siimply marketing
Settings
All guides
Guide
2 min read

Use any Instagram account — switch to a Creator profile in 30 seconds

Why this app (and Buffer, Later, every other scheduler) needs a Creator or Business account, and how to switch without your followers noticing.

Short version: Instagram's official API only works with Creator or Businessprofiles. Personal accounts have no public API for posting, DMs, comments, or insights — none. This isn't a quirk of this app. Buffer, Later, Hootsuite, Metricool — every legitimate scheduler has the same requirement, because they all use the same Meta Graph API.

The good news: switching is free, takes 30 seconds, is invisible to your followers, and is reversible at any time.

Why not just "use my regular account"?

The only way to automate a personal account is browser automation or reverse-engineered private mobile APIs. Both are explicit Terms-of-Use violations. Instagram's spam detection catches them within days for any account that posts or DMs at scale, and the typical outcome is a permanent ban — losing all your followers and content. We don't build that path here, and you shouldn't use any service that does.

How to switch (Instagram mobile app)

  1. Tap your profile picture → menu (☰) → Settings and activity
  2. Tap Account type and tools
  3. Tap Switch to professional account
  4. Pick a category (your niche — "Personal Blog" is fine if unsure)
  5. Choose Creator (or Business — Creator is the better default for personal brands, influencers, freelancers; Business is for shops and companies). You can switch between Creator and Business later.
  6. Skip the "contact info" step if you want — it's optional

What changes?

  • Your followers and posts stay exactly as they are
  • Your profile looks the same to visitors (you can hide the category label in settings)
  • You get an Insights tab in the app — reach, impressions, follower demographics
  • Your DMs split into "Primary", "General", and "Requests" tabs
  • You can now run ads if you want (you don't have to)
  • You unlock API access — this app and others can now connect

What you might lose

  • The ability to set your account to Private. Creator and Business profiles must be public.
  • Music in Stories for some regions, due to licensing. Most regions still get music access on Creator accounts.

Switching back

Same place: Settings and activity → Account type and tools → Switch account type → Switch to personal account. Your data is preserved.

Now connect

Head back to the home page and click Connect Instagram.