The "Manual Action Required: Instagram Terms Update" error means Instagram is blocking your Phantom because you haven't accepted Instagram's latest Terms of Service. To fix it: log into Instagram manually in your web browser, accept the updated Terms when prompted, then return to PhantomBuster and relaunch your Phantom. To avoid future interruptions, log into your Instagram account manually from time to time to catch new prompts before they block your automations.
If Instagram is asking for account verification or a security check rather than Terms acceptance, see How to Fix Facebook and Instagram Account Verification Errors instead.
Why you're seeing this
This error means Instagram is blocking your Phantom because you haven't accepted its latest Terms of Service. Until you do, Phantoms such as the Instagram Follower Collector won't be able to run.
Instagram occasionally updates its terms or policies, and these must be accepted manually in your Instagram account before automations can continue. Similar terms-acceptance flows exist on Facebook and LinkedIn, the fix is always the same: log in manually and clear any pending prompts.
How to fix it
Log into Instagram manually
- Open Instagram in your web browser.
- If prompted, review and accept the updated Terms of Service.
Return to PhantomBuster
Once you've accepted the updated Terms, relaunch your Phantom (for example, the Follower Collector) from your PhantomBuster Dashboard.
How to prevent this from happening again
- Log into your Instagram account manually from time to time (every few weeks is usually enough).
- This helps you catch new prompts: terms updates, security checks, policy notices, before they block your automations.
- The same habit works for Facebook and LinkedIn accounts used with PhantomBuster.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Instagram blocking my Phantom?
Instagram occasionally updates its Terms of Service and requires users to accept the new version manually. Until you accept, Instagram blocks all actions on the account, including PhantomBuster automations.
Can PhantomBuster accept the Terms for me?
No. Terms acceptance has to happen on Instagram directly, from your logged-in account. This is Instagram's policy, not a PhantomBuster limitation.
How often does Instagram update its Terms?
There's no fixed schedule. Instagram updates its Terms periodically, usually when policies change or new features roll out. Logging in manually every few weeks is usually enough to catch prompts early.
Will my Phantom break again after the next Terms update?
Yes, unless you accept the new Terms before relaunching. Logging in manually once in a while is the simplest way to stay ahead of it.
Does this affect other platforms?
Similar terms-acceptance flows exist on Facebook and LinkedIn, though they're less frequent on LinkedIn. If you see a comparable error on another platform, the fix is the same: log in manually and accept any pending prompts.
Which Instagram Phantoms are affected?
All of them. Instagram blocks the account entirely until Terms are accepted, so any Phantom using that account (Follower Collector, Post Liker, Auto Commenter, etc.) will fail with the same error.
What to do if the error keeps happening
- If you've accepted Instagram's updated terms but still see the error, get in touch with our Customer Care Team.