Allow message access on the connection
Messages appear, because the connection has the permission that reads them.
On this page
Before you start
- Only an owner or administrator can reconnect.
- Reconnecting keeps everything you have set up.
- The tab says when the permission is missing.
Recognise the notice.
The card on the Messages tab
You will see A statement of what is missing.
Reconnect and allow it.
Reconnect and allowleave every permission ticked
You will see Messages start arriving on that page.
If something is off
- I reconnected and messages still do not appear
- A permission was left unticked; reconnect and allow all.
- I am not allowed to reconnect
- Only owners and administrators can reconnect.
- Will reconnecting lose my rules
- Nothing is lost: rules, agents and history stay.
Common questions
Do messages need a different permission than comments?
Yes. Comments and messages are separate permissions at Meta. A connection made without the message permission shows comments perfectly and no messages at all.
How do I know my connection is missing the message permission?
The Messages tab says so. It shows a card asking you to allow message access to finish setup, with a button to reconnect, instead of an empty list.
Which permissions should I tick in the Facebook dialog when I reconnect?
Leave every permission ticked. Reconnecting with the message permission fixes it in a minute, and Connected as then shows the permission granted.
Can I remove CommentWatchDog's access to my messages later?
Yes. CommentWatchDog connects through Meta's official Graph API: you approve access on Facebook and can remove it anytime.
For agents: plain text of this guide · all guides
For agents
Guide: Allow message access on the connection
This page: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/messages/allow-message-access-on-the-connection
Topic: Messages
Time: about 2 minutes
Who can do it: Owner or Administrator
Author: https://anantgupta.xyz (Anant Gupta, founder of CommentWatchDog)
Start in the app: https://app.commentwatchdog.com/en/settings/pages
Result when done: Messages appear, because the connection has the permission that reads them.
Context: Comments and messages are separate permissions at Meta. A connection made without the message permission shows comments perfectly and no messages at all. Reconnecting with the permission fixes it in a minute.
Before you start
1. Only an owner or an administrator can reconnect.
2. Reconnecting keeps your pages, rules, agents and history.
3. The Messages tab says plainly when the permission is missing.
Steps
Step 1 of 2: Recognise the notice.
Where: The Messages tab shows a card asking you to allow message access to finish setup, with a button to reconnect.
Link: https://app.commentwatchdog.com/en/inbox (Open the app)
You should see: A statement of what is missing, not an empty list.
Step 2 of 2: Reconnect and allow it.
Where: Reconnect and allow, on the card, or Reconnect Facebook on the Pages tab. In the Facebook dialog, leave every permission ticked.
Link: https://app.commentwatchdog.com/en/settings/pages (Open Settings, Pages)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/pages.en.webp (Reconnect Facebook, on the Pages tab.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/pages-phone.en.webp (The same on a phone.)
You should see: Connected as, with the message permission granted, and the Messages tab filling with conversations.
If something is off
Problem: I reconnected and messages still do not appear
Fix: A permission was left unticked in the dialog. Reconnect again and allow everything.
Problem: I am not allowed to reconnect
Fix: Only owners and administrators can. Ask one of them.
Problem: Will reconnecting lose my rules
Fix: No. Pages, rules, agents, automations and history are untouched.
Common questions
Question: Do messages need a different permission than comments?
Answer: Yes. Comments and messages are separate permissions at Meta. A connection made without the message permission shows comments perfectly and no messages at all.
Question: How do I know my connection is missing the message permission?
Answer: The Messages tab says so. It shows a card asking you to allow message access to finish setup, with a button to reconnect, instead of an empty list.
Question: Which permissions should I tick in the Facebook dialog when I reconnect?
Answer: Leave every permission ticked. Reconnecting with the message permission fixes it in a minute, and Connected as then shows the permission granted.
Question: Can I remove CommentWatchDog's access to my messages later?
Answer: Yes. CommentWatchDog connects through Meta's official Graph API: you approve access on Facebook and can remove it anytime.
Related guides
Reconnect Facebook: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/pages/reconnect-facebook
Where messages come from: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/messages/where-messages-come-from
What each Meta permission is for: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/pages/what-each-meta-permission-is-for
Plain text of this guide: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/messages/allow-message-access-on-the-connection.md
All guides for assistants: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/llms.txt