Usually right away. When someone comments your keyword, Instagram tells Waveloop through its official API, and Waveloop sends the DM then. DM keywords and story replies work the same way. You don't need to be online, and nothing waits for your approval.
How it works
- Someone comments your keyword.
- Instagram notifies Waveloop about the comment.
- Waveloop checks the keyword and sends your DM right away.
Instagram controls step 2. Its notifications usually arrive quickly, but Instagram doesn't promise a time, so we don't either.
Is there a daily DM limit?
Not from Waveloop. DMs are unlimited on every plan, with fair use, and Waveloop doesn't hold your messages back to fit a daily quota. Fair use means we only slow down extreme accounts, to keep them safe on Instagram.
Instagram applies its own limits. When it turns a DM away with a rate limit, Waveloop tries again later.
What can add time
- A new connection. Right after you connect Instagram, it can take a few hours before Instagram starts passing comments to Waveloop.
- Instagram is busy. After a temporary error or a rate limit, Waveloop retries, spread over the following hours.
- Your connection dropped. If Instagram ends Waveloop's access, for example after a password change, DMs wait until you reconnect. They're sent once you do, as long as the comment is still inside Instagram's 7-day reply window.
- Follow to unlock. With the follow gate on, the link arrives after the person taps the button and Waveloop confirms they follow you.
Repeat messages
A DM keyword automation answers the same person once every 5 minutes at most. Someone who sends your keyword five times in a row gets one reply. You can take over the conversation yourself at any time. On comments, every new comment gets its own DM.
If a DM doesn't arrive
Work through the checklist in Why isn't my automation firing?
Testing your automation? Comment from a second Instagram account. Instagram doesn't let an account send a DM to itself, so a comment from your own account won't get one.