Set Up a Free Instagram DM Keyword Reply

Set up and troubleshoot one free incoming-DM keyword reply. This practical test is separate from the complete free-plan overview: choose HOURS, write your actual opening-hours answer and verify the result.

An incoming keyword test

  1. Test account: HOURS
  2. Your configured reply: [Your actual opening hours and information link]
  3. Your delivery check: Confirm the incoming keyword matched and the reply succeeded in the message log.

Illustrative wording, not a captured send. Replace the placeholder with your real information. This written reply does not use AI generation or collect a completed lead.

Test an incoming HOURS reply on Free

  1. Authorize your account: Connect the professional Instagram account you want to test.
  2. Choose DM Reply: Use HOURS as an incoming DM keyword and write your actual answer within the 300-character free DM limit.
  3. Keep only this rule active: Free has one active automation across all channels. Check your available free allowance before testing.
  4. Read back the send result: Send HOURS from another account and inspect the delivery log. Recheck matching, permissions and conversation eligibility if the reply is missing.

Related guides

Why teams choose Repli

What you get

Incoming DM keywords

Match a configured word or phrase in an incoming DM and attempt the written response. Test the wording your customers actually use.

Delivery logs

Check whether the event matched and the send succeeded. Missing permissions, account restrictions or a closed window can prevent delivery.

Human review

Pause automated replies with the available takeover control when a person should answer. Local pause does not assign a team agent or transfer Meta thread ownership.

Use cases

Opening-hours question

An incoming HOURS keyword receives the hours you supplied; no invented business details.

Delivery diagnosis

Check the exact incoming text, enabled rule and send result before changing the response.

A worked free auto-reply test

Use a new incoming DM rather than a comment for this test, so you can isolate DM matching from the separate comment private-reply path. Confirm the received text matches the rule and that the reply reaches the same conversation.

If no reply arrives, check the connection and required permissions, the one-active-rule limit, free credit availability and recipient restrictions. Read the message result rather than relying on a public acknowledgement.

Frequently asked questions

Is the auto reply bot free?

You can test one active automation across all channels on Free, with one Instagram account, 300-character DMs and a Repli footer. The free allowance starts with 15 signup credits plus 5 daily credits; it is not unlimited daily delivery.

Why test an incoming DM instead of a comment?

It isolates the incoming-DM keyword workflow. Comment-to-DM has separate initial private-reply restrictions and its own setup guide.

Can it message arbitrary followers?

No. Ordinary automated DMs require an eligible conversation. Ongoing sends must respect Meta’s 24-hour window; comment private replies have separate restrictions.

Are replies instant or ban-proof?

No response-time or account-safety guarantee is offered. Repli uses the official API, but provider event delays, permissions, restrictions and sending limits still apply.

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