Social connections expired: why it happens and how to reconnect

Connections to platforms like Facebook and Google use OAuth access tokens (temporary “key cards”) instead of storing your password. These tokens expire periodically by design. When that happens, you’ll need to sign in again to re-authorize the connection.

Why connections expire

• Limited exposure if stolen: Short-lived tokens reduce risk if intercepted. Platforms rotate/expire tokens regularly, with no fixed timeframe (often weeks to a few months, varying by platform).
• Inactivity cutoffs: Platforms disable access that isn’t used. For example, Facebook cuts off non‑public data after ~90 days of inactivity, and Google typically expires unused refresh tokens after ~6 months.
• Security events: Changing your password, logging out everywhere, or manually revoking an app breaks the authorization.
• Platform limits: Some platforms limit how many active tokens an app/device can hold, which can force older tokens to drop.

Platforms generally don’t publish exact expiry timelines, and there’s no fixed timeframe—expirations can vary widely (often weeks to a few months). Disconnects can occur for any of the reasons above.

What you’ll see in Gorilla Dash

Gorilla Dash does not maintain a continuous, real-time connection. We confirm the connection at initial setup and then again when it’s used (for example, when publishing a social post). You’ll typically discover an expired connection at the moment of use.

Got an expiry email but posting still works?

Expiry alerts are sent to the Gorilla Dash user who originally connected that specific Facebook profile or page. If your tribe’s Facebook Page is actively connected via a different Gorilla Dash user and that connection is still valid, no action is required. The alert simply indicates that the other user’s separate connection has expired, and Gorilla Dash will not send or receive data for that expired connection until it’s reconnected.

How to fix an expired connection

1. Ask the owner/admin of the social account to sign in to that platform to re-authorize access.
2. In Gorilla Dash, open your social connections and follow the sign‑in prompts for the affected platform to refresh the connection.
3. Retry the action that uses the connection (for example, publish the post again).

Note: Support cannot refresh or reconnect on behalf of users—the platform requires the account holder to sign in.

Facebook/Instagram reconnecting every 24–48 hours

If you manage many Facebook Pages or Instagram accounts under a single Meta account, Meta can apply account‑level rate limits when long‑lived access tokens are refreshed across multiple pages at once. This temporary block can make connections appear to expire again shortly after you reconnect.

What to do

• Re-authorize from the main Meta account: If one Meta account owns multiple pages/locations, sign in and reconnect from that primary account. A single re‑auth can help cover all connected pages and reduce staggered prompts.
• Still disconnecting within 24–48 hours? Contact Gorilla Dash Support. We can check for Meta rate‑limit blocks and ensure token renewals are paced to prevent temporary blocks from being treated as expired. We still cannot sign in on your behalf.
• Expected prompts: Meta may require re‑authentication after periods of inactivity, and typically prompts for re‑authorization annually (about one year after the original connection). These are normal and separate from rate‑limit related behavior.

If you can’t reconnect

• Ask the person who manages the social account to sign in and re-authorize.
• If you don’t have access to the correct account or owner, please contact your team to obtain access or open a support ticket for guidance.

Tips to reduce future disconnects

• Have the account owner or someone with ongoing access connect the platform.
• Avoid unnecessary password changes or app revocations for the connected account.
• Use the integration periodically so it isn’t flagged as inactive.
• Re-authorize promptly if you see a prompt or a failed action due to an expired connection.