When you set up an automation, PhantomBuster needs a secure connection to your social media account, like LinkedIn, Instagram, or X. This lets PhantomBuster perform actions on your behalf without accessing your password or login credentials. The quickest way to connect is with the PhantomBuster browser extension. You can also connect manually.
How to connect your account
Choose your situation:
| I want to... | Guide |
|---|---|
| Connect my own LinkedIn or Sales Navigator account | How to Connect LinkedIn Accounts |
| Connect my own Instagram, X, Facebook, or other account | How to Connect Non-LinkedIn Accounts |
| Connect someone else's LinkedIn account (teammate or client) | Connect LinkedIn — teammate or external contributor |
| Connect someone else's social media account | Connect Non-LinkedIn — someone else's account |
| Install or use the browser extension | Browser Extension guide |
Recommended: The browser extension is the fastest way to connect any account. It detects your session automatically, no copying or pasting required.
Fix connection and session cookie errors
If your connection isn't working or your session expired, these guides will help:
| Error or symptom | Guide |
|---|---|
| "Expired session cookie" / "Invalid session cookie" | How to Fix Session Cookie Expiration Errors |
| "Disconnected by Instagram" / account disconnected by platform | How to Fix Account Disconnection Errors |
| "No valid credentials found" | How to Fix the "No Valid Credentials Found" Error |
| "Missing cookie" / "A session cookie is required" | How to Fix the "Missing Cookie" Error |
| Two-factor authentication (2FA) blocking automation | 2FA and PhantomBuster: What You Need to Know |
| Not sure what went wrong | Overview of Connection and Authentication Errors |
How PhantomBuster account connections work
Why PhantomBuster needs access to your account
PhantomBuster automates actions as if you were doing them manually, like visiting a profile, sending a message, or extracting results from a page you're logged into. To do this, it needs temporary access to your session, not your password or login credentials.
What is a session cookie
A session cookie is a small piece of data your browser saves when you log into a website.
It tells the site: "This person is already logged in, no need to ask for the password again."
PhantomBuster uses your session cookie to:
- Confirm you're logged into your account.
- Perform actions like visiting profiles or sending messages.
- Stay connected without interrupting your active session.
Session cookies are:
- Temporary: they expire if you log out or stay inactive.
- Secure: PhantomBuster never accesses your login credentials.
This is a tutorial on what a session cookie is and how it works:
What is a user agent (LinkedIn only)
For LinkedIn and Sales Navigator, PhantomBuster also needs your user agent: a short bit of text that tells LinkedIn which browser and device you're using.
This helps PhantomBuster match your real browsing environment, keeping your connection stable and trusted.
You can find your user agent by searching "What's my user agent" on Google. The result will look something like this:
Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10_15_7) AppleWebKit/605.1.15 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/17.0 Safari/605.1.15
The exact string varies by your browser and operating system. Copy the entire line.
You don't need a user agent for other platforms like Instagram, Twitter/X, Facebook or other platforms.
What to expect when connecting your account
When you set up a Phantom that requires a login (e.g. LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook or X/Twitter), you'll see a prompt to connect your account.
There are two ways to connect:
- Use the PhantomBuster browser extension: Fast, automatic, and recommended.
- Connect manually: Ideal if the extension isn't available or if you're connecting someone else's account (LinkedIn only).
Once connected, your session is saved and will remain active until it expires or the account logs out. If your session expires, you'll be prompted to reconnect before running your automation again.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to reconnect every time I run an automation?
No. Once connected, your session stays active until it expires or you log out of the platform in your browser. Most sessions last days to weeks depending on the platform.
Does PhantomBuster access my password?
No. PhantomBuster only uses your session cookie, a temporary token that confirms you're logged in. It never sees, stores, or requests your login credentials.
Can I connect multiple accounts from one Workspace?
Yes. You can connect multiple LinkedIn, Instagram, X, or Facebook accounts to the same PhantomBuster Workspace, whether they belong to you, teammates, or external contributors. See the guides above for details.
What is a session cookie and is it safe?
A session cookie is a small piece of data your browser saves when you log into a website. It confirms you're logged in without sharing your password. PhantomBuster uses your session cookie to perform actions on your behalf, it never accesses or stores your login credentials. Session cookies are temporary and expire if you log out or stay inactive.
Why does my session keep expiring?
Session cookies expire when you log out of the platform in your browser, clear your cookies, or stay inactive for an extended period. Some platforms also rotate sessions periodically for security reasons. If your session expires frequently, make sure you're not logging out of the platform in your regular browser while PhantomBuster is running. See the troubleshooting guides above for specific error fixes.