To link Instagram to TikTok now, you add your Instagram profile's web address as a website link on your TikTok profile (Profile, Edit profile, then Add next to Links). TikTok says you need at least 1,000 followers or a Verified Business Account to add a link, and it no longer supports the old buttons that opened other social apps directly. It's a profile link only: nothing posts automatically from one app to the other.
Going the other way is easier. Instagram lets you add up to five websites to your profile, so your TikTok profile address can sit right under your bio with no follower minimum mentioned in Instagram's Help Centre.
Why so many guides are out of date: for years TikTok had an Add Instagram button that logged you in and dropped an Instagram icon on your profile. TikTok's own help page now says it no longer supports links that open or log you into other social media apps. You can still add a link that points to Instagram's website, but the one-tap icon most tutorials describe has gone.
What linking means, and what it doesn't
| People expect | What happens now |
|---|---|
| An Instagram icon on TikTok | A website link to your Instagram profile instead |
| Videos posting to both apps at once | No automatic cross-posting described by either app |
| Followers carried across | No. Each app keeps its own audience |
| Anyone can add a link on TikTok | TikTok needs 1,000 followers or a Verified Business Account |
| Instagram has a limit too | Instagram allows up to five websites on your profile |
So think of it as a signpost, not a bridge. Someone who likes your TikTok can tap through and find you on Instagram, and that's it.
Steps in TikTok: add your Instagram as a website link
First, copy your Instagram profile's web address. In Instagram, open your profile, tap the share profile option and copy the link. Then in TikTok:
- Tap Profile at the bottom of the TikTok app.
- Tap Edit profile.
- Next to Links, tap Add.
- Paste your Instagram profile address and follow the steps to save it.
Those are the steps TikTok's help page gives. If a menu name looks different in your version, search TikTok's settings for the word Links.
When someone taps your link, TikTok opens it in its in-app browser. TikTok says it uses safety measures that limit browsing through chains of links, so some visitors may see a prompt to open the page in their phone's own browser instead. That's normal and nothing is broken.
Steps in Instagram: add your TikTok to your profile
- Go to your Instagram profile by tapping your picture in the bottom right.
- Tap Edit profile at the top.
- Tap Links, then tap Add external link.
- Paste your TikTok profile address, then tap Done.
- Tap Back to save.
You can reorder your links from the same Links screen if you'd like TikTok to sit first. Instagram's Help Centre reminds you that anyone, on or off Instagram, can see the websites on your profile.
Choosing between one plain link and a link page? My comparison of link in bio tools for Instagram and TikTok walks through when a single page with all your links makes more sense.
Why the link option might not show up
- You're under the TikTok threshold. TikTok says website links need at least 1,000 followers, unless you have a Verified Business Account.
- You're looking for the old Instagram button. It isn't there any more. Use the Links field with your Instagram web address instead.
- You're on a computer. TikTok's steps start in the TikTok app, so do this on your phone.
- Your app is out of date. Update TikTok and Instagram from your app store, then look again.
- You're on a teen account. Instagram's Help Centre says teens under 18 can't include links to certain websites in their bios, so a link may be removed.
Cross-posting by hand, the honest way
Neither help centre describes a setting that sends your TikTok videos to Instagram or your Instagram posts to TikTok automatically. If you want the same video in both places, you post it in both places yourself.
What I'd do: keep a clean copy of every video on your phone before you add any app's text or stickers, then upload that clean copy to each app with a caption written for that audience. The two apps reward slightly different things, and my piece on Instagram Reels vs TikTok for business explains where each one tends to work best.
Hashtags are worth adjusting too, rather than pasting the same block into both. I've covered hashtags that work on TikTok and Instagram separately.
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Making the link earn its place
A link nobody notices does nothing. A few small habits make people tap it:
- Use the same handle on both apps where you can. If someone searches for you by name after watching a video, they'll find the right account first time.
- Give people a reason to cross over. Tell your TikTok viewers what's different on Instagram, such as longer captions, carousels or behind the scenes Stories, rather than just saying follow me.
- Check the link works. After saving, tap it from a friend's phone or a logged-out browser to make sure it opens your profile and not an error page.
- Mention it out loud. A quick line at the end of a video, such as more on my Instagram, linked on my profile, does more than a silent link ever will.
- Keep your profile picture the same on both. People recognise faces faster than names, so a matching photo tells them they've landed in the right place.
None of this needs a tool or a paid plan. It just needs the link to be there and a reason for people to use it.
My advice
If you're under 1,000 TikTok followers, don't stress about the link. Put your Instagram handle in your TikTok bio as plain text, mention it in a video now and then, and add the clickable link once you cross the threshold. On Instagram, add your TikTok link today, because there's nothing stopping you.
And if a website or app promises to auto-post between TikTok and Instagram by asking for your passwords, be careful. Only connect tools you trust, and never hand over a login to something you found in a random comment.
Frequently asked questions
Can I still link my Instagram to TikTok?
Yes, as a website link. TikTok no longer supports links that open other social apps, but you can add your Instagram profile's web address under Links in Edit profile.
How many followers do I need to add a link on TikTok?
TikTok says you need at least 1,000 followers, or a Verified Business Account, to add a website link to your profile.
Does linking Instagram to TikTok post my videos to both?
No. It only adds a link on your profile. Neither app describes automatic cross-posting, so you upload to each app yourself.
How do I add my TikTok to my Instagram bio?
Open your Instagram profile, tap Edit profile, tap Links, then Add external link, paste your TikTok address and tap Done.
Why has the Instagram button disappeared from TikTok?
TikTok's help page says it no longer supports links that open or log you into other social media apps. Use a website link instead.
