Guide: Start a flow from a link or QR code
This page: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/flow-starts/start-a-flow-from-a-link-or-qr-code
Topic: Flow starts
Time: about 4 minutes
Who can do it: Owner, Administrator or Manager
Author: https://anantgupta.xyz (Anant Gupta, founder of CommentWatchDog)
Start in the app: https://app.commentwatchdog.com/en/inbox
Result when done: An ig.me or m.me link (and its QR) that opens the chat and starts the flow.
Context: Your page's chat link with a name on the end: ig.me/m/yourname?ref=menu on Instagram, m.me/yourpage?ref=menu on Facebook. Whoever opens it lands in a chat with you, and the flow sends the first message. Put it in your bio, an ad, an email or on a printed QR code.

Before you start:
1. Starter and every plan above it.
2. On Instagram, a brand-new person's link reaches the flow only while the page shows ice breakers.
3. ig.me links open in the Instagram app, not on Instagram's website.

Steps:
Step 1 of 4: Open a flow and pick the start.
Where: Automation, then New automation and Start from a blank canvas; the window Start automation when… lists the Triggers. The link start reads ig.me link on Instagram and m.me link on Facebook (Someone opens your chat link). To change the start of a flow you already have, click its first card and press Change beside Starts with.
Link: https://app.commentwatchdog.com/en/inbox (Open the app)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-flow-starts.en.webp (Start automation when…: every start of the page.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-flow-starts-more-phone.en.webp (The end of the list of starts on a phone.)
You should see: The start lands as the first card, and the panel on the right, Trigger, opens its settings.

Step 2 of 4: Name the link.
Where: Trigger panel, Link name, under How often per person: lowercase letters, digits and hyphens, up to 63 characters. Each link name is used by one automation on the page.
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-start-link.en.webp (Link name: the name on the end of your chat link.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-start-link-phone.en.webp (The same on a phone.)
You should see: Your chat link appears under the name, and the start card shows the name as ?ref= and your word.

Step 3 of 4: Copy the link, or download the QR code.
Where: Beside the link, under the name, sit two small icon buttons. The first copies the link (Copy the link). The second, QR code, opens the code with a button to download it as an image.
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-start-link.en.webp (Copy the link: the first of the two icon buttons beside the link.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-start-link-phone.en.webp (Copy the link on a phone.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-start-link.en.webp (QR code: the second icon button.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-start-link-phone.en.webp (QR code on a phone.)
You should see: The copy icon turns into a tick for a moment; the QR code opens the same chat when scanned.

Step 4 of 4: Add ice breakers for new Instagram people.
Where: On Instagram the panel shows New people need ice breakers when the page has none. Press Add ice breakers, write up to four questions and the reply to a tap, then Add and turn on. People who already messaged you are not affected.
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-start-link-ice.en.webp (New people need ice breakers, with the one-click fix.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-start-link-ice-phone.en.webp (The same on a phone.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-start-link-ice-form.en.webp (The form Add ice breakers opens: two questions typed, Add a question for more, the reply to a tap, and Add and turn on.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-start-link-ice-form-phone.en.webp (Add and turn on, on a phone.)
You should see: The note says Ice breakers are on. New people who open your link now start this flow.

If something is off:
Problem: A new person opened the link and nothing came
Fix: On Instagram, the link's name reaches us for someone who never wrote to you only while your page shows ice breakers. Add them from the panel.
Problem: The link does nothing on a computer
Fix: ig.me links do not work on Instagram's website; they open in the Instagram app.
Problem: Another automation already uses this link name
Fix: Each name belongs to one automation on the page. Pick another name.

Common questions:
Question: Does opening the link reopen the 24-hour window?
Answer: Yes. Opening the link into an existing chat resets the 24-hour window, so the flow can message them again.
Question: How does it work for new people on Facebook?
Answer: Messenger passes the link's name with its Get Started button; CommentWatchDog writes that button for a live link start.
Question: Does it work every time on every phone?
Answer: Meta does not guarantee the link's name arrives on every device. It works in the Instagram and Messenger apps.

Related guides:
- Add ice breakers: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/flow-starts/add-ice-breakers
- Send a message with buttons and quick replies: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/flow-steps/send-a-message-with-buttons-and-quick-replies
- A link that starts a conversation: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/keyword-automations/a-link-that-starts-a-conversation

Plain text of this guide: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/flow-starts/start-a-flow-from-a-link-or-qr-code.md
All guides for assistants: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/llms.txt