How to Create Instagram Access Token

Cmsmasters Instagram widget provides an easy way to display your actual Instagram photos at your WordPress site in real time. 

As displaying the photos from third-party accounts is restricted by Instagram policy, you should know how to get permission to display Instagram images. In order to access your photos and prove you’re the owner of your account and allow using the photos and all the content on your site, you’d have to set the Instagram Access Token first.

How to get the Instagram Access Token?

NOTE! Before getting your Access Token you have to register as a developer in Facebook.

1. Create a Facebook App

On the Facebook for Developers page, click the Create App button.

create app fb

In the appeared pop-up window, select the last option – Something Else.

app type fb

Fill in the fields in the opened form and click the “Create App” button.

NOTE! Do not select a Business Account option in Do you have a Business Manager account drop-down menu.

app display name fb

2. Add Instagram App

After creating the App you will be redirected to a page offering to add a product and continue the setup. You need the Instagram Basic Display option. Click the “Set Up” button.

setup Instagram basic display

Here you will get detailed information about the Basic Display, Permissions and Use Cases. Read it, scroll down to the bottom of the screen and you’ll see the notice: Please update your Application Settings before creating an Instagram App.

application settings fb

Proceed to the Settings and click on the + Add Platform button.

add platform fb

Select the Website platform:

select platform fb

Enter your site URL and save changes.

enter site url fb

After that proceed to Instagram Basic Display -> Basic Display and click on the Create New App button.

create new app fb

In the newly opened pop-up window, give a name to your app and click the “Create App” button.

enter display name fb

3. Add an Instagram Test User

Proceed to the Roles tab and add the Instagram tester.

add Instagram test user

In the appeared pop-up window, you need to specify your Instagram account, which will set as Tester User’s one.

enter instagram username fb

After clicking the “Submit” button, an invitation will be sent to this Instagram user.

instagram invitation sent fb

Open a new web browser tab to go to Instagram and sign into your Instagram account. Navigate to the Settings block.

instagram settings

Go to Apps and Websites on the left panel and find the Tester Invites tab. Accept the invitation you’ve previously sent.

accept invitation

Your Instagram account is now eligible to be accessed by your Facebook app.

instagram testers fb

4. Get Instagram Access Token using App ID and App Secret

After you successfully added a Tester and passed validation through Instagram, go to the Products tab in the Dashboard on the left. Click on Instagram Basic Display dropdown list and select Basic Display.

Scroll down to find the User Token Generator block and hit the “Generate Token” button.

generate token fb

NOTE! Make sure you are logged in to the Instagram account, which is your Tester User’s one.

allow access Instagram

As you can see the token was successfully created. Check ‘I understand’ box and then copy the token.

token generated fb

Adding Access Token to the CMS Settings

Proceed to the CMS Settings and scroll down to the Instagram. 

Enter your Profile URL, choose the type of your Instagram Account, paste the Access Token and click on the Get User ID button. Don’t forget to save changes.

set cmsmasters settings

All done! Now you can go back to Elementor and use the Instagram widget to display photos from your account.