instagram doesn’t allow.

Everything here about Instagram’s rules and limits comes from Dartzo’s published docs, which spell out which numbers are Instagram’s and which are our own safety guards. Where we link to a doc, the doc has the exact figures.

The one idea to understand first: automatic DMs are replies

On Instagram, a business can’t start a conversation with anyone it likes. An automatic DM is always a reply to something the person did: they commented, replied to a story, mentioned you, or sent you a message. That’s the design, and it is why you will never see an honest tool that can “DM all my followers” or “DM everyone who viewed my Reel.”

Once you see it that way, choosing a trigger is easy. You are deciding which action from your audience should earn a message back.

Pick your trigger

The comment trigger is by far the most popular, because the call to action is built into your content. The other three are covered in Story replies and mentions and DM keyword triggers. Dartzo doesn’t send a DM when someone follows you, because Instagram gives no signal for it. We explain that in Can you auto-DM new followers on Instagram?

What you need before you start

• A Business or Creator Instagram account. Personal accounts don’t have the messaging permissions, and no plan changes that. Switching keeps your posts, followers and handle. See Instagram account requirements.
• Only one automation tool connected. Instagram allows a single private reply per comment, so two tools on one account fight over it, and the loser is refused for good. See Another tool is replying.
• A message and, usually, a link. The link goes out as a tappable button, or inside the text if you write {{link}}. See Links and buttons in your DM.

Setting one up, step by step

1. 1
   Connect your Instagram account

   In Dartzo, press Connect Instagram. Instagram shows its own permission screen and you approve it there. No password is entered in Dartzo, and you can revoke access any time from Instagram. See Connecting your Instagram account.
2. 2
   Choose the trigger and the post

   For comments, pick a recent post or Reel, or arm the automation for your next post. Instagram doesn’t tell us when you post, so Dartzo checks about every 90 seconds and attaches the rule when it sees the new post. See Apply to your next post.
3. 3
   Add the keywords

   The words that fire it, like LINK or PRICE. Capital letters don’t matter and the word can sit anywhere in the comment. Or switch on “Reply to any comment” to answer everything that no keyword rule caught. See Keyword match modes.
4. 4
   Write the DM

   Your message and your destination link. Add a public reply if you want one under the comment. See Build your first automation.
5. 5
   Go live and test

   Nothing sends until you press Go live. Then comment your keyword from another account and look at the DM. If something doesn’t arrive, Troubleshooting has the checklist.

Writing a DM that doesn’t feel like a bot

People can tell when a message was typed by a machine, and they open the ones that feel human. Three habits help.

• Use their name. {{first_name}} or {{username}} fills in at send time.
• Say what you promised, then stop. The person asked for a link. Give them the link and one warm line.
• Never explain Instagram. A fan doesn’t need to hear about windows or limits. Write what a friend would write.

Hi {{first_name}}! 🙌 Thanks for the story reply.
The Diwali gift box is ₹1,499 and we deliver across Pune this week. Order here 👇
{{link}}

Two limits to design around: a plain message can be up to 1,000 characters, but a message carrying buttons is limited to 640, and a message can carry at most 3 buttons with labels of 20 characters. The editor counts for you, using the longest your message could be once the name and link fill in. Buttons only show on Instagram’s mobile app, so don’t let the link live only on a button.

Make it faster, slower or safer

What Instagram limits, and what that means

Four rules apply to every tool. None of them can be raised by paying.

• One private reply per comment. Comment five times and you still get one DM from a comment-triggered automation. Dartzo also sends one DM per person per automation in 24 hours.
• A reply window. 7 days for comments, 24 hours for stories and DMs. Dartzo’s own deadlines sit a little inside these, at 6 days 18 hours and 18 hours.
• A pace cap. Instagram documents 750 private replies per hour for comments. Dartzo starts at 200 per hour and queues the overflow instead of losing it. The real numbers are in Instagram DM limits per day and per hour.
• People can say no. If someone blocked the account, or the comment was deleted, the DM can’t go out. Dartzo records that with a reason rather than letting it disappear.

Things to avoid

• Tools that ask for your Instagram password. The official route never needs it. See Is Instagram DM automation allowed?
• Very short keywords. “hi” also appears inside “this” and “which”. Choose a word people wouldn’t type by accident.
• A message whose only content is a button. Buttons don’t show on desktop.
• Promising “instant, to everyone, always.” On a viral post, pace limits apply. Say what you will do, such as “comment LINK and I’ll send it,” and don’t add promises about timing.

Walkthrough: a first automation in Dartzo

Here is the whole thing in Dartzo, start to finish. It takes a few minutes once your account is Business or Creator.

1. 1
   Sign up and connect

   Create your account, press Connect Instagram, and approve on Instagram’s screen.
2. 2
   Open the Automation Studio

   Pick Comment as the trigger and choose the post you just promoted.
3. 3
   Type your keyword and press Enter

   It becomes a chip. Add a couple of spellings people might use.
4. 4
   Write your message

   Add your link, then turn on the public reply with a line like “Sent! Check your DMs 💬”.
5. 5
   Press Go live

   From now on every matching comment gets your DM. Watch the results in the Queue and in Reading your analytics.

There is a free plan, so you can try this on a real post. For what each plan adds, see pricing, and Plans and features for the detail.