Instagram DM limits: how many messages are safe?
Instagram does not publish exact numbers, but it does warn and restrict accounts it suspects of automation. Here is what published guidance recommends, the limits Spaces keeps every account inside, and why replying to people who message you is the safest use of all.
What the guidance recommends
- At most about 100 actions a day and 10 an hour, especially for outreach, follows, likes and comments.
- Replying to everyone who messages you is fine, just as it is in the app.
- Start new or quiet accounts lower and build up over time.
- Spread actions out at random during working hours.
The limits Spaces enforces
| Action | Spaces limit per account |
|---|---|
| Messages | Up to 80 a day, at least 15 seconds apart |
| New conversations | 6 an hour, 20 a day (8 a day in week 1) |
| Comment replies | 4 an hour, 20 a day |
| Likes and reactions | 10 an hour, 40 a day |
| Posts | 1 an hour, 3 a day |
| Profile views | 10 an hour, 40 a day |
The messaging window
Instagram only lets a business message someone who has not written to it inside its messaging window, so the reliable use is answering people who message you, or who comment on your posts.
Who you message
Pricing
FAQ
How many Instagram DMs can I send a day?
Published guidance suggests staying around 100 actions a day. Spaces caps messages at 80 a day per account, and replies to people who message you are the safest use.
What does "we suspect automated behavior" mean?
It is a warning Instagram shows when it thinks an account is automated. Slow down, stay well inside the limits, and read Instagram's rules in the box above.
Do comment replies count?
Yes. Spaces counts them separately: at most 20 comment replies a day per account.