Reconnect a channel that has expired
Why networks expire access, what "expiring soon" and "needs reconnection" mean, how to reconnect, and what happens to scheduled posts.
When you connect an account, the network gives Publedia permission to publish for you. That permission does not last forever: some networks expire it on a fixed schedule, and any network can withdraw it when you change your password, remove the app's access, or the network changes its rules. Reconnecting renews the permission. It takes one sign-in.
What the statuses mean
Each channel on the Channels page carries a status:
| Status | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Connected | Publedia can publish to this account | Nothing |
| Expiring soon | Access ends within the next 7 days | Reconnect now, before it lapses |
| Expired | Access has ended | Reconnect |
| Needs reconnection | The network withdrew access, or asked for a new sign-in | Reconnect |
| Disconnected | Access was ended from Publedia | Reconnect if you want to use it again |
The Channels item in the sidebar shows a count when any channel needs attention, and the top of the Channels page says how many accounts need reconnecting. When a channel needs reconnecting, workspace members are also sent an email.
Reconnect
- Open Channels.
- Select Reconnect beside the account.
- Sign in on the network's screen and approve access again. Sign in as the same account you connected before.
- You return to Publedia and the channel shows Connected.
Why it happens
- LinkedIn expires access every 60 days. LinkedIn issues every access token with a 60-day lifespan, so a LinkedIn channel needs a new sign-in about every two months, even if nothing else changes. In the week before, the channel shows as Expiring soon on the Channels page, and once the 60 days are up it shows as Expired. The status is the only warning before it lapses, so look at Channels regularly.
- You changed your password or security settings on the network. Many networks end every app's access when that happens.
- Access was removed from the network's own settings, for example in a list of connected apps.
- You lost your role on a Page. For a Facebook Page, you need to manage the Page to publish to it.
- The network asked for a new sign-in, which networks do from time to time.
What happens to scheduled posts
Scheduled posts are kept while a channel is disconnected; nothing is deleted. A post whose time comes while its channel cannot publish fails for that channel, and says so on the post. After you reconnect, open the post and select Retry to send it. See fixing a failed post.
In the composer, a channel that needs reconnection is shown but cannot be chosen, with a note to reconnect it, so you cannot schedule new posts to it until it is fixed.
Avoid surprises
- Check Channels weekly if you manage several accounts, and reconnect anything expiring soon.
- Set a reminder every eight weeks for each LinkedIn channel.
- Reconnect before a big launch, not on the morning of it.
- For client accounts, ask the client a week ahead when a reconnection needs their own sign-in.
If reconnecting does not work
- You signed in as a different account. Reconnect again, signed in as the account that was originally connected. To publish to a different account, connect it as a new channel instead.
- Facebook shows no Page. Check on Facebook that you still manage the Page.
- Instagram fails. Check that the account is still a business or creator account.
- It keeps expiring immediately. Remove Publedia from the network's list of connected apps, then reconnect from scratch. If that does not help, contact us with the channel name and what you see.