With over 1 billion monthly active users, Instagram has become one of the most popular social media platforms for sharing photos and videos. Many Instagram users also have Facebook accounts and want to easily share content between the two platforms. Luckily, syncing your Facebook contacts to Instagram is a straightforward process that takes just a few minutes.
By syncing your Facebook friends to Instagram, you can easily find people you know and follow them on Instagram. You can also use synced contacts to invite friends who aren’t on Instagram to join the platform. Overall, syncing your Facebook contacts makes it simpler to connect with friends, family, and acquaintances on Instagram.
Why Sync Facebook Contacts with Instagram?
Here are some of the key reasons you may want to connect your Facebook friends list with your Instagram account:
Easily Find People You Know
Syncing your contacts enables Instagram to automatically suggest Facebook friends who have Instagram accounts. This makes it easy to search for and find profiles of people you’re already connected with on Facebook.
Quickly Follow Friends
Once connected, you can rapidly follow your Facebook friends who use Instagram with just the tap of a button. You don’t have to search for each person individually.
Invite Friends to Join Instagram
If some of your Facebook friends aren’t on Instagram yet, connecting your contacts allows you to invite them to create an Instagram account. You can select multiple friends at once to invite.
Cross-Post Between Platforms
Linking your Facebook and Instagram accounts together makes it simpler to share your posts on both platforms. You can save time by auto-posting your Instagram photos to Facebook.
Find Facebook Friends to Follow
Syncing your contacts gives you a ready-made list of Facebook friends to follow on Instagram. You can browse the list to find acquaintances, old classmates, family members, and others you know.
Requirements to Sync Contacts
Before connecting your Facebook friends to Instagram, make sure you meet these requirements:
- You must have an active Facebook account.
- You need to have the Instagram app installed on your mobile device and be logged into your account.
- Your Facebook and Instagram accounts must use the same email address or phone number.
- Your Facebook account must have contacts/friends added.
- Your contacts/audience privacy settings on Facebook must be set to allow Instagram to access your contacts.
As long as you meet these requirements, you can sync your Facebook contacts seamlessly with your Instagram app on iOS or Android devices. The syncing process works the same way on both iPhone and Android phones.
How to Sync Facebook Contacts to Instagram on iPhone
Here is a step-by-step guide to connecting your Facebook friends list with Instagram on an iPhone:
Step 1: Open the Instagram App
Launch the Instagram app on your iPhone. Make sure you’re logged into the Instagram account you want to sync contacts with.
Step 2: Go to Your Profile
Tap on the profile icon in the bottom right corner to open your Instagram profile.
Step 3: Access Settings
Tap on the three-line menu button in the top right corner of your profile screen. This will open the menu options. Tap on “Settings” to open your account settings.
Step 4: Choose Contacts
Under your account settings, tap on “Contacts.” This will open your contacts management page.
Step 5: Select “Sync Contacts”
On the contacts page, tap on “Sync Contacts.” A pop-up will appear asking you to confirm that you want to sync contacts from your Facebook account.
Step 6: Tap “OK” to Confirm
Tap on “OK” to confirm that you want to sync your Facebook contacts. This will initiate the syncing process.
Step 7: Log Into Facebook
You will temporarily be redirected to Facebook. Log into your Facebook account when prompted.
Step 8: Allow Contact Access
Once logged into Facebook, you’ll need to select “Okay” to allow Instagram to access your Facebook contacts.
Step 9: Sync Completed
After allowing contact access on Facebook, you will be redirected back to Instagram. The syncing process will complete in the background. All of your Facebook friends who have Instagram will now be suggested contacts for you to follow.
How to Sync Facebook Contacts to Instagram on Android
On Android phones, the process is very similar. Just follow these steps:
Step 1: Open the Instagram App
Launch the Instagram app and log into your account if you aren’t already.
Step 2: Go to Your Profile
Tap on your profile icon in the bottom right to open your Instagram profile.
Step 3: Tap the Menu Icon
Tap on the three horizontal line menu icon in the top right of your profile screen.
Step 4: Choose Settings
Scroll down and select “Settings” from the menu options.
Step 5: Tap Contacts
In your settings, tap on “Contacts” to manage your contacts.
Step 6: Select Sync Contacts
On the contacts management page, tap on “Sync Contacts” and confirm you want to sync Facebook contacts when prompted.
Step 7: Log Into Facebook
Log into your Facebook account when redirected.
Step 8: Allow Contact Access
Choose “Okay” to allow Instagram access to your Facebook contacts.
Step 9: Completed
You will be redirected back to Instagram once contact access is allowed and the sync will finish.
How Long Does Syncing Take?
It usually takes just a few minutes for the contact sync between Facebook and Instagram to fully complete. The time varies slightly depending on how many Facebook friends you have.
If you have a lot of contacts, it may take up to an hour to sync everything. The contacts are synced in the background, so you can continue using Instagram normally while it finishes.
How to See Synced Facebook Contacts
Once the sync finishes, you have a few options to see your connected Facebook contacts on Instagram:
Suggested Contacts List
Open your main contacts list in the Instagram app, and your Facebook friends will appear at the top of the suggestions. You can scroll through and follow people directly from here.
Follower/Following Lists
If you already follow any of your synced Facebook friends on Instagram, they will be automatically grouped together in your followers and following lists. Look under the “Facebook Friends” section.
Search Bar
You can search for specific Facebook friends in the Instagram search bar, and their profiles will appear as results to choose from.
How to Stop Syncing Facebook Contacts
If you change your mind and want to stop syncing Facebook friends to Instagram, follow these steps:
iPhone Instructions
- Open Instagram settings
- Tap “Contacts”
- Tap “Disconnect Contacts”
- Confirm disconnection when prompted
Android Instructions
- Open Instagram settings
- Tap “Contacts”
- Tap “Disconnect Contacts”
- Confirm disconnection
This will prevent any new Facebook contacts from syncing. Any previously synced contacts will remain in your Instagram account.
Troubleshooting Facebook Contact Syncing Issues
In most cases, syncing your Facebook friends to Instagram is straightforward. But occasionally issues come up. Here are some potential solutions if you have problems:
Double Check Account Login
Make sure you are logged into the correct Facebook and Instagram accounts that are linked. Use the same email/phone number on both platforms.
Confirm Contact Permissions
On Facebook, check that your contact visibility is set to allow Instagram to access and sync your friends list.
Update the Instagram App
Ensure you have the latest version of the Instagram app installed on your device.
Reconnect Contacts
Try toggling the contact sync off and back on again in your Instagram settings.
Log Out and Back In
If issues continue, log out fully of both Instagram and Facebook. Close the apps entirely. Then log back in and retry the sync.
Contact Instagram Support
For additional help, reach out to the Instagram support team by submitting a contact form on their Help Center.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is syncing my Facebook contacts to Instagram safe?
Yes, syncing your Facebook contacts is completely safe and your information is secure. Instagram uses industry-standard encryption and security protocols to protect user data.
Can I choose which Facebook friends sync to Instagram?
Unfortunately, you cannot select specific Facebook friends to sync over. Connecting your contacts syncs your entire friends list unless you block individual people.
Will syncing contacts spam my friends?
No, syncing your contact list does not automatically follow, share with, or message your Facebook friends on Instagram. It simply adds them to your suggested contacts.
Can I sync Instagram contacts to Facebook?
The contact sync only works one way – from Facebook to Instagram. You cannot sync your Instagram contacts back to your Facebook account.
What if I don’t have Facebook?
If you don’t have a Facebook account, you won’t be able to sync Facebook friends. However, you can still manually find and connect with people on Instagram.
Conclusion
Syncing your Facebook contacts to Instagram is a fast and convenient way to find friends and expand your Instagram network. With just a few taps in your Instagram app settings, you can connect the contacts lists of the two platforms.
Remember to always double check that you are logged into the right accounts before initiating the sync. And you can stop contact syncing at any time if you change your mind.
With your Facebook friends readily available on Instagram, it makes it that much simpler to find and interact with all your personal connections on Instagram!