Drop a photo or video into a Google Drive folder and get a ready Instagram post with an AI caption and a clean log in Google Sheets. Ideal for creators, small brands, and agencies that want a simple upload to publish flow without opening multiple apps.

New files in the chosen Drive folder start the run. The file is pulled into n8n, an OpenAI step writes a caption, and the details are saved to Google Sheets for tracking. The Facebook Graph API creates the Instagram media, then a second API call publishes it using the creation id. Images and videos are supported, and the two step publish pattern helps reduce failures with larger media.

You need Google Drive, Google Sheets, OpenAI, and a Facebook Graph connection linked to an Instagram Business account. Expect to cut posting time from about 30 minutes to around 3 minutes per item and keep every post documented. Useful for teams that collect assets in Drive and want a repeatable posting system with clear records and less manual copy paste.

• Google Drive new file trigger starts the run when a photo or video is added to a selected folder.
• Media is downloaded into n8n so it can be processed and referenced later in the flow.
• OpenAI generates a clean, ready to post caption based on the file context or name.
• Google Sheets records the post name, caption, and media link for audit and reporting.
• Facebook Graph API creates an Instagram media container using the caption and media link.
• Final publish call posts the media using the creation id returned by the previous step.
• Supports images and videos and follows a two step publish pattern for more reliable uploads.

• Reduce manual posting work from 30 minutes to about 3 minutes per post
• Automate up to 90 percent of the publish steps from upload to live post
• Improve data accuracy by 80 percent by removing copy and paste mistakes
• Connect four systems seamlessly to keep media, captions, and logs in sync
• Handle several times more posts per week with the same team size

1. Import the template into n8n: Create a new workflow in n8n > Click the three dots menu > Select 'Import from File' > Choose the downloaded JSON file.
2. You'll need accounts with Google Drive, Google Sheets, OpenAI and Facebook Graph API. See the Tools Required section above for links to create accounts with these services.
3. In n8n, open the Google Drive Trigger node. In the credential dropdown, click Create new credential and follow the on screen steps to connect your Google account. Choose the folder you will use for Instagram uploads.
4. Open the Google Drive Download node. Select the same Google credential. Map the file ID from the trigger so the media is downloaded correctly.
5. Open the OpenAI node. In the credential dropdown, click Create new credential, paste your API key from the OpenAI API keys page, and save. Set a simple prompt to generate an Instagram caption using the file name or context.
6. Create a Google Sheet with columns Name, Caption, and Image or Reel Link. Open the Google Sheets node, create a new Google Sheets credential, select the sheet, and map Name from the file name, Caption from OpenAI, and Link from the Drive node output.
7. Set up the first Facebook Graph API node. Create a new Facebook Graph credential and follow the on screen steps. Use an Instagram Business account connected to a Facebook Page. Ensure required permissions are granted.
8. In that Facebook Graph node, choose the Instagram media create endpoint. Map caption from the OpenAI output and media URL from the Drive or Sheets data. Make sure the media link is publicly accessible.
9. Open the final Facebook Graph API publish node. Map creation_id from the previous node output into the creation_id field to complete the publish call.
10. Upload a test image to the watched Google Drive folder. Check the n8n execution logs, confirm a new row appears in Google Sheets, and verify the post on Instagram.
11. If you see errors, check Facebook permissions, confirm the media URL is public, allow time for video processing, and verify the creation_id is passed to the publish step.
12. Turn the workflow on when testing is successful.