Reply to direct messages from the inbox
Read and answer Instagram and Facebook messages without leaving SocioRolla.
3 min readUpdated 21 Oct 2026Pro and Max only
Before you start
Steps
Open Inbox. Messages shows the conversations from your connected Instagram and Facebook accounts, newest first. A green number marks unread messages.
Click a conversation. The thread opens on the right, on the newest message.
Click Rolly under the box and a draft appears in it. Nothing is sent. Read it, change what you like, then send it yourself.
Under the box: attach a file, add an emoji, search a GIF (Instagram and Facebook), record a voice note, insert a saved reply, or dictate with the microphone.
Click the send arrow, or press Enter. The message appears in the thread.
Open a Facebook conversation and click Saved replies. Pick one and it fills the box. Saved replies belong to the brand, so the whole team shares them.
Click the reply you want. It lands in the box, ready to edit and send.
Meta only allows a reply within 24 hours of the person's last message. After that the box is replaced by a note, and you can reply again once they write to you.
What Messages covers
Direct messages exist for Instagram and Facebook, so those are the two platforms in the list. Threads and YouTube have comments only. Opening a conversation marks it read.
The 24-hour window
Instagram and Facebook only let you answer within 24 hours of the person's last message. After that the box is replaced by a note, and you can reply again once they write to you.
What you can send
- Text, emoji, and photos, videos or other files with the paperclip.
- A GIF, on Instagram and Facebook conversations. The search is powered by GIPHY.
- A voice note recorded in the browser. The browser asks for the microphone the first time.
- A saved reply, or a draft from Rolly. Both land in the box for you to edit.
- Dictation with the microphone by the send arrow, which types what you say.
Reply to this message on a message quotes it in your answer.
Photos, videos and voice notes people send
SocioRolla keeps its own copy of what people send you for 90 days, because Meta doesn't hand it back on a later read. A message from before that copy began can show Media not available.
Messages sent by an automation
A message an automation sent carries its name under it, so nobody has to guess who wrote it.
Plans
Replying and Rolly's drafts are on the Pro and Max plans.