Instagram allows you to communicate publicly and privately with followers, mutuals, and other Instagram users. That includes sending private messages to anyone.
You don't need to follow or be followed by that user to use the app's private messaging feature, and no one can see these messages except the recipients.
Not only can you send text and images to someone, but you can send a message to multiple people at once.
Here's how to message someone privately on Instagram.
1. Start the Instagram app on your mobile device and then swipe to the left from the Home screen or tap the paper airplane icon in the top-right corner.
2. Tap the New Message icon at the top right of the screen.
The New Message icon is in the top right next to the Video Chat icon. Dave Johnson/Business Insider3.
Add each person you want to send the message to. You can select one Instagram user or add multiple recipients.
4. Tap "Chat" at the top right of the screen.
5. Enter the message, add an image, audio, video, or Giphy.
Write your message, add media, and then tap "Send." Dave Johnson/Business Insider6.
When you're done, tap "Send."
1. In the Instagram app, find and open the profile page of the person you want to message.
2. Tap "Message."
Use the "Message" button on a user's profile page to communicate with them. Dave Johnson/Business Insider3. Enter the message and add an image, video, audio, or Giphy if you want.
4. When you're ready to send it, tap "Send."
Dave Johnson
Freelance Writer
Dave Johnson is a technology journalist who writes about consumer tech and how the industry is transforming the speculative world of science fiction into modern-day real life.
Dave grew up in New Jersey before entering the Air Force to operate satellites, teach space operations, and do space launch planning. He then spent eight years as a content lead on the Windows team at Microsoft. As a photographer, Dave has photographed wolves in their natural environment; he's also a scuba instructor and co-host of several podcasts. Dave is the author of more than two dozen books and has contributed to many sites and publications including CNET, Forbes, PC World, How To Geek, and Insider.
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By: Jenn Herman and Corey Walker and Eric Butow and
Updated: 12-12-2019
From The Book: Instagram For Dummies
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Instagram offers so many options for interacting with others.
One way you can do with is with direct messaging. Sending direct messages on Instagram lets you engage with others without laying out everything for public eyes. Keep reading to discover how to send a direct message on Instagram.If you want to start your conversation with a text message, Instagram makes it easy for you. Follow these steps:
The Instagram Direct icon is located at the top right of your home screen.
This is also where you receive new messages. A red circle with the number of messages waiting for you is shown on top of the Direct icon. Your new messages are revealed when you tap the number.
Create a new message by tapping the + at the upper right of your screen.
The New Message screen appears.
The New Message page allows you to select message recipients.
A blue check mark appears to the right of each recipient name after you tap or click it. You can also search for one or more recipients.
Type a new message in the Message screen at the bottom of the page.
The message you just sent appears at the top of the list. Each message entry in the list shows you the recipient’s or group’s name, followed by whether the recipient is active now, or when they were last active.
View your message on the screen by tapping the message entry.
You can unsend a message by holding down on the message. Then tap Unsend (iPhone) or Unsend Message (Android) to unsend it. The message has now been erased from the conversation (but it may have been seen if the contact is quick to read messages!).
The Camera link is at the bottom of the main Instagram Direct page.
If you need to get to the Direct screen, first tap or click the Direct icon from the Instagram home screen or window.
Tap (for photos) or hold (for videos) the white button to take a photo or video.
The switch cameras icon appears to the right of the white button so you can switch between the front and rear cameras, if necessary. If you’re unhappy with what you shot, tap the X to delete the photo or video and try again.
Add text to your photo by tapping the Aa.
Photos and videos here have all the same custom capabilities as they do in Instagram stories.
The photo is sent right away and a blue bar that says Done appears at the bottom of the screen. You can also send your photo to be shown on your Instagram story or to your Close Friends Only list.
Choose your message recipients by tapping Send or share on your story or with close friends by tapping Share.
You can search for a recipient by tapping the Search box above the list and typing your search terms. As you type, the usernames that most closely match your terms appear in the results list. When you find the name of the recipients you’re looking for, tap or click their names in the list.
The Direct screen appears and contains the message you sent to the recipient at the top of the conversation list.
If you had a previous conversation with the contact, the old message thread appears. Otherwise, you’ll see a blank screen with the contact’s name at the top and a message bar at the bottom.
The switch cameras icon appears to the right of the white button so you can switch between the front and rear cameras, if necessary. If you’re unhappy with what you shot, tap the X to delete the photo or video and try again.
If you’d rather use a photo or video you took previously, you can choose one from your camera roll by tapping the small square at the lower left of the camera screen and choosing the photo/video by tapping it. You can also choose multiple photos/videos at once by tapping Select Multiple, tapping each thumbnail you want, and tapping Next at the bottom of the screen.
Choose photos or videos you’ve taken previously by tapping the small square at the lower left of the Camera screen.
Type your message, and then tap Done.Photos and videos here have all the same custom capabilities as they do in Instagram stories.
hoose how you would like your message to be viewed.
View Once allows one view and then it disappears. Allow Replay allows one view and one replay, then it disappears. Keep In Chat keeps the photo or video in the message thread indefinitely.
You can also choose the Send to Others button if you want to send to your Instagram story, close friends only, or other contacts.
Jenn Herman, a social media consultant and world-renowned Instagram expert, pens a top-rated social media blog, Jenn's Trends.
Corey Walker offers social media strategy, content, ad management, and analytics focused on Instagram and Facebook.
Eric Butow provides website design, online marketing, and technical documentation services to businesses.
Jenn Herman, a social media consultant and world-renowned Instagram expert, pens a top-rated social media blog, Jenn's Trends.
Corey Walker offers social media strategy, content, ad management, and analytics focused on Instagram and Facebook.
Eric Butow provides website design, online marketing, and technical documentation services to businesses.
John Sonmez is a software developer and the author of two best-selling books, The Complete Software Developer's Career Guide and Soft Skills: The Software Developer's Life Manual. He is also the founder of the Simple Programmer blog and YouTube channel. Eric Butow is the owner of Butow Communications Group (BCG), which offers website design, online marketing, and technical documentation services for businesses.
He is the author of 32 computer and user experience books.
Help Center
Instagram features
Direct messaging
In Instagram Direct, you can send messages, photos, and videos to one person or a group of people. These messages do not appear in the feed, search results, or your profile.
Send chat messages
Instagram app for Android and iPhone
Tap the or icon in the top right corner of the feed.
Click on the top right corner of the screen.
Select the people you want to send a message to and click Send in chat.
Enter a message. You can also tap to capture and share a disappearing photo or video, or to select a photo or video from your library.
Click Submit.
instagram.com in a browser on a mobile device
instagram.com in a browser on a computer
Instagram Lite app for Android
You can also send a message to the person you follow by going to their profile and clicking Send.
Links you send in a message are shown in the conversation along with an image preview. When sending an address or phone number, you can click on them in a conversation to open a map or make a call.
Note. The Instagram accounts you message to may use third-party apps or automated services to send messages to chats.
If you're having trouble sending a message to Instagram, try these steps.
Sending messages using commands
Commands allow you to use chat features when writing a message. Below is how to use them.
Instagram app for Android and iPhone
Tap Write message… at the bottom of the screen.
Here you can:
Enter the symbol / to open the list of function commands.
For example, the /silent command will allow you to send a message without sending a notification.
Enter the @ symbol to open a list of people who will receive the notification. For example, using the @[username] command, you can tag a chat participant in a message.
Select a team and write a message.
Click Submit.
Note. The mentions feature is only available in chats with at least 3 participants.
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The Instagram service, back in 2013, gave its users the opportunity to exchange messages. This feature is available as part of the Instagram Direct innovation.
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Unfortunately, this feature is currently only available on the mobile app. Please note that for direct, you need to install a program version of at least 5.0 on your device.
In this article we will cover the following topics:
2013 was marked for service fans by the appearance of private communication with their friends (subscribers). Interestingly, this feature allows you to send a private message, both to one specific user and to a group of subscribers (up to 15 people at the same time). As you may have guessed, we are talking about the "Direct" function.
It has already been noted above that you can use this opportunity if you install the fifth version of the Instagram application on your mobile device.
Direct allows you to both exchange quick messages and send media files (short videos, pictures and photos) to your subscribers.
Now that you understand what this function is, let's learn how to use it to expand the capabilities of your favorite service.
Now, in the newest version of the Instagram application, the direct function is placed in a separate block. In this connection, you should not have problems using this feature. But, if an old version is installed on your mobile device, then problems may arise.
The first thing we will do is check which version of Instagram is currently installed on your device and, if possible, update the application.
First, open the Play Market (or App Store for Apple product owners):
Open the Play Market applicationClick on the “my apps and games” tab
Open the “My apps and games” sectionFind “Instagram” from the list of installed applications
Check the version of the installed Instagram Now look carefully at the inscriptions next to the name of the program. If it says “installed” (as in the screenshot above), then you have the latest version, if there is an active “update” button, then click on it and wait until the program is updated to the latest version.
Now that you've made sure you have a new version of the application, we can learn how to use Direct.
Opening the Instagram app
Open Instagram Direct
Select any user from the list to send a message
After selecting a subscriber, click on "write a message"
To write text, click on "write text" and enter your message.
To send photo or video files, click on the picture image in the lower left corner:
To send a media file, click on the picture image If you want to send a new photo, then click on the camera image in the lower right corner (the function will be available when you go to the gallery).
