How to dm somebody on instagram

How to Message Someone on Instagram and Chat Privately

You can message someone on Instagram through the platform's direct messaging feature, which lets you reach out to anyone with an Instagram account.
Users don't need to follow you, nor do you need to follow them to message each other on Instagram.
You can message someone by swiping left on the Home screen and then creating a new message or tapping "Message" on someone's profile page.
Instagram messages allow you to add multiple recipients to send a message to several people at once.
This story is part of Business Insider's Guide to Instagram.

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.

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How to message someone on Instagram from the app home screen

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 Insider

3. Add each person you want to send the message to. You can select one Instagram user or add multiple recipients.

You can also add someone by searching for them using the Search field. Dave Johnson/Business Insider

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 Insider

6. When you're done, tap "Send."

How to message someone from their Instagram profile page

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 Insider

3. Enter the message and add an image, video, audio, or Giphy if you want.

4. When you're ready to send it, tap "Send."

How to delete Instagram private messages, by deleting a conversation or unsending a message
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How to post on Instagram from your phone or a computer, using the official app or an internet browser

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.

Slide Into DMs - How To Flirt Instagram Message Guide

You've probably heard that "it goes down in the DM," but what is "it" and what exactly "goes down"? Trolling, sure, but also sometimes flirting. Look, you're probably going to use social media to research your online dating matches anyways, so if you like what you see, going straight for the DM just skips a step. But take caution, for this move isn't as simple as it seems: People are sensitive about their DMs, and sliding requires that your moves be smooth, so it demands a little more effort than just a double-tap or swipe right.

Ilana*, 24, who lives in New York City, met her boyfriend because he slid into her Instagram DMs. As the story goes, she listed her Instagram handle in her Bumble dating profile, and he found and followed her. "He slid into my DMs like three times, but I didn't see them," Ilana says. She doesn't remember exactly what the messages said, but she thinks it was some form of "Hey" with the hugging emoji. "So finally I answered being like, 'Sorry I never check these things!' and we started chatting." They've been together for the past 10.5 months.

This low-lift, friendly message worked for Ilana's partner, but you could just figure out something that you both have in common and lead with that, says Michelle Hope, a sexologist in New York City. "Use their interests and align it with yours," she says. People put photos online so other people see (and comment, and like) them. DMing a photo of them at the finish line of a running race and asking, "Hey, I was running that race too, what was your time?" makes sense and shows you already have something fun in common.

One perk of DM-sliding is that you can skip a formal greeting, because the person can just look at your profile and see who you are, says Samantha Burns, LMHC, a dating relationships expert. "Just jump right into a comment or question," she says. Your thoughts about a link they tweeted or event they put on their Instagram story will make more of an impression than a generic, "Hey, what's up?" And if you want to send a sexy photo, just think about it before you do, Hope says. Even though basically everyone has and sends sexy photos, your recipient might not be expecting it from a total stranger right off the bat.

Barring the possibility of fate, Ilana's modern love story might have been successful because she and her partner are both pretty open and active on social media. Ilana used to model, and her partner has some 15K followers, so in a way it was sort of a game-recognize-game moment. "Knowing him now and looking back on it, it wasn't creepy at all," she says.

If your goal is an IRL meet-up, Hope recommends having three message exchanges before you ask them out, and be prepared for rejection. "I have to warn people that there's a probability this person [is dating] somebody, so you have to be upfront," she says. And even if you do meet up, they might not be exactly how you pictured them based on their social accounts, although that's a risk you take in any online dating scenario. And don't give away any more information than you would on your social profiles until you meet in person or feel comfortable enough with them, she adds.

Ilana says she thinks DM-sliding can be better than "traditional" online dating, because her conversation with her boyfriend-to-be felt more organic and less stilted than it would have in the confines of a dating app. Was she creeped out? "It was def weird that he was so persistent, but that's just how he is with everything," she says. "But hey, look at us now." The moral: Always check your DMs; you never know who might slide in.

Here are a few phrases that will help you slide in.

*Name has been changed to protect her identity.

How to send a message to a person on Instagram?

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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How to Post on Instagram: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide!

 There's no denying that while Instagram is popular for photos, videos, and other forms of content, DM Instagram is a pretty powerful ecosystem of its own. Many people are starting to prefer it as their primary form of communication because there is no need for a phone number or more personal level of information.

Plus, DM is just fun to use with all the themes available to customize your chat. It also makes sense for a DM to become a personal driver for users who primarily use Instagram rather than any other platform. To improve the usability of the DM, Facebook has also made sure you can connect Facebook Messenger to your DM, allowing for cross messaging if that's what you're after.

The battle of the messengers is hard fought by the DM, and if you want to get on board, here's everything you need to know.

Related: What happens when you delete an Instagram or DM post?

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What is DM on Instagram?

DM or direct message as the name suggests, is an Instagram messaging feature that can be used to communicate privately with other Instagram users. This was a feature that was introduced to the app back in 2013 and allows users to send private photos, videos, texts, audio notes, etc. in what is essentially a private chat.

While DM used to be a minor feature, over the years, with many Gen Zers and young millennials adopting Instagram as their main social media app, DM has pretty much become essential.

Related: How to disable DM on Instagram

How to text someone on Instagram?

You can easily write to other people on Instagram. To master this feature, first learn to recognize it. Once you know where the DM feature is and how to access it, using it becomes a very frustrating experience. Here's everything you need to know about how to text someone on Instagram.

On Android and iPhone

Launch the Instagram app on your phone. When the app opens, tap on the paper airplane icon in the top right corner. The icon indicates the DM in the application.

Once you're inside the DM, click on the search bar at the top.

Enter the name of the person you want to send the message to. When their name appears, select it.

Now enter your message in the text field provided and click Submit.

Browser on PC and phone

Launch Instagram on the web in your preferred browser by clicking this link. Click on the DM icon that you can find on the top right side of the screen.

Now you are officially in your Instagram account. Click the new message icon next to your profile name.

Enter the name of the person you want to send the message to. Once their name appears, click on it and the name will be added to the list. You can add multiple names and create a group if you keep typing and adding names.

Now enter your message in the text box below. After entering your message, click "Submit".

How to DM someone you don't follow on Instagram

Instagram allows you to DM someone who isn't on your follower list and vice versa. However, keep in mind that depending on the restrictions set by the user, the message will only be available in the user's requests section. As soon as the user allows your message to be entered into his personal correspondence, he will be able to read it.
Method 1:
Here's what you need to know.

Enter your own DM as we showed you in the section above and enter your username in the search bar. The name of the user you want to send the message to will appear in the list.

Now put your message in the text box and click the "Submit" button.

Method 2:
Alternatively, you can also search their profile directly from the search option in your feed. Tap the search icon at the bottom.

Then enter the username you want to send the DM to. Tap their name when it appears in the account list.

Once in their profile, tap on the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner.

Select the "Send Message" option from the menu.

You can now enter your message in the text box and send it as we showed you in the previous section.

How to share a post in the feed as a DM on Instagram?

Scroll to the post you want to share via DM. You will notice the DM/Paper airplane icon below the message. Click on it.

The list of users will now appear along with a Submit button next to them. Click the "Send" button for the users you want to send an email to.

How to share a story as a DM on Instagram?

Under the story you want to share, you will see a DM / Paper Plane icon, tap it.

As with the previous section, a list of users and a Submit button will appear next to them.

How to control who can write to you on Instagram?

Unfortunately, there are no general restrictions that you can apply unless you make your account private. However, if you don't want certain people to DM you, you can restrict their access to you and have their messages automatically translated into requests. Here's how to do it:

Either search for the person using the search icon option as we showed you in method 2 of How to message someone you don't follow on Instagram, or search for them in the DM search itself.

Once you've logged into their profile, tap the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner of the screen.

Select the Restrict option from the menu.

The user's access will now be restricted. Click "Close" to confirm the message.

DM Etiquette

As convenient as this feature is, there are certain rules and etiquette when you want to text someone on Instagram. Now that you've figured out how to use DM, here are a few things you should know.
How to enter your personal account without causing fear: is it normal to insert into someone else's personal account?
Term DM slip This is what Gen Z and young Millennials text the person you're in love with and want to DM them. This is a term that is exclusively used on Instagram and is not used for any other social media. You are not just sending a message to another person to get into his personal correspondence. It's a complex process that involves using a mutual friend to get a link to the other person, finding subtle ways to communicate like commenting or reacting to the other person's story/post, or sharing random memes to create some sort of banter. .

It's important to note that you can only get into someone else's DM by accident. If something is too intense, the interlocutor will either become alarmed or switch off. There is a very fine line between seeming creepy and interested. So while it's okay to break into someone else's DM, be careful how you interact with them and make sure they don't feel uncomfortable or intruded.
How to DM an Influencer to Collaborate
The best way to contact an influencer is to DM them about your interest in collaborating. If you represent a firm, be sure to indicate this and prove your legitimacy by using the link with your information and company information. If you are an influencer yourself, let them know.

Anything you wish to communicate must be properly formatted as a formal communication with information that will include your credentials, your intent to cooperate, and means of contacting you, such as an email address or phone number. Once an influencer reviews your proposal in DM, they are bound to have questions that you must answer politely and with due consideration.