How to Make a Broadcast Channel on Instagram
Quick answer
Create a broadcast channel by opening Messages, tapping the pencil (new message) icon, and choosing Broadcast channel. Name it, set who can join, and share your first message. You need a creator account; personal and most business accounts do not see the option.
Step by step
- 1
Switch to a creator account if needed
Go to Settings > Account type and tools > Switch to professional account and pick Creator. Broadcast channels are gated to creator accounts.
- 2
Open Messages and tap the pencil icon
The new-message icon sits in the top-right of your inbox.
- 3
Select Broadcast channel
Give the channel a name your audience will recognize. You can also set an audience (everyone or followers) and an optional end date.
- 4
Create the channel and send the first message
The channel goes live once you send something. Text, voice notes, photos, polls, and links all work.
- 5
Promote it
Followers who interact get a one-time join notification. Add the channel link to your Story and bio to grow it faster.
Worth knowing
- Only you can post; members can react and vote in polls. It is one-to-many by design.
- Channel content is visible to anyone in the channel, so treat it as public even though it lives in DMs.
Doing this for a brand, not just an account?
A broadcast channel is an owned audience inside Instagram, closer to an email list than a feed, and it rewards a steady cadence of messages.
Common questions
Why don't I see the broadcast channel option?
You are almost certainly not on a creator account. Switch account type in Settings, then check the pencil menu again. Availability can also lag by region.
Can followers reply in my broadcast channel?
Not with messages. Members can react with emoji and answer polls, but only the channel owner and invited collaborators can post.
How do people find and join my channel?
Through the join notification, your profile, or a share link. Post the link to Stories and pin it in your bio to keep new followers flowing in.