# ig.me Links: How to Create an Instagram DM Link

> An ig.me link opens a DM with your Instagram account in one tap. The exact format, the ref parameter, where it works, where to use it, and a free.

Guide

# ig.me links:   
one tap straight into your DMs

An ig.me link is Instagram's own short link that opens a direct message with your account. This guide shows the exact format, how the optional ref tag works, where the link does and doesn't open, and the best places to use it. Every fact is from Meta's developer documentation, read on 12 November 2026.

[Auto-reply to those DMs, free ](/app/?src=seo&page=guide%2Finstagram-dm-link)[Free DM link generator](/tools/instagram-dm-link-generator/)

1,000 automated DMs a month on Reachlee's free plan · official Meta API

## What is an ig.me link?

An ig.me link is an official Instagram short link that opens a direct-message conversation with an account. The format is ig.me/m/ followed by the username, for example ig.me/m/yourbrand. When someone taps it in the Instagram app, their chat with you opens, new or existing, so they can message you without visiting your profile first. It works on iOS and Android and is not supported on Instagram Web.

1Format: https://ig.me/m/yourusername. Nothing to set up; it works for any Instagram account.

2Optional tag: add ?ref=summer-sale to tell where the tap came from. Businesses on the Messaging API receive that tag.

3It opens in the Instagram app on iOS and Android. Meta says ig.me links are not supported on Instagram Web.

4Best uses: bio, stories, ads, QR codes, emails and your website, wherever you want a conversation to start.

How it works

## How to create an Instagram DM link.

01

### Take your username

Use your Instagram handle exactly as it appears in your profile, without the at sign.

02

### Add it to ig.me/m/

Your link is https://ig.me/m/ followed by the handle. For the handle yourbrand it is https://ig.me/m/yourbrand. The free generator builds it for you.

03

### Optionally tag the source

Add ?ref= and a short label, such as https://ig.me/m/yourbrand?ref=bio. Use letters, numbers, hyphens, underscores or equals signs.

## ig.me link formats

| Link                      | What it does                                                           |
| ------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| ig.me/m/yourbrand         | Opens a direct message with the account                                |
| ig.me/m/yourbrand?ref=bio | Opens the DM and passes the tag "bio" to the business's messaging tool |
| instagram.com/yourbrand   | Opens the profile, where the person still has to tap Message           |

Source: Meta developer documentation, "ig.me Links", read 12 November 2026.

## How the ref parameter works

The ref tag is a label you attach to the link so you know which placement started the conversation. Meta's documentation sets the rules: the tag can be up to 2,083 characters and may contain only letters, numbers, hyphens, underscores and equals signs. When the person opens the link and messages you, the tag is delivered to the business's messaging tool together with the conversation. In a chat that already exists, the referral also restarts the 24-hour window in which the business can reply.

* Use one tag per placement: ref=bio, ref=story-june, ref=qr-menu.
* For brand-new conversations, Meta requires ice breakers (conversation starters) to be set up for the tag to be passed.
* The tag travels with the link, so the person tapping it has nothing extra to do.

What's inside

## Where to use an Instagram DM link.

Anywhere a conversation is worth more than a profile visit.

01

### Your bio

A "Message us" link in your bio or link-in-bio page sends people into a chat in one tap.

02

### Stories

Add it as a link sticker so viewers can ask a question while the story is still on screen.

03

### Ads

Use it as the destination when the goal is a conversation, and tag each ad with its own ref.

04

### QR codes

Print it on packaging, menus or event stands. People scan with the phone camera and land in your DMs.

05

### Email and SMS

Give subscribers a direct way to reply to you on Instagram from a campaign.

06

### Your website

A "Chat on Instagram" button for visitors on their phones.

## What happens after someone taps the link

The link only opens the conversation. What the person sees next decides whether they write to you. Set up ice breakers so a new chat opens with tappable questions, and have a reply ready for the first message. With an automation tool the reply is instant: the person taps a question or sends a keyword and gets the answer, a link or a lead-capture question within seconds, at any hour.

* Ice breakers show up to four tappable questions in a new conversation.
* A keyword reply answers the first message automatically.
* Because the person messaged first, you can reply to them for the next 24 hours.

Pricing

## Answer every DM the link brings in, automatically.

Reachlee's free plan includes 1 Instagram account, 1,000 automated DMs a month and unlimited contacts, with no credit card. Set up ice breakers and keyword replies so nobody who taps your link waits for an answer.

[Start free ](/app/?src=seo&page=guide%2Finstagram-dm-link)

FAQ

## ig.me links, answered.

What does ig.me mean?

ig.me is Instagram's official short-link domain for direct messages. A link in the form ig.me/m/username opens a DM conversation with that account.

How do I get my Instagram DM link?

Write https://ig.me/m/ followed by your username. There is nothing to enable. You can also use the free Reachlee DM link generator, which builds the link for you.

[Free Instagram DM link generator](/tools/instagram-dm-link-generator/)

Do ig.me links work on desktop?

Meta's developer documentation says ig.me links are currently not supported on Instagram Web. They are made for the Instagram app on iOS and Android.

Can an ig.me link pre-fill a message?

No. The link opens the conversation, and Meta's documentation describes no parameter for pre-filled text. Use ice breakers to give people a question to tap, and an automatic reply to answer it.

[Instagram ice breakers](/use-cases/instagram-ice-breakers/)

Is an ig.me link safe?

Yes. ig.me is owned by Instagram, and the link only opens a chat inside the Instagram app. Nothing is sent until the person chooses to write to you.

Can I track who clicked my ig.me link?

You can track which placement started a conversation by adding a ref tag to the link. The tag is delivered with the conversation to tools that use Instagram's Messaging API.

What is the difference between ig.me and a profile link?

A profile link, instagram.com/username, opens your profile, and the visitor has to find and tap Message. An ig.me link skips that step and opens the chat directly.

Does the link work for personal accounts?

The link itself opens a DM with any account. The ref tag and automatic replies need an Instagram professional account connected to a messaging tool.

Keep exploring

## Related guides and tools.

[Instagram DM link generatorFree tool that builds your ig.me link.](/tools/instagram-dm-link-generator/)[Instagram ice breakersTappable questions that open a new conversation.](/use-cases/instagram-ice-breakers/)[DM keyword repliesAnswer the first message automatically.](/use-cases/dm-keyword-trigger/)[Link in bioYour links, offers and lead form on one page.](/use-cases/link-in-bio/)[The 24-hour messaging windowWhen a business can and can't reply.](/guides/instagram-24-hour-messaging-window/)[Instagram DM automation guideThe complete guide to automating DMs safely.](/instagram-dm-automation/)

Last updated 12 November 2026

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Source: https://www.reachlee.co/guides/instagram-dm-link