> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.indm.social/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Update an automation > Changes an existing automation. Send only the fields you want to change: - A field you leave out stays as it is. - An empty string `""` removes an optional text field, such as `public_reply`, `opener_message` or `followup_message`. - `keywords` and `links` replace the whole list. Sending `links: []` removes every link. It does not change whether the automation is live or paused; [Set automation status](/api-reference/automations/set-automation-status) does that. On a live automation the change is in effect for the next comment. Needs a `full` key. ## OpenAPI ````yaml patch /automations/{automation_id} openapi: 3.1.0 info: title: inDM API version: 1.0.0 summary: >- Build, launch and read Instagram comment-to-DM automations from your own code. description: > The inDM API gives your code the same reach as the inDM app: list the posts and reels inDM has synced, pull in new ones, build automations on them, set them live and read how they are doing. Every request is authenticated with an API key created in **Settings → API keys**. Keys belong to one workspace and carry a scope, `read` or `full`. Keys are server-side secrets: the API sends no CORS headers, so a browser can't call it directly. Nothing sends through this API. No DM, broadcast or public reply leaves Instagram by this path, and every automation it creates starts as a `draft`. Setting one `live` is the only call that changes what people on Instagram receive. contact: name: inDM support email: support@indm.social url: https://docs.indm.social servers: - url: https://api.indm.social/v1 description: Production security: - apiKey: [] tags: - name: Workspace description: The workspace and API key behind a request. - name: Accounts description: Connected Instagram accounts, their health, and content refreshes. - name: Media description: Posts and reels inDM has synced from Instagram. - name: Automations description: Comment-to-DM automations. Created as drafts; set live when you're ready. paths: /automations/{automation_id}: patch: tags: - Automations summary: Update an automation description: > Changes an existing automation. Send only the fields you want to change: - A field you leave out stays as it is. - An empty string `""` removes an optional text field, such as `public_reply`, `opener_message` or `followup_message`. - `keywords` and `links` replace the whole list. Sending `links: []` removes every link. It does not change whether the automation is live or paused; [Set automation status](/api-reference/automations/set-automation-status) does that. On a live automation the change is in effect for the next comment. Needs a `full` key. operationId: updateAutomation parameters: - $ref: '#/components/parameters/AutomationId' requestBody: required: true content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/AutomationUpdate' example: dm_message: Here's the spring planting guide, with the new seed list. public_reply: '' responses: '200': description: The automation as saved. headers: X-Request-Id: $ref: '#/components/headers/X-Request-Id' RateLimit-Limit: $ref: '#/components/headers/RateLimit-Limit' RateLimit-Remaining: $ref: '#/components/headers/RateLimit-Remaining' RateLimit-Reset: $ref: '#/components/headers/RateLimit-Reset' content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/AutomationWriteResult' '400': $ref: '#/components/responses/BadRequest' '401': $ref: '#/components/responses/Unauthorized' '403': $ref: '#/components/responses/Forbidden' '404': $ref: '#/components/responses/NotFound' '429': $ref: '#/components/responses/RateLimited' '500': $ref: '#/components/responses/ServerError' components: parameters: AutomationId: name: automation_id in: path required: true description: >- The automation `id` from [List automations](/api-reference/automations/list-automations). schema: type: string format: uuid example: 9a4b1c7e-2d3f-4a5b-8c6d-1e2f3a4b5c6d schemas: AutomationUpdate: description: > The fields to change. Anything you leave out stays as it is. `""` removes an optional text field. `keywords` and `links` replace the whole list. allOf: - $ref: '#/components/schemas/AutomationFields' AutomationWriteResult: description: The automation as saved, and anything that was adjusted on the way in. allOf: - $ref: '#/components/schemas/Automation' - type: object required: - caveats properties: caveats: type: array description: > Anything about the saved automation that differs from the request, or that is worth knowing before it goes live. Empty when there is nothing to add. items: $ref: '#/components/schemas/Caveat' AutomationFields: type: object description: The fields create and update share. properties: name: type: string description: A short name for your own list in inDM. example: Spring guide reel keywords: type: array minItems: 1 maxItems: 20 description: > The words that trigger it. Case-insensitive, so `GUIDE` also matches `guide`. A keyword belongs to one automation. Up to 20. items: type: string example: - GUIDE dm_message: type: string maxLength: 1000 description: > The direct message the fan receives, carrying the link. Write it in the language your audience reads; an automation sends in whatever language its copy is in. With an opener set, this becomes the second message. Up to 1,000 characters. example: Here's the spring planting guide. Enjoy it. button_label: type: string maxLength: 20 description: The opt-in button's label. Up to 20 characters. example: Send me the guide public_reply: type: string maxLength: 2200 description: >- A public reply posted under the fan's comment. Up to 2,200 characters. example: Sent it to your DMs. link_url: type: string format: uri description: > The one link the DM delivers. Starts with `https://` or `http://`. For more than one link, use `links` instead. example: https://example.com/spring-guide link_title: type: string maxLength: 20 description: The label on the link's button. Up to 20 characters. example: Open the guide links: type: array maxItems: 3 description: > Two or three links, in the order the fan sees them, instead of `link_url`. One message carries at most three links; that ceiling is Instagram's. How many a workspace can attach depends on its plan. items: $ref: '#/components/schemas/Link' opener_message: type: string maxLength: 1000 description: > An opt-in message sent first. When set, `dm_message` becomes the second message and the fan receives it only after they reply. You don't need an opener to deliver a link: the one private reply a comment earns can carry the link on its own. An opener makes the link follow a yes, and the fan's reply opens the 24-hour window for anything sent after it. Up to 1,000 characters. opener_plain_text: type: boolean description: > Send the opener as plain text with no button, so any reply counts as the opt-in. Only meaningful with `opener_message`. follow_gate: type: boolean description: > Ask the fan to follow the account before the link arrives. Needs a link. After four asks the link is delivered anyway. follow_gate_message: type: string description: >- Your own words for the follow ask, in place of inDM's. Needs `follow_gate`. follow_gate_visit_label: type: string maxLength: 20 description: >- The label on the button that opens your profile. Up to 20 characters. Needs `follow_gate`. follow_gate_following_label: type: string maxLength: 20 description: >- The label on the button a fan taps once they follow. Up to 20 characters. Needs `follow_gate`. email_gate: type: boolean description: >- Ask the fan for an email address before the link arrives. Needs a link. email_gate_message: type: string description: >- Your own words for the email ask, in place of inDM's. Needs `email_gate`. followup_message: type: string maxLength: 1000 description: > A second message sent later, to everyone who received the first one. It can't be held back from people who already tapped the link. It needs something that opens the 24-hour window first, so an `opener_message`, `follow_gate` or `email_gate`. Whether it sends depends on the workspace's plan. Up to 1,000 characters. followup_delay_minutes: type: integer minimum: 30 maximum: 1200 description: > How long after the first message the follow-up goes out, from 30 minutes to 20 hours (1,200 minutes). The ceiling is Instagram's 24-hour window minus headroom. Required with `followup_message`. Automation: description: > An automation's full setup: everything [Update an automation](/api-reference/automations/update-automation) can change, as it is stored now. The names match the update body, so you can edit what you read and send it back. The one difference: `public_replies` lists every public reply, where a create or update body sets one as `public_reply`. allOf: - $ref: '#/components/schemas/AutomationSummary' - type: object required: - dm_message - button_label - public_replies - links - opener_message - opener_plain_text - follow_gate - email_gate - follow_gate_message - follow_gate_visit_label - follow_gate_following_label - email_gate_message - followup_message - followup_delay_minutes properties: dm_message: type: string description: >- The message carrying the link. With an opener, this is the second message. example: Here's the spring planting guide. Enjoy it. button_label: type: string description: The opt-in button's label. example: Send me the guide public_replies: type: array description: >- The public replies inDM posts under a fan's comment, one per comment. Empty when there are none. items: type: string example: - Sent it to your DMs. links: type: array description: >- The links the DM delivers, in the order the fan sees them. Empty when there are none. items: $ref: '#/components/schemas/Link' opener_message: type: string description: The opt-in message sent first. Empty when there is no opener. example: '' opener_plain_text: type: boolean description: Whether the opener is sent as plain text with no button. example: false follow_gate: type: boolean description: Whether the fan is asked to follow before the link arrives. example: false email_gate: type: boolean description: >- Whether the fan is asked for an email address before the link arrives. example: false follow_gate_message: type: string description: >- Your own words for the follow ask. Empty when inDM's wording is used. example: '' follow_gate_visit_label: type: string description: >- The label on the button that opens your profile. Empty for inDM's. example: '' follow_gate_following_label: type: string description: >- The label on the button a fan taps once they follow. Empty for inDM's. example: '' email_gate_message: type: string description: >- Your own words for the email ask. Empty when inDM's wording is used. example: '' followup_message: type: string description: The second message sent later. Empty when there is no follow-up. example: '' followup_delay_minutes: type: integer description: >- How long after the first message the follow-up goes out. `0` when there is no follow-up. example: 0 Caveat: type: object required: - code - message properties: code: type: string description: A stable code for what was adjusted. example: followup_goes_to_everyone message: type: string description: What it means, in a sentence. example: >- The follow-up goes to everyone who received the first message, including people who already tapped the link. Error: type: object description: Every error has this shape. required: - error properties: error: type: object required: - type - code - message - doc_url properties: type: type: string description: The family of error. Each maps to one HTTP status. enum: - invalid_request - authentication_error - permission_error - plan_limit - not_found - conflict - rate_limited - api_error code: type: string description: > A stable, specific code. Branch on this, never on `message`. Every code is listed on [Errors](/errors). example: dm_message_too_long message: type: string description: >- A sentence for a person, saying what happened and what to do next. It may change; don't parse it. param: type: string description: >- The request field the error is about. Left out when no single field is. example: dm_message doc_url: type: string format: uri description: A link to this code on the [Errors](/errors) page. example: https://docs.indm.social/errors#dm_message_too_long Link: type: object required: - url properties: url: type: string format: uri description: Where the link goes. Starts with `https://` or `http://`. example: https://example.com/spring-guide title: type: string maxLength: 20 description: The label on the link's button. Up to 20 characters. example: Open the guide AutomationSummary: type: object description: An automation as it appears in a list. required: - id - name - status - trigger - binding - account_id - keywords - dm_sent_count - created_at - updated_at properties: id: type: string format: uuid example: 9a4b1c7e-2d3f-4a5b-8c6d-1e2f3a4b5c6d name: type: string example: Spring guide reel status: type: string enum: - draft - live - paused example: live trigger: type: string description: What fires it, such as `comment`. example: comment binding: type: string description: > How it is attached to content: `specific` for one post, `next` for the next post the account publishes, `any` for every post. example: specific account_id: type: string format: uuid example: 6f1c2a9e-3b7d-4e21-9a55-0c8d2f4b7e10 media_id: type: string format: uuid description: The post it is attached to. Present when `binding` is `specific`. example: 3d2a7f10-9c4e-4b8a-a1f2-6e0b5d7c9a31 keywords: type: array description: The words that trigger it, as stored. items: type: string example: - GUIDE dm_sent_count: type: integer description: DMs this automation has sent since it was created. example: 182 created_at: type: string format: date-time example: '2026-11-05T09:02:11Z' updated_at: type: string format: date-time example: '2026-11-05T09:04:30Z' headers: X-Request-Id: description: >- A unique id for this request. Include it when you write to support and we can find the request at once. schema: type: string example: req_8Qm2ZcY4vN7tLp1K RateLimit-Limit: description: >- Requests this key may make per minute, across every route. Sent once the key is accepted. schema: type: integer example: 120 RateLimit-Remaining: description: >- Requests left in the current one-minute window. `0` when a write is refused for the write limit. schema: type: integer example: 117 RateLimit-Reset: description: Seconds until the current window resets. schema: type: integer example: 42 Retry-After: description: Seconds to wait before trying again. schema: type: integer example: 18 responses: BadRequest: description: >- The request can't be processed as sent. `param` names the field when there is one. headers: X-Request-Id: $ref: '#/components/headers/X-Request-Id' content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error' example: error: type: invalid_request code: button_label_too_long message: >- The button label is 26 characters. Instagram shows up to 20, so it would be cut off. param: button_label doc_url: https://docs.indm.social/errors#button_label_too_long Unauthorized: description: The API key is missing, malformed, expired or revoked. headers: X-Request-Id: $ref: '#/components/headers/X-Request-Id' content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error' example: error: type: authentication_error code: api_key_expired message: >- This API key expired on 3 Feb 2027. Create a new one under Settings → API keys. doc_url: https://docs.indm.social/errors#api_key_expired Forbidden: description: > The key's scope doesn't cover this route (`permission_error`), or the workspace's plan doesn't include what this write needs (`plan_limit`). headers: X-Request-Id: $ref: '#/components/headers/X-Request-Id' content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error' examples: insufficient_scope: summary: A read key on a write route value: error: type: permission_error code: insufficient_scope message: >- This key is read-only, and POST /v1/automations changes things. Use a key with full access. doc_url: https://docs.indm.social/errors#insufficient_scope plan_limit: summary: A write the plan doesn't include value: error: type: plan_limit code: followup_requires_paid_plan message: >- Follow-up messages send on Growth. Everything else in this request can be saved without the follow-up. param: followup_message doc_url: https://docs.indm.social/errors#followup_requires_paid_plan NotFound: description: Nothing with that id exists in this key's workspace. headers: X-Request-Id: $ref: '#/components/headers/X-Request-Id' content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error' example: error: type: not_found code: media_not_found message: >- There's no post with that id in this workspace. GET /v1/media lists them; refresh the account first if it was just published. param: media_id doc_url: https://docs.indm.social/errors#media_not_found RateLimited: description: >- This key went past its rate limit. Wait for `Retry-After` seconds, then try again. headers: X-Request-Id: $ref: '#/components/headers/X-Request-Id' Retry-After: $ref: '#/components/headers/Retry-After' RateLimit-Limit: $ref: '#/components/headers/RateLimit-Limit' RateLimit-Remaining: $ref: '#/components/headers/RateLimit-Remaining' RateLimit-Reset: $ref: '#/components/headers/RateLimit-Reset' content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error' example: error: type: rate_limited code: rate_limited message: >- That's more than 120 requests a minute on one key. Wait 18s and try again. doc_url: https://docs.indm.social/errors#rate_limited ServerError: description: > Something failed on our side. Retrying with backoff is safe for reads. The same body comes with `503` when inDM briefly can't reach its database. headers: X-Request-Id: $ref: '#/components/headers/X-Request-Id' content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error' example: error: type: api_error code: internal_error message: >- Something went wrong on our end. Try again; if it keeps happening, quote request req_8Qm2ZcY4vN7tLp1K to support@indm.social. doc_url: https://docs.indm.social/errors#internal_error securitySchemes: apiKey: type: http scheme: bearer bearerFormat: indm_ API key description: > An API key from **Settings → API keys** in the inDM app, sent as `Authorization: Bearer indm_...`. Keys belong to one workspace and carry a scope: `read` for GET routes and the validate dry run, `full` for everything. Keep keys on your server; never ship one to a browser or a mobile app. ```` This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.