## Overview

**Social channels** bring your social media messages into the platform. Direct messages and
interactions from **Facebook Messenger**, **Instagram** and **TikTok** arrive as conversations in the
same panel, with per-contact history, assignment, internal notes and automations.

Your team replies to everything in one place, without switching between apps and without losing the
context of each customer.

## Prerequisites

- An **administrator** profile to create social channel inboxes.
- An **account/page** on the corresponding network with admin permission to connect it.
- Authorization (login) on the social network at connection time, granting the requested permissions.
- Some social channels may depend on being enabled for your account — check with an administrator if
  the option doesn't appear.

## Step by step

1. Under **Settings → Inboxes**, create a new inbox and choose the desired social channel
   (**Facebook Messenger**, **Instagram** or **TikTok**).
2. **Log in** to the social network and authorize the connection, granting the requested permissions.
3. Select the **page/account** to connect to the inbox.
4. Finish creating the inbox.
5. Send a **test message** through the social network and confirm it reaches the platform.

## Settings & options

- **Connected account**: the network page/account linked to that inbox.
- **Assignment and teams**: define who handles conversations from that channel.
- **Automation and replies**: apply automations, canned responses and greetings as in other channels.
- **Reconnection**: if the authorization expires, log in again to reactivate the channel.

## Use cases

- Handle Instagram and Messenger DMs alongside WhatsApp and website, without switching apps.
- Reply to interactions coming from TikTok and turn followers into CRM contacts.
- Standardize marketing and sales support across every network.

## Tips, limits & best practices

- Each network has its **own rules and reply windows** — answer within the allowed timeframe.
- Keep the account **permissions** valid; expired authorizations stop messages from arriving.
- Use a profile with page admin access to avoid connection blocks.

## Troubleshooting

- **Messages don't arrive**: check whether the authorization is still valid and log in again if
  needed.
- **Can't select the page/account**: confirm your user is an admin of it on the network.
- **The channel doesn't appear at creation**: it may not be enabled for your account — talk to an
  administrator.

## See also

- [WhatsApp Cloud API with Embedded Signup](/hc/ajuda/articles/inboxes-channels-whatsapp-cloud-embedded-signup-en)
- [Website channel with live chat widget](/hc/ajuda/articles/inboxes-channels-canal-site-widget-en)
- [Inbox settings](/hc/ajuda/articles/inboxes-channels-configuracoes-de-inbox-en)
- [Overview of inboxes and channels](/hc/ajuda/articles/inboxes-channels-overview-en)