What connecting Instagram to Facebook actually does
Connecting Instagram to Facebook lets you share posts from Instagram directly to Facebook without posting twice. When you connect the accounts, Instagram and Facebook recognize that you own both, and you can choose to cross-post — send the same photo, video, or carousel to both platforms at once. The connection also lets you manage both accounts from Facebook's business tools if you use them for work.
This is different from linking your Facebook login to Instagram, which is what happens when you first sign up for Instagram using your Facebook account. That's a one-time setup. Connecting for cross-posting is something you turn on in settings after you already have both accounts.
The connection is optional. You can have Instagram and Facebook accounts that never talk to each other. But if you post the same content to both regularly, connecting them saves you the step of uploading separately.
Key Takeaways
- You need to own both an Instagram account and a Facebook account before you can connect them for cross-posting.
- The connection happens in Instagram's settings under Accounts Center, not in Facebook itself.
- Once connected, you can choose to send individual posts to Facebook when you post on Instagram, or skip Facebook for certain posts.
- Cross-posting works for photos, videos, and carousels, but Stories and Reels have separate sharing options.
- You can disconnect the accounts at any time, and posts already shared will stay on both platforms.
How to connect Instagram and Facebook on your phone
Open Instagram and tap the menu icon — three horizontal lines in the bottom right corner. Scroll down and tap Settings and privacy, then tap Settings. Look for Accounts Center and tap it. If you don't see Accounts Center, scroll down further — it's usually near the bottom of the settings list.
Tap Accounts at the top of the Accounts Center screen. You'll see a list of accounts you can connect. Tap Add account and choose Facebook from the list. Instagram will ask you to log in to Facebook if you're not already logged in on your phone. Enter your Facebook email and password, then tap Continue. Instagram will ask for permission to access your Facebook account — tap Allow to finish the connection.
Once connected, both accounts will appear in your Accounts Center. You can now cross-post. When you create a new post on Instagram, before you tap Share, look for the option to add it to Facebook — it usually appears as a toggle or checkbox. Turn it on, and the post will go to both platforms when you hit Share.
How to connect Instagram and Facebook on a computer
Go to instagram.com and log in. Click the menu icon — three horizontal lines in the bottom left — and select Settings and privacy, then Settings. Click Accounts Center from the left sidebar. If the sidebar doesn't show it, scroll down the settings list until you find it.
Click Accounts at the top. You'll see any accounts already connected. Click Add account and select Facebook. A window will open asking you to log in to Facebook. Enter your email and password, then click Continue. Facebook will ask for permission — click Allow to complete the connection.
To cross-post from a computer, create a new post on Instagram. Before you click Share, look for the option to also post to Facebook — it's usually a checkbox or toggle near the bottom of the post editor. Check it, then click Share. The post will appear on both Instagram and Facebook.
What happens when you cross-post
When you send a post to both platforms, Instagram and Facebook each get their own copy. The image or video is the same, but the caption, comments, and engagement are separate. A like on Instagram doesn't show on Facebook, and a comment on Facebook doesn't appear under the Instagram version. This is because the two platforms treat them as different posts, even though they came from the same upload.
Cross-posting works for feed posts — regular photos, videos, and carousels. Stories don't cross-post automatically; you have to share a Story to Facebook separately if you want it on both. Reels also have their own sharing options and don't cross-post the same way feed videos do.
If you delete a post from Instagram, it won't automatically delete from Facebook. You'll need to delete it from Facebook separately if you want it gone from both platforms.
Disconnecting Instagram and Facebook
If you want to stop the connection, go back to Accounts Center in Instagram settings. Find the Facebook account in your list of connected accounts and tap or click it. Look for the option to remove or disconnect — the exact wording varies by phone or computer, but it's usually near the bottom of that account's settings. Tap or click it, and confirm when Instagram asks if you're sure.
Disconnecting stops future cross-posting, but it doesn't delete posts you've already shared to both platforms. Those posts stay where they are. You can reconnect the accounts later if you change your mind.
Troubleshooting common connection problems
If you don't see Accounts Center in your Instagram settings, make sure you're using the current version of the app. Check your phone's app store or your computer's browser to see if an update is available. Accounts Center is a newer feature, so older versions of Instagram won't have it.
If Instagram asks for your Facebook password and you don't remember it, go to facebook.com and click Forgotten password? on the login screen. Facebook will walk you through resetting it. Once you've reset your password, try connecting again in Instagram.
If the connection fails and you see an error message, log out of both Instagram and Facebook completely, then log back in. Sometimes a stale session causes connection problems. If it still doesn't work, try a different browser or device — occasionally a specific app or browser has a temporary glitch.
If you're trying to cross-post but don't see the Facebook option when you create a post, make sure the accounts are actually connected by checking Accounts Center again. If they show as connected but the option still doesn't appear, try logging out of Instagram and logging back in.
When cross-posting might not be the right choice
Cross-posting works well if you post the same content to both platforms and want to save time. But if your Instagram and Facebook audiences are different, or if you write different captions for each platform, cross-posting will send the same caption to both — which might not fit the tone or style of each audience.
Some people use Instagram for personal photos and Facebook for professional updates, or vice versa. In those cases, keeping the accounts separate makes more sense than connecting them. You can always post to one platform, then manually post to the other with a different caption if the content is different enough to warrant it.
If you manage Instagram and Facebook for a business, connecting them can be useful for consistency, but it also means you can't A/B test different captions or posting times on each platform. Some businesses prefer to keep them separate for that reason.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a Facebook account to use Instagram?
No. You can create an Instagram account with just an email address or phone number. Connecting to Facebook is optional and only needed if you want to cross-post or use Facebook's business tools to manage Instagram.
If I connect Instagram and Facebook, can someone see my Instagram posts on my Facebook profile if I don't want them to?
Only if you choose to cross-post. Connecting the accounts doesn't automatically share anything. You decide for each post whether to send it to Facebook or keep it on Instagram only.
What if I have multiple Instagram accounts?
You can connect multiple Instagram accounts to the same Facebook account through Accounts Center. Each Instagram account will appear separately in your list, and you can cross-post from any of them.
Can I schedule posts to cross-post later?
On a computer, you can schedule Instagram posts and choose to cross-post them at the same time. On a phone, Instagram doesn't have a built-in scheduling feature, but some third-party apps can schedule posts and cross-post them if you give them permission.
What if my Facebook account is deactivated or deleted?
If your Facebook account is deactivated, the connection will pause until you reactivate it. If your Facebook account is permanently deleted, you'll need to disconnect it from Instagram and connect a different Facebook account if you want to cross-post again.