If you run into a problem while connecting your Instagram account to Vardast — or right after — it's almost always one of the three issues below. Each one has a simple fix.
1) The Instagram app opens instead of the browser
The connection only works in a browser (web) and can't be completed from inside the Instagram app. Sometimes, though, the Instagram app opens instead of a browser and shows a page that says "The profile you're looking for doesn't exist". When that happens the connection won't go through, and you need to force your phone to open the link in a browser instead.
This happens because your phone is set to open Instagram links directly in the app. Just turn that setting off (on Android):
1. Swipe down from the top of the screen to open the quick-settings panel and tap the gear icon (Settings).
2. In the Settings search box, type "apps" and tap "Apps".
3. In the list of apps, find Instagram and tap it.
4. Under "Defaults", tap "Set as default".
5. Turn off the "Open supported links" toggle.
Now go back to Vardast and click Connect again. This time the link opens in a browser and you can complete the connection.
If it still won't connect, try these in order:
- Do the same steps on a desktop computer — this is usually the simplest and most reliable option, because the Instagram app can't hijack the flow mid-way.
- Or do the connection on a phone that doesn't have the Instagram app installed.
- Or open an incognito (private) window in your browser so the link can't jump into the app.
- If none of that works, uninstall the Instagram app for a few minutes, complete the connection from start to finish, then reinstall it.
The exact menu names vary a little by phone brand and version, but the overall path is the same: Settings → Apps → Instagram → Set as default → turn off Open supported links.
2) The "future activity" error while connecting
Sometimes, instead of finishing the connection, you see an error page with a message like OAuthException … future activity …. This means the "Connect future activity" option is turned off in your Meta account settings, and Instagram won't let the connection complete. The fix takes a few seconds:
1. Close the error page and open the Instagram app. Go to Settings and activity, and under "Your account" tap "Accounts Centre".
2. Tap "Your information and permissions".
3. Tap "Your activity off Meta technologies".
4. Scroll down a little and tap "Manage future activity".
5. Select "Connect future activity" to turn it on. If you see the green text "This is your current experience" underneath, it's set correctly.
Now return to Vardast and connect again — this time it should complete without the error.
3) Vardast isn't receiving messages after connecting
Sometimes the account connects successfully, but no messages or comments arrive in your panel and the AI has nothing to reply to. In most cases the cause is one of two settings in the Instagram app itself: either message access is turned off, or the Vardast app permissions aren't enabled. Check both (all of them live under Settings and activity in Instagram).
Part one: turn on message access
1. In Settings, under "How others can interact with you", tap "Messages and story replies".
2. Tap "Message requests".
3. Do two things: turn on "Allow access to messages", and under "Who can send you message requests" choose "Everyone". (If "Allow access to messages" is off, Vardast won't receive any messages.)
Part two: check the Vardast app permissions
4. Go back to Settings and, under "Your app and media", tap "Website permissions".
5. Tap "Apps and websites".
6. In the "Active" tab, find the "vardast-IG" app and tap "View and Edit". (If the connection went through correctly, it should appear right here in the Active tab.)
7. Make sure both of these permissions are enabled (checked):
- "Access your business message information"
- "Access your business comment information"
After turning on "Allow access to messages" and confirming both permissions are enabled, send a test message to your page. It should appear in your Vardast panel.
If messages still don't arrive, the connection was probably incomplete — disconnect the account once and reconnect it following the Instagram connection guide.