Many people use both Instagram and Facebook regularly. If you have accounts on both platforms, you may want to be able to easily view your Instagram feed or access Instagram notifications from within the Facebook app. Luckily, Facebook makes this very simple – you can easily link your Instagram account to your Facebook account in order to view Instagram content directly in the Facebook app.
Does Facebook Own Instagram?
Yes, Facebook does own Instagram. In 2012, Facebook acquired Instagram for $1 billion. Since then, the two platforms have become increasingly integrated in order to provide users with a more seamless social media experience.
Linking your Instagram and Facebook accounts allows you take advantage of this integration. It allows you to cross-post content between the platforms and view Instagram content from within the Facebook app.
How to Link Instagram and Facebook Accounts
Linking your Instagram and Facebook accounts is a very straightforward process. Just follow these steps:
- Open the Instagram app on your mobile device.
- Go to your profile by tapping the person icon in the bottom right.
- Tap the 3 horizontal lines in the top right corner to open the menu.
- Go to Settings > Linked Accounts.
- Under Facebook, tap Connect Account.
- Log into your Facebook account if prompted.
And that’s it! Instagram and Facebook will now be linked. You’ll know the linking was successful if you see a checkmark next to Facebook under Linked Accounts.
How to View Instagram Feed on Facebook
Once you’ve successfully linked your Instagram and Facebook accounts, viewing your Instagram feed on Facebook is easy:
- Open the Facebook app on your mobile device or navigate to Facebook in your desktop browser.
- Go to your profile by clicking on the profile icon in the bottom or top right corner.
- In the left sidebar menu, you will now see an Instagram icon below the shortcuts to News Feed, Messenger etc.
- Click on the Instagram icon.
Your Instagram feed will now open within the Facebook app or website. You can scroll through all of your Instagram posts without having to switch over to the Instagram app.
Viewing Instagram Stories on Facebook
In addition to your main Instagram feed, you can also view Instagram Stories from within the Facebook app:
- Go to your profile page in the Facebook app.
- At the top of your profile, you will see a bar with your Instagram username and profile picture.
- Tap on your Instagram profile picture.
This will open your Instagram Stories tray inside the Facebook app. You can tap through all of the stories from people you follow on Instagram. Your own stories will also appear here if you want to view them.
Instagram Notifications on Facebook
Having your accounts linked means you can also view Instagram notifications without switching apps. Whenever you get a like, comment, mention, or follower on Instagram, the notification will appear in your Facebook notifications as well.
To view your Instagram notifications on Facebook:
- Tap on the notifications icon in Facebook (the bell icon).
- Your Instagram notifications will be mixed in with your Facebook notifications.
- Tap on any Instagram notifications to open them within the Facebook app.
This makes it easy to keep up with all of your Instagram activity without having to constantly switch between the two apps.
Cross-Posting Between Facebook and Instagram
Linking your accounts also makes it simple to share content across Facebook and Instagram. When composing a post on either platform, you have the option to cross-post to the other with just the tap of a button.
To cross-post Facebook posts to Instagram:
- Create a new Facebook post as usual.
- Before posting, tap on the Instagram icon below the post text.
- The post will now be shared to your Instagram feed when you tap Post.
To cross-post Instagram posts to Facebook:
- Create a new Instagram post as usual.
- Below the post, switch on the Facebook toggle.
- The Instagram post will also share to your Facebook feed.
Cross-posting makes it easy to share content seamlessly between your connected social profiles.
Disconnecting Instagram and Facebook
If at any time you want to unlink your Instagram and Facebook accounts, it’s easy to do:
- Go to your Instagram profile.
- Tap the 3 lines to open the menu.
- Go to Linked Accounts.
- Under Facebook, tap Disconnect Account.
- Confirm that you want to unlink the accounts.
Your Instagram feed and notifications will no longer appear in Facebook after disconnecting. You can always link them again in the future if you want to re-enable the integration.
Troubleshooting Tips
If you’re having any trouble getting your Instagram feed to show up on Facebook, here are some troubleshooting tips:
- Make sure you are logged into the same Facebook account that you connected to Instagram. Instagram only displays for the connected Facebook account.
- Double check that the linking process completed successfully on Instagram’s side. Go to Linked Accounts and make sure there is a checkmark next to Facebook.
- Try force quitting both the Facebook and Instagram apps and restarting them. This can resolve any issues with the linking.
- As a last resort, unlink and then re-link the accounts. Go through the full connection flow again from the beginning.
Accessing Old Instagram Photos on Facebook
When you first connect your Instagram and Facebook accounts, only your recent Instagram posts will show up on Facebook moving forward. Your old Instagram photos won’t automatically transfer over to Facebook retroactively.
However, there is a way to get your old Instagram photos onto Facebook as well:
- Go to your Instagram profile and tap the 3 line menu.
- Select Settings > Account > Request Download.
- Enter your email and request a download of your Instagram data.
- Once the download is ready, open the file and you’ll have access to all your old Instagram photos.
- Manually upload any photos you want to also share on Facebook.
It takes a few extra steps, but this lets you fill your Facebook profile with your Instagram pics going back as far as you want!
Conclusion
Linking your Instagram and Facebook accounts makes it possible to easily view your Instagram content directly within the Facebook app. You can access your Instagram feed, stories, and notifications alongside all your Facebook content in one place. It provides a convenient way to manage both platforms without constantly switching between different apps.
To recap, here are some of the key benefits of linking Instagram and Facebook accounts:
- View Instagram feed within Facebook
- Watch Instagram Stories on Facebook
- Get Instagram notifications on Facebook
- Cross-post between platforms
- Easily manage multiple accounts in one place
So if you use both Instagram and Facebook frequently, take the time to link your accounts. Having everything conveniently viewable in one spot can save you a lot of hassle!