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Access token - Instagram Glossary

An access token is the credential a connected app uses to act on your Instagram account. It is issued by Meta when you authorise the app, is scoped to specific permissions, expires on a schedule, and can be revoked by you at any time.

Tokens are why a legitimate tool never needs your password. You authorise through Meta's own login screen, Meta issues a token to the app, and the app can do only what the token's scopes permit. Any product asking for your Instagram password directly is bypassing this entirely.

Long-lived tokens typically last around 60 days and must be refreshed before expiry, which is why connected tools occasionally ask you to reconnect. A tool that stores tokens without encrypting them at the application layer is one database leak away from handing out working access to every connected account.

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