How to Embed Instagram on Discord

Sharing your latest Instagram post directly in a Discord server is a brilliant way to keep your community updated and engaged without making them leave the platform. Whether you’re a content creator, a brand manager, or just running a server for your friends, this simple integration can make your server the central hub for all your updates. This guide will walk you through everything, from the simple copy-paste method to a fully automated feed that pushes new Instagram posts right to a channel of your choice.

Why Should You Embed Instagram on Discord?

Connecting your Instagram presence to your Discord server isn't just a neat trick, it’s a smart move for building a more connected and informed community. For brands, artists, and streamers, it turns a passive chat server into an active slice of your brand's world. Here’s why it’s worth setting up:

• Keep Your Community in the Loop: Not everyone in your Discord follows you on every single platform. By embedding your latest Instagram posts, you make sure your most dedicated followers see your new content, announcements, or behind-the-scenes moments right where they’re already hanging out.
• Increased Engagement and Cross-Promotion: When a new post appears in a dedicated channel, it sparks conversation. It also serves as a gentle-yet-effective reminder for server members to check out your Instagram, possibly giving you a boost in follows and likes.
• Create a Rich Content Hub: A dedicated channel for your social feeds makes your Discord server feel more official and comprehensive. It becomes a one-stop-shop for everything related to your content or brand, making it more valuable for your members.
• Save Time and Effort: Once you set up an automated feed, you don't have to think about it again. Every time you post on Instagram, it'll show up in Discord automatically, streamlining your content distribution workflow.

Method 1: The Manual Approach (Copy and Paste)

The simplest way to get an Instagram post into Discord is by manually copying its link and pasting it into a chat channel. Discord is excellent at generating "embeds" - rich previews of links - so your post will show up nicely formatted with the image, part of the caption, and a link back to the original.

This method is perfect for one-off shares or if you only want to highlight specific posts rather than your entire feed.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Find the Instagram Post: Open Instagram on your web browser or mobile app and navigate to the post you want to share.
2. Copy the Post's URL:
   • On a web browser, the URL is right in the address bar. Just copy it.
   • On a mobile phone, tap the three dots (...) above the post and select "Link" or "Copy Link."
3. Paste it into Discord: Go to the Discord channel where you want to share the post and paste the URL. After a second or two, Discord will automatically generate a preview of the embed.
4. Send the Message: Hit Enter to send. The Instagram post, complete with its main image and your username, will now appear embedded in the channel for everyone to see.

A word of warning: This only works for public Instagram accounts. If your account is private, Discord won’t be able to generate a preview, and users will just see a link that they can’t access unless they follow you.

Method 2: The Automated Feed Using Webhooks and IFTTT

If you want every new Instagram post to automatically appear in a Discord channel, you'll need a more advanced solution. This method uses two key tools: Discord Webhooks and an automation platform like IFTTT (If This Then That). It might sound technical, but it’s surprisingly straightforward to set up.

A Discord Webhook is a special URL that allows external services (like IFTTT) to send messages to a specific channel in your server. IFTTT acts as the bridge that watches your Instagram account for new posts and then tells the Webhook to post a message in Discord.

Part 1: Setting Up Your Discord Webhook

First, you need to create the Webhook inside your Discord server. This gives IFTTT a destination to send the Instagram updates to.

1. Access Server Settings: In your Discord server, click on the server's name in the top-left corner and select "Server Settings." You'll need administrator or manage server permissions to do this.
2. Navigate to Integrations: In the left-hand menu, find and click on "Integrations."
3. Create a Webhook: Click the "Webhooks" button, and then click the "New Webhook" button.
4. Customize Your Webhook: Discord will generate a new Webhook with a funny default name. You can (and should) customize it:
   • Name: Change the name to something descriptive, like "Instagram Feed" or "IG Updates."
   • Channel: Select the channel where you want your Instagram posts to appear. It's best to create a dedicated channel for this, like #instagram, #social-feed, or #announcements.
   • Avatar: You can even change the avatar picture to the Instagram logo to make it look more official.
5. Copy the Webhook URL: Once you're done customizing, click the "Copy Webhook URL" button. Treat this URL like a password - anyone with it can post messages directly to your channel. Don't share it publicly. Paste it somewhere safe for the next part of the tutorial.

Part 2: Connecting Instagram to Discord with IFTTT

Now that you have your Discord Webhook URL, it's time to build the engine that will run the automation using IFTTT.

1. Create an IFTTT Account: Go to ifttt.com and sign up for a free account if you don’t already have one.
2. Create a New Applet: Once you’re logged in, click "Create" in the top-right corner to start building a new connection (which IFTTT calls an "Applet").
3. Set Up the “If This” Trigger: Click the big "Add" button for the "If This" section. Search for "Instagram" and select it. You’ll be prompted to connect your Instagram account. After connecting, you'll see a list of possible triggers. Choose "Any new photo by you."
4. Set Up the “Then That” Action: Now click the "Add" button for the "Then That" section. Search for "Webhooks" and select it. The only available action is "Make a web request." Click on that.
5. Configure the Web Request Body: This is the most important part - you're telling IFTTT exactly how to format the message it sends to your Discord Webhook. Fill out the fields as follows:
   • URL: Paste the Discord Webhook URL you copied earlier.
   • Method: Select POST from the dropdown menu.
   • Content Type: Select application/json from the dropdown menu.
   • Body: This field uses JSON code to craft a beautiful, embedded message. Delete any text in the body and paste the following code block. You can click "Add Ingredient" to see what information from Instagram is available, but this pre-made code works wonders.
   {
"username": "Instagram",
"avatar_url": "https://i.imgur.com/g0Pao47.png",
"embeds": [{
"author": {
"name": "{{Username}} posted a new photo!"
},
"title": "{{Caption}}",
"url": "{{Url}}",
"image": {
"url": "{{SourceUrl}}"
},
"color": 15258703
}]
} This code formats the post with a nice embedded layout, including the caption, clickable Instagram URL, and the image itself.
6. Finish the Applet: Click "Create action" and then "Continue." You’ll be prompted to give your Applet a descriptive name if you like. Toggle the Applet on and click "Finish."

That's it! From now on, whenever you publish a new photo to the Instagram account you connected, it will automatically appear in your designated Discord channel within a few minutes.

Best Practices for Your Instagram Feed Channel

Once you've got your new feed running, follow a few best practices to make sure it's valuable to your community instead of feeling like spam.

• Use a Dedicated Channel: Don’t dump your Instagram feed into your #general chat. Create a specific, clearly named channel like #social-updates. This keeps your server organized and lets members mute the channel if they prefer not to see the updates.
• Communicate Its Purpose: Pin a message in the channel explaining what it's for. Something simple like, "Hey everyone! This channel automatically posts our latest photos from Instagram. Drop a like or comment here if you dig the post!" can set expectations and encourage engagement.
• Engage with Reactions: Just because the posting is automated doesn’t mean your interaction should be. When people react to the embedded posts in Discord with emojis or comments, jump in and chat with them. It bridges the gap between the two platforms and makes the feed feel more alive.
• Avoid Over-Pinging: Configure the channel's notification settings to be less intrusive. A feed of posts doesn't need to ping @everyone or @here with every update. It's a passive feed for members to catch up on, not a critical alert.

Final Thoughts

Connecting your Instagram feed to Discord - whether manually for special posts or fully automated for every update - is a powerful way to unify your online presence and keep your community engaged. By sending your social content directly to where your audience gathers, you create a more dynamic and informative space that adds real value.

Once you get used to cross-promoting content, managing your brand presence across multiple platforms becomes the next puzzle. At Postbase, we know how chaotic that can feel, so we built our entire platform around giving you a clear, centralized view. Our visual calendar lets you see your content schedule at-a-glance, so you can easily plan how an Instagram post will complement your upcoming TikTok video or YouTube Short, creating a consistent strategy without the headache.