What to know about connecting Instagram Profiles via Instagram Credentials in Sprout

Sprout Social now offers a streamlined way to connect your Instagram Business or Creator profiles using your Instagram credentials only. This means you no longer need a linked Facebook Page or access to a Facebook Business Manager account in order to integrate your Instagram profiles with Sprout.

This article is intended to provide more information on using the Connect via Instagram option and any considerations with using this connection method for your Instagram profiles. 

For a full overview and step-by-step instructions on connecting via both connection methods, please consult this Help Center Article: What do I need to know before connecting my Instagram profile to Sprout?

Choosing Your Connection Flow

When connecting an Instagram profile, you will now see two options. The best choice depends on your organizational needs:

Which should I choose?

• Choose Connect via Meta if you are an agency or large team that requires granular, multi-user access control.
• Choose Connect via Instagram if you want a simpler setup, do not use Facebook Pages, or want to avoid the 3-month reauthorization cycle.

Requirements to Connect via Instagram Credentials

 A profile can be connected in Sprout via Instagram Credentials if the following criteria is met:

1. The Instagram profile is either the Professional or Creator Account Type
2. The individual connecting the Instagram Profile has either one of the following:
   • The username + password to log into this profile directly in Instagram
   • Full Access to the Business Portfolio that owns the Instagram profile or has been granted Partner Access to the Instagram profile within Meta Business Suite

Why am I sent to Facebook with Connect via Instagram? 

If you are already logged into Meta Business Suite in the background on your browser and you have access to an Instagram profile via Meta Business Portfolio, you will see that you are logged into Facebook by default during this step. If you prefer to connect by logging into Instagram, you can update the account you are logged into by clicking your profile in the top right corner of this window: 

Can I connect the Instagram Profile using my Facebook Login?

A user can and will see the option to connect their Instagram Profile using their Facebook login during this step if the following requirements are true: 

1. The user has been assigned Full Access to the Business Portfolio that either owns the Instagram profile or has been granted Partner Access to the Instagram profile.
2. The user has been granted Full or Partial** Access to the Instagram Profile in the Business Portfolio that owns or has Partner Access to the profile. 

** Note: with Partial Access the user will need to be assigned the following task permissions: Content, Messages, Community activity, Ads and Insights.

If this criteria is met, you can proceed with selecting the corresponding Business Portfolio with access to the intended Instagram profile for your connection and then select the Instagram profile to continue. 

⚠️ Warning: Avoid Unchecking Profiles with Authorization

When connecting using the direct Instagram login for a profile, you may see profiles in the connection modal that you didn't expect. This occurs because Meta surfaces all profiles within the selected Business Portfolio. 

This is expected Meta behavior for these profiles to display within these authorization steps during the connection flow. This occurs because Meta treats this selection modal as the definition for the entire permission set for that user.

We strongly advise not deselecting any of the options listed in the authorization modal to avoid disrupting other connections that may be in place. 

Recommendations: 

• Leave all profiles selected within the initial authorization step. You will be able to select and approve the profiles you are actually adding to the Group in Sprout in a later step. 
• Otherwise, if you are unsure which profiles should be authorized, or if you share an Instagram login across multiple regions/agencies, you may want to use the Meta Business Suite flow instead to avoid accidentally disconnecting or connecting other users' profiles in the wrong Group. 

Other Key Considerations & Known Limitations

Meta "Beta" Connection Issues

Meta is currently resolving a known issue that causes approximately 15% of Instagram-only connection attempts to fail. If you encounter an error during the connection flow, please try again or use the Meta Business Manager flow as a workaround. Meta expects a permanent fix by late September 2026.

Switching Connection Methods

If you have a profile connected via one method and wish to switch to the other:

1. Navigate to Connect a Profile in Sprout and select Instagram 
2. Choose the new desired method (Connect via Meta or Connect Via Instagram) in the modal.
3. Work through the connection steps to authorize the connection
4. Once you return to Sprout and the Connect a Profile window, toggle "Add additional credentials to this profile." This will update your current connection with the preferred method.

Check out the recording below for a step-by-step walkthrough on updating a profile connection to the new Connect via Instagram Option: 

Security Note for Agencies

Sharing Instagram login credentials carries inherent risks. Anyone with the password has full access to the profile. For teams requiring secure, multi-user access, w