Inssist F.A.Q. & Support

Inssist stands for Instagram Assistant. It is a powerful Chrome Extension (plugin) and a standalone app that brings Instagram Mobile View to your desktop.

It allows posting photos, videos and stories, managing comments and sending DMs as if you were using a mobile version of Instagram web app, plus scheduling content, finding relevant hashtags and much more.

Bloggers, photographers, marketing specialists, business owners use Inssist to save time and improve their Instagram workflow.

Why use Inssist?

• Inssist saves time, brings critical Instagram features to the Desktop, ensures the best image and video quality and adds extra capabilities such as bulk scheduling.
• You no longer need to transfer photos or videos back and forth between the PC and Mobile Device to post them.
• It is much more convenient to send Direct Messages from the Desktop app rather than type them on Mobile.
• Inssist is the only extension that can Post Videos, including Stories, Reels and IGTVs.
• Photos posted with Inssist have a better end quality when compared to posting from Android devices due to optimized compression algorithm.

Inssist is distributed through the official Chrome Web Store. To get Inssist to your browser, please navigate to Inssist Plugin Page and click the “Add to Chrome” button.

All Chromium based browsers are supported: Chrome, Chromium, Brave, Vivaldi, Opera, Microsoft Edge etc.

You can also get Inssist Standalone version for your OS (Mac, Windows, Linux) from the Inssist Homepage.

Once installed, clicked the Inssist icon in the Chrome Toolbar and then login to Instagram. If you’re already logged in to Instagram in your browser, Inssist will pick up your session automatically.

Now you can start posting to your Instagram account from Desktop, scheduling posts, customizing your Instagram profile and much more.

How to switch Instagram account in Inssist?

Please open the Instagram home page in your browser, log out and log back in under a different Instagram @username. Inssist will understand that the accounts was changed and pick it up automatically.

Alternatively, please locate the Multiaccount Switch at the top right of your screen, hover over it and then click “Add Account” button.

After you connect a second Instagram account to Inssist, you will be able to switch between them with a single click.

How many Instagram accounts can I use with Inssist?

Unlimited. We do not limit a number of Instagram accounts you can use with Inssist.

We do not recommend running more than 5 from the same IP address though. If you run more, there is a slight chance the IP address will be rate limited for liking, posting or commenting by Instagram.

How do I remove Inssist from my Chrome?

Please navigate to chrome://extensions link in browser, locate Inssist and click Remove button.

If you had a PRO subscription, you can cancel it from the Billing Website. Please enter your email address to log into FastSpring. You can also cancel your subscription from the app by locating the PRO Tab and clicking Manage Account button.

Can I use Inssist on Mobile?

We do not currently have plans to release a mobile version of our app. You can get Inssist as a standalone app for MacOS / Windows / Linux from the homepage.

Inssist supports two ways of posting content to Instagram

• Direct Posting through Instagram API,
  which works for Photo posts, Video posts, IGTVs, Stories and Reels.
• Scheduled Posting through Facebook Scheduling API,
  which works for posting and scheduling Photo posts, Video posts and Carousels.

Direct posting to Instagram

With direct posting you can post Photos to your home feed and Stories, Video Posts and Video Stories, IGTVs and even Instagram Reels. To post directly to Instagram, locate and click the button at the bottom of the Instagram frame:

Then select a type of post you’d like to publish and upload content such as a photo or videos. You can specify caption, location, hashtags, mentions and other parameters for your posts.

You can also upload a video cover (thumbnail) for your video post or select a video frame as a cover to make sure your Instagram grid looks perfect and consistent.

Scheduled posting to Instagram

Scheduled posting to Instagram works through Facebook Creator Studio under the hood and can post and schedule Photos, Videos and Carousels (multi-media posts).

Navigate to Post Assistant in the left side bar and click on “SELECT FILES” to upload your video and create a new post:

You might be asked to re-login to Instagram in order to setup Scheduling API. This setup is done only once.

Recommended media file sizes

Inssist applies a photo and video compression algorithm that ensures the best quality possible with a minimum pixelization.

It is advised to use one of suggested media file formats to ensure the best quality. Here’s a list of the Instagram media file formats along with the optimal sizes:

How to resize, cut or format media files before upload?

For videos it is important to have the file converted to either MP4-h264 or WEBM. Instagram rejects video files in other formats. Here is a list of free online tools available that can help you resize and reformat your files:

• Zamzar (recommended) and CloudCovert can convert your video format to MP4.
• Ezgif.com has tools that work both with photos and videos.
• OnlineConvert.com can convert and resize your media files for free.
• Photoshop and LightRoom are excellent for resizing and cutting photos.

Once your video size has been optimized for Instagram and a proper format is selected, upload it from the PC / Mac with Inssist with a few clicks.

Does Instagram retain photo resolution?

As long as your media file width is between 320 and 1080 pixels and aspect ratio is correct (see the table above), Instagram will keep the original resolution. If the aspect ratio isn’t supported, the photo or video will be automatically cropped.

Make sure to resize your image to a maximum width of 1080 pixels before you upload your image to avoid automatic resizing.

Due to limitation of the underlying Instagram Web API there are some things that Inssist can not do (yet):

• Mentions in Video Stories. Mentions on photo stories are supported though.
• Adding GIFs, Music, Location and Hashtag stickers to Stories. All these features are sadly not yet available on the Instagram Web API.
• An official Instagram Mobile App should be used to work with Highlights and Saved Collections or DM-ing videos. These features are not available on the web.

When Stories Music and other features will be added?

Inssist depends on Instagram Web API to function. Since we always monitor the platform for new cool things the new features are added to the product as soon as they become available on the Instagram Web API.

Inssist can schedule photo posts, video posts and carousels. Under the hood, it relies on the Facebook Creator Studio and adds a few extra features such as:

• Posting Grid with drag & drop support to preview and align your posts perfectly.
• Posting Calendar and Time Slots to plan ahead and schedule faster.
• Bulk scheduling to upload and schedule multiple files at once.

How to setup scheduling?

Setting up the scheduling is straightforward: please open the Post Assistant Tab on the left and click SELECT FILES to select files for upload. Inssist will save the files locally and suggest you to connect the scheduling. Click Connect to setup scheduling.

You can also set up scheduling manually by navigating to Facebook Business Studio website and clicking Instagram Login button.

How to schedule Carousels?

To schedule a carousel post (multi-media post), click SELECT FILES button and select multiple files from your PC / Mac. Inssist will ask you what you’d like to do with the files:

Click Create a carousel post and Inssist will set up a carousel post for you. You can have up to 10 photo or video files in a single carousel post.

How to setup Facebook Crossposting?

Inssist supports cross-posting content to Facebook Page. You need to connect your Instagram account to a Facebook Page to activate the crossposting:

• Login to Facebook.com in browser.
• Connect Instagram account to the Facebook page. You can do that with Instagram Mobile App:
  Settings → Business / Creator → Connect a Facebook Page
  Or from Facebook website by navigating to your Facebook page settings:
  Page Settings → Instagram → Connect
• Under Inssist app, try to schedule a post and click Verify Connection button:

Once connection is verified, a checkbox to post content to Facebook Page will appear at the bottom of the new post screen:

Where do I manage my Facebook Page posts?

Facebook posts scheduled or drafted with Inssist are stored separately. Please navigate to Scheduled Posts link or Draft Posts link.

Can I uploads posts from a CSV file?

Yes! You can schedule posts by dragging a CSV file over ADD FILES button. Make sure to use URLs for images in your post.

You can specify optional date and hour, caption and multiple images per post in your CSV file to create a carousel. And you do not need to provide a header either. Try to upload a sample CSV file.

How do I cancel scheduling?

To cancel scheduling and disconnect Instagram account from Facebook, please navigate to Facebook Pages List. Then open Page Settings and disconnect Instagram from Facebook under Instagram tab on the left.

How many posts can I schedule?

There is no limit on the number of posts that can be scheduled with Inssist PRO. All limits come from the underlying Facebook API and you can schedule posts up to 10 weeks in advance.

Do I have to have a Business account to schedule posts?

Yes. Instagram limits access to scheduling to Business and Creator accounts.

Luckily, there is currently no downside in switching your Instagram account to Business or Creator type. You can switch your account easily from the Instagram Mobile App by going to Settings → Account → Switch account type.

You can switch to Business as a part of connecting your Instagram account to a Facebook Page.

Inssist Tag Assistant module lets you search for and build an effective hashtag library. Follow these rules and tips to pick the best hashtags for your posts:

Always use hashtags that are relevant to your post.

Check for banned and flagged hashtags and avoid them.

Build a Hashtag Ladder: 8-10 of the hashtags on your post should have an engagement lower than you profile, 8-10 similar to yours, and 8-10 higher.

Rotate your hashtags often.

To search for hashtags, please navigate to the Tag Assistant Tab on the left:

There you can enter tags relevant to your Instagram content. Inssist will suggest you hashtags that were found on top posts alongside the tags you search for and mark banned or flagged hashtags to avoid.

How do I find hashtag suggestions in my language?

You can switch between latin and non-latin characters in hashtag search results with the “globe” toggle button besides the search input box.

How do I manage hashtag collections?

Please switch to the Collections Tab in the Tag Assistant. You can create and manage your collections and reuse them in your posts later:

Multiaccount feature allows connecting multiple Instagram accounts to Inssist and switching between them with a click of a button. Inssist will remember your session cookies locally and won’t ask you to re-enter password every time:

There is no limit as to how many Instagram accounts you can connect to Inssist.

To connect additional Instagram accounts to your Inssist application, please locate your avatar at the top right corner, hover your mouse over it and click the + plus button, then login to Instagram.

Inssist has free Dark and Zen Modes, both can be turned on and off from the right hand-side panel:

Buttons on the right also let you navigate back in Instagram frame, refresh the Instagram frame and switch to Fullscreen Mode.

PRO version is an optional paid upgrade. You can get a PRO license right from the Inssist plugin. Here is a comparison of PRO and Free versions of the plugin:

• Post Reels from Desktop.
• Schedule Posts with a help of time slots and preview them in a grid or calendar. Publish carousels and edit Video covers.
• Upload Custom Covers for your video posts.
• Swipe up (link sharing) for stories.

By upgrading you make our work of maintaining Inssist and developing new features possible. Thank you!

What are the payment plans?

We provide 3 distinct Inssist PRO plans: Monthly, Lifetime and Infinite. They provide the same features.

• Monthly plan is charged a small fee each month and auto-renews every month until canceled. You can use an unlimited number of accounts with this plan.
• Lifetime plan is purchased once per Instagram account and stays active for that Instagram account as long as you’re signed in to Inssist with your email.
• Infinite plan is purchased once for an unlimited number of Instagram accounts.

Monthly and Infinite plans are intended for a single person or organization and should not be shared. We reserve a right to cancel a PRO plan if it is misused by being shared publicly or across multiple organizations.

Do you offer refunds?

Inssist is provided AS IS. We do not offer refunds, even if it shut down willingly or unwillingly. Please check out our Terms of Service for more info.

We aim to provide a free-to-try demo period for every paid feature so that you can preview them before making a purchase decision. We suggest making sure that Inssist FREE works for you before purchasing a PRO license.

I forgot my account password.

No problem! Please open the billing screen in Inssist, locate the RECOVER MY PURCHASES button, enter your email address and then click blue FORGOT PASSWORD button in the password input box.

Inssist will send a password recovery email to you from no-reply@inssist.com email address.

I need an Invoice

You can download invoices from the Billing Management website.

If you’d like to have your company address on the invoice, please send us an email titled “Invoice Request” and include your company details.

Can I transfer my PRO license to another PC?

Sure. Simply log into your Inssist account on a new PC in Inssist app and you should get your PRO license active.

Something does not work? Most likely a solution to your problem is found below:

My PRO version is not recognized by the App?

Please navigate to the PRO Billing tab (the last button on the left) in the app and make sure you’re signed in to your Inssist account.

If you’re not signed in, locate the RECOVER MY PURCHASES button and sign back in.

If you do not see your PRO version after you sign in to Inssist account, that means the last transaction has failed. Our trusted payment processing gateway always sends an email if a transaction has failed with a reason of the failure. Most likely the card has expired or has insufficient funds. In such case it is best to cancel the subscription and resubscribe.

Please navigate to Account Management portal using your Inssist email address and check the status of your subscription.

I do not receive an email verification code?

Sometimes emails get lost in a spam box or not delivered because your email service provider rejects them. Inssist sends emails from no-reply@inssist.com address and never spams.

If you are still not getting a verification code, please send us a message from your email address.

Google WebStore says this item has been disabled in Chrome?

This may happen due to a plugin conflict, during a Chrome version update or if you accidentally disabled the plugin in a Chrome Toolbar.

To enable Inssist, please open chrome://extensions link in Chrome, locate Inssist and click a switch to enable it back:

How to force an update to the latest version?

Chrome typically checks for new plugin version every 24 hours.

You can force an update to the latest version by going to the chrome://extensions link, enabling Developer Mode switch in the top right and clicking Update button.

Standalone versions (MacOS / Windows / Linux) update automatically once they are closed and reopened.

Scheduling Videos hang at 0 or 99.9%

This annoying issue happens during video transcoding on Facebook servers where the process hangs up due to a rare Facebook API bug. Unfortunately it is out of our control, but please navigate and try to upload video through the Facebook Creator Studio to check if this is Inssist issue.

You can try a few things to overcome this problem:

• Reduce video size if possible by converting it to WEBM format using zamzar.com
• Make sure there are no non-latin characters in video metatags such as ü or á. Non-latin characters are known to break video transcoding on Facebook servers.
• Relogin to the Facebook.com and Instagram.com and setup Facebook Crossposting by connecting your Instagram to a Facebook Page manually under Facebook Page settings. This Instagram bug does not happen if your Instagram account is connected to a Facebook Page.

I am getting security warnings from Instagram?

Instagram is known to send warnings if it detects simultaneous account usage from multiple devices.

Try not to run Instagram on Mobile App and Inssist at the same time, reduce the number of actions (likes, follows, posts) you take on Instagram if you are hit by password change requests and security warnings.

It also always a good idea to enable the 2-Factor-Authentication on your account. Find more info on Instagram account security in our Instagram Security Guide

I am being logged out automatically?

Please navigate to Facebook in your Chrome and remove all *.facebook.com cookies. Then navigate to Instagram and remove all *.instagram.com cookies, and relogin back to Facebook and Instagram.

This typically solves the issue. If not, please send us an email.

Doesn’t work while VPN is on?

Inssist needs to be able to make calls to Instagram.com website. Please make sure you can browse the Instagram website and post pages while your VPN is on.

Images are cut or videos do not upload?

For image and video aspect ratios supported by Instagram, please check one of these references: Inssist.com, Later.com or Tailwind.com

You can resize photos and videos to 1.91:1 — 9:16 aspect ratios with one of these free online tools:

• cloudconvert.com
• ezgif.com
• clideo.com

If a video does not upload, please ensure it is of one of supported formats & codecs, e.g. WEBM or MP4-h264. You can convert video format with these free tools:

• zamzar.com, recommended
• video.online-convert.com
• cloudconvert.com
• ezgif.com

Our guide on uploading videos can be found here.

Emojis do not render or show up as □ symbols!

Instagram.com and Inssist relies on Emojis built into your OS. There are know issues with rendering Emojis on Windows 7 for example.

If you have Windows 7 and Emojis do not render properly, try installing an update from Microsoft Support website.

How to activate Replies and Reactions in chat?

Instagram supports replies and reactions in DM chats but this feature may be hidden by default on Desktop. To activate a new version of the DM interface you will need a phone with the official Instagram Mobile App.

Launch Instagram and tap a Messaging / DM icon in the top-right corner of the app. Then open any chat.

Click (i) button at the top-right, click Theme and pick any theme. Once that is done, open that chat on your desktop/mac in Inssist and you will be able to reply to messages and leave emoji reactions on posts.

Inssist.com has refused to connect during checkout?

Please navigate to chrome://extensions page in your browser, locate Inssist, click Details button and make sure the *.inssist.com and *.onfastspring.com items are enabled under “Website access” section.

I found a bug!

🕸️ Help us smash️ it! Drop us an e-mail with the problem screenshot and / or explanation. We will jump right into solving it for you.

If possible please also attach a screenshot of the Console tab as it may contain some errors. You can open the console tab by right-clicking in Inssist page, selecting Inspect and then switching to Console tab at the top.

Our contact details are: inssist@slashed.io