Slot usage
2 slots
Estimated execution time
5–10 minutes*
What you'll need
- A connected Instagram account (use the PhantomBuster browser extension)
-
A Google Sheet or CSV file containing hashtags and the comments you want to post
→ See the full breakdown of all input fields in the detailed section below.
What you’ll get
- Per-post engagement status (liked/commented) and counts
-
Post-level details like URL, image, caption, author, and publication date
→ See the full breakdown of all output fields in the detailed section below.
*For a Workflow targeting 10–20 Instagram posts, the full process typically takes around 5–10 minutes total, including extracting posts, liking, and commenting, plus a few extra seconds for the workflow to process.
Before you start
-
Awareness of platform limits:
- Instagram’s browser version only shows a limited number of posts per hashtag: currently capped at 28 posts.
Step 1: Connect your Instagram account
To let the automation act on your behalf:
- Install the PhantomBuster browser extension and connect your Instagram session in one click.
- If you’re not using Chrome or Firefox, you can retrieve your session cookie manually (see our cookie guide).
Step 2: Provide your hashtags and comments
You’ll need one spreadsheet that contains both the hashtags and the comments you want to post.
Prepare your data in one of these formats:
-
Provide a Google Sheet with hashtags and comments:
- Column A → hashtags
- Column B → comments
- Make sure the sheet is shared with “Anyone with the link.”
-
Upload a CSV file with hashtags and comments:
- Column A → hashtags
- Column B → comments
- Make sure it’s publicly accessible.
- CSV upload is only available on paid plans.
→ The Workflow defaults to column A for hashtags and column B for comments. To use different columns, enter the column header names in the setup fields.
Step 3: Configure engagement settings
-
Number of posts to extract per hashtag (optional):
- Default = 100.
- If left empty, the automation will extract 100 posts.
- Instagram limits this to 28 posts per hashtag on the web version.
-
Number of actions (comments and likes) to make per day (optional):
- Default = 9.
- If left empty, the automation will post 9 comments/likes per day to keep your account safe.
Step 4 (Optional): Advanced settings
Advanced settings are available if you want to fine-tune how your Workflow runs, but by default they’re already optimized for most use cases.
We recommend leaving them as they are unless a guide specifically instructs you to change something.
→ For a detailed overview of all advanced options (like execution limits, retries, email notifications, proxies, webhooks, and file management), see our Advanced settings guide.
Launch and results
When you’re ready:
- Toggle the ON/OFF switch to start your Workflow.
- This Workflow runs on a fixed schedule (no custom launch options available):
- Instagram Hashtag Search Export runs once per hour, extracting up to numberOfPostsPerHashtag posts per hashtag.
- Instagram Auto Commenter runs once per working hour, processing up to 5 posts at a time (commenting and liking them).
-
The next worker agent (or Phantom) to launch is always visible in the Workflow Dashboard.
→ Look for the line starting with “Next:” to know what’s coming up in the sequence.
Once it finishes:
- You can track progress in the Workflow dashboard with the following tabs:
- Report tab: Shows totals for posts collected, posts liked, and posts commented on.
- Posts tab: Displays each post’s status, associated hashtag, and whether it has been liked or commented.
What you give (Input) and What you get (Output)
This section gives you a detailed breakdown of everything you need to provide to run this Workflow, and everything you’ll receive once it completes.
What you give (Input)
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Instagram session | An Instagram account connected to PhantomBuster using the browser extension or a valid session cookie |
| Hashtag & comment spreadsheet | A Google Sheet or CSV file with hashtags in one column and comments in another |
What you get (Output)
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| postUrl | Post Url |
| imgUrl | Img Url |
| description | Description |
| commentCount | Comment Count |
| username | Username |
| hasCommented | Has Commented |
| hasLiked | Has Liked |
| status | Status |
| likeCount | Like Count |
| pubDate | Pub Date |
| message | Message |
| searchQuery | Search Query |
Tips and troubleshooting
Common pitfalls
- Hashtag-only input: This automation only accepts hashtags. To work with hashtags + locations, use the Instagram Multiple Hashtag Collector, then run Instagram Auto Commenter to engage.
- Private accounts: Comments and likes can only be added to public posts.
- Instagram’s hashtag limits: Only ~28 posts per hashtag are visible in browser view.
- No custom scheduling → The schedule is fixed and cannot be changed.
- If the Workflow stops working:
- Errors may not always appear in the Dashboard.
- To check hidden errors and execution details, open the Logs section from the console page of your Workflow. For step-by-step instructions, see How to Troubleshoot Errors in Workflows.
If you run into errors or account issues
- Browse the Fix Issues & Troubleshoot Errors section for solutions to common problems.
- Review our Automation Rate Limits by Platform guide.
- Check our Best Practices for Social Media Automation guide.
Suggested automations
- Instagram Hashtag Search Export → Collect posts from hashtags without engaging, then chain into engagement Phantoms.
- Instagram Auto Commenter → Comment on specific posts you already selected.
- Instagram Auto Liker → Add likes to the same posts you commented on for stronger engagement.
- Instagram Profile Scraper → Gather details from the post owners you’ve engaged with to build lead lists.