Important Update: Instagram Basic Display API Deprecation and Changes to Our Instagram Plugin

As of December 4, 2024, the Instagram Basic Display API will no longer be available, which impacts how Instagram feeds can be displayed on our plugin. In response, we’ve updated our plugin to support the new Instagram Graph API. This new API allows creator and business Instagram accounts to continue displaying feeds seamlessly.

Please note: The new API no longer supports Personal Instagram accounts. If you’re currently using a personal account, you will need to convert your Instagram account to either a creator or business account and reconnect it to the plugin to keep displaying your feed.

Why Is This Change Happening?

Facebook has decided to retire the Instagram Basic Display API to enhance the security and privacy of Instagram data. More details about this update can be found in Meta’s official announcement.

How Does This Affect You?

1. Reconnection Required: To continue displaying your Instagram feed, all users need to reconnect their Instagram accounts to the plugin.
2. No Support for Personal Accounts: The new API does not support personal Instagram accounts. If you have a personal account, you’ll need to convert it to a creator or business account to enable feed display.

How to Convert a Personal Instagram Account to a Creator or Business Account

If you're using a personal account and want to continue displaying your Instagram feed, you’ll need to convert your account. Here’s how:

1. Open Instagram on your mobile device.
2. Go to your Profile and tap the Menu icon (three lines in the top-right corner).
3. Navigate to Account type and tools.
4. Choose Switch to Professional Account and follow the prompts.
5. Select either Creator or Business based on your needs.

Once your account has been converted, you can reconnect it to our plugin.

Steps to Reconnect Your Instagram Account

After converting your account, follow these steps to reconnect it to our plugin:

1. Go to the Instagram Widget > Users in your WordPress dashboard and click on the Edit user option from the three dots:
   
2. Choose a method and reconnect your account via Facebook or Instagram, depending on what type of access you have to the needed Instagram account:
   
3. A popup from Facebook or Instagram will appear and will ask you to log in and authorize to view your Instagram account media. Follow the authorization prompts to grant the necessary permissions:
   
4. Keep all permissions as they are (these are required for Instagram Widget to work) and click “Done”.
5. If you granted access to multiple accounts, you will need to select which one you’re connecting this time:
   
6. Now go to the Feeds page and edit the needed feed and ensure it’s configured to display the media from the newly reconnected account using the new API:
   

That’s all! Now your feeds should continue working after December 4, 2024.

FAQs

1. Why is a personal Instagram account no longer supported?
The new API, optimized for creator and business accounts, aligns with Meta's enhanced security measures.

2. Will I lose my previous feed settings?
No, reconnecting your account will preserve your current feed settings and configurations. You’ll only have to update it to display posts from the newly connected account.

3. Is there a difference between Creator and Business accounts?
Creator accounts are intended for public figures and content creators, while business accounts are designed for brands and businesses. Either type will work with our plugin.

For additional questions, please reach out to our support team.