Meta App Review for Instagram content publishing
To publish to Instagram accounts you don't own, your Meta app needs Advanced Access to the content publish permission. That means App Review and Business Verification. Here is what the process involves and how to avoid the usual rejections.
Updated
Standard vs Advanced Access
Meta apps start with Standard Access, which works for accounts that have a role on your app, like you and your testers. To serve Instagram professional accounts you don't own or manage, Meta requires Advanced Access. Advanced Access requires App Review and Business Verification.
Which permission to request
| If you use | Request |
|---|---|
| Instagram API with Instagram Login | instagram_business_basic and instagram_business_content_publish |
| Instagram API with Facebook Login | instagram_basic, instagram_content_publish, pages_read_engagement and usually pages_show_list |
| Facebook Page Reels and posts | pages_show_list, pages_read_engagement, pages_manage_posts |
Publishing won't work without the matching basic permission. Request only what your product uses. Every extra permission needs its own justification and screencast.
Before you submit
- Business Verification. Verify the business that owns the app in Meta Business Manager. Have legal name, address and documents ready. This can take a while, and you can't finish App Review without it.
- A working app. Reviewers test the real flow. Your login and posting must work for a test Instagram account.
- Test calls. Make successful API calls with each permission you request before submitting.
- Privacy policy and data deletion. Public URLs that explain how you use Instagram data and how users delete it.
- App in Live mode with icon, category and contact details filled in.
The screencast
Each permission needs a screen recording that shows a reviewer how your app uses it. For content publishing, show:
- A user starting in your app and clicking connect.
- The full Instagram or Facebook login and the permission grant screen.
- The user creating a post in your UI: picking media, writing a caption, choosing the account.
- The post being published, then the post visible on Instagram.
Use English UI or add captions, keep it short, and don't skip steps. Reviewers reject videos that jump straight to the result.
Common rejection reasons
- Screencast doesn't show the login and permission grant.
- Use case description is generic, like 'to post content'. Explain who your users are and what they publish.
- The reviewer couldn't log in or reach the posting flow. Provide test credentials and steps.
- Requested permissions the screencast doesn't use.
- Business Verification not complete.
After approval
Approval isn't the end. Meta runs periodic data use checkups, and adding a new permission later means another review. Watch your app's alerts in the developer dashboard, since unanswered requests can lead to restrictions.
When to skip it
If posting is a feature of your product rather than the product, you can use a posting API instead. With UGC API, your users connect through our Meta app and you call POST /v1/posts. You avoid App Review, but your users see our app on the consent screen, and you work with the options we expose. Compare both paths in doing it yourself vs UGC API, and read the Instagram Reels publishing guide for the technical side. To see what our API covers, start with Instagram posting API.
Write a use case reviewers understand
The written justification matters as much as the video. Name your users, say what they publish and why your app needs to do it for them. For example: 'UGC agencies use our app to publish short videos their creators made to the creators' own Instagram Business accounts on a schedule the creator approved.' Then match the screencast to that sentence. If your description says scheduling, show scheduling. Reviewers check that the permission is necessary for the feature they see, so a short, concrete use case beats a long, general one.
FAQ
Do I need App Review to post to my own Instagram account?
No. Standard Access covers accounts with a role on your app. App Review is needed to serve accounts you don't own or manage.
Is Business Verification required?
Yes, for Advanced Access. Meta requires both App Review and Business Verification.
How long does Meta App Review take?
Meta doesn't guarantee a timeline. Plan for at least a few days, longer if you're rejected and resubmit.
Can I avoid App Review by using a posting API?
Yes. With UGC API, users connect to our Meta app. You don't submit your own review for publishing.