Ice breakers: the questions people tap to start a chat
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Ice breakers, which Instagram calls frequently asked questions, wait above an empty chat, in Instagram DMs and on a Facebook Page’s Messenger. Whichever one they tap is the path their conversation takes.
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Four questions, four paths
Write them in the start’s settings; each appears on the canvas as its own way out.
The questions
Up to four, shown above an empty chat.
- Ice breakersUp to 4 questions
Instagram and Messenger show them to anyone opening a new chat with you. A tap sends the question as their first message.
Meta allows four.
- Up to 80 characters each
Meta refused 81 in a live test, so the builder stops at 80. Two questions may not repeat the same words, and an empty one is refused.
- Each its own path
Every question is a way out of the start on the canvas: an answer, a question back, cards or a person.
On your page
Saving the flow live writes them to your page; pausing it clears them.
- One flow owns them
A page shows one set of ice breakers, so one live conversation-start flow holds them.
- They unlock ref links
On Instagram a named ig.me link reaches brand-new people only while ice breakers show.
- First messageBeside the questions
The same start can also welcome whoever types instead of tapping.
Every tap, its own answer
No menu to parse: the question they tapped is the path they take.
Wire each question to what it needs: a message that answers it, a question back, cards, or a person. They share their start with the first-message welcome, they let a DM link reach new people on Instagram, and for whatever people type instead, let AI answer.
The questions, in the app
Typed in the start’s settings, wired on the canvas.
- Ice breakers
- Up to four, 80 characters each.
The rules of ice breakers
Four questions, short, and app-only on Instagram.
| What | The limit | Set by |
|---|---|---|
| Questions | Up to 4 | |
| Question length | 80 characters (81 refused in a live test) | |
| Instagram on a computer | Ice breakers show in the app, not on desktop | |
| Messenger | Ice breakers take the place of the Get Started button |
Meta’s rules: the Ice Breakers API for Messenger and Instagram, read 2026-10-05; the length limit from a live probe on 2026-10-05.
Questions people ask
Short answers before you start.
Start a flow with A new conversation and add up to four questions under Ice breakers. When the flow goes live, CommentWatchDog writes them to your page; Instagram shows them above an empty chat as frequently asked questions.
Facebook’s own way is free: in Meta Business Suite on a computer, open Inbox, click Automations, then Create automation, and pick Frequently asked questions. It suggests questions people can ask and replies with what you wrote. In CommentWatchDog, start a flow with A new conversation on your Facebook Page and add up to four questions under Ice breakers. Messenger shows them above an empty chat, and each one starts its own path: a message, cards, a question back, or a person.
Four, up to 80 characters each. Meta refused an 81-character question in a live test, so the builder stops at 80.
Not on Instagram: Instagram shows them in the app only. On Messenger they take the place of the Get Started button.
Instagram passes a link’s name to someone who never wrote to you only while your page shows ice breakers. With them on, new people who open your DM link start its flow.
Yes. Each question is its own way out of the start on the canvas: a message, cards, a question back, or a person.