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How to message on instagram from laptop


How to Send Instagram DMs from Your Computer (PC or Mac)

Staring at your phone’s tiny screen and typing on its tiny keys to reply to each Instagram DM you receive is not the most efficient way to interact with your customers.

But those days are over.

As of 2020, any Instagram user in the world can send an Instagram DM online, from their PC or Mac, as well as from their phone.

*Sliding into your DMs*

Now you can get and send Instagram Direct messages on desktop, no matter where you are in the world 👍 pic.twitter.com/CT2SwuxHTv

— Instagram (@instagram) April 10, 2020

Now, your brand now has more options when replying to Instagram DMs. And considering more than 200 million users visit at least one business profile each day, there’s a good chance some Instagram users will reach out to your brand directly via DM.

What does “DM” mean on Instagram?

How to send Instagram DMs on your computer (PC or Mac)

How to send Instagram DMs from the Instagram app

How to send Instagram DMs using Hootsuite (on desktop and mobile)

How to delete Instagram DMs

8 best practices for sending and responding to Instagram DMs

Bonus: Save time and download 20 free, customizable Instagram DM templates for your brand, including greetings, partnership requests, FAQ responses, replies to complaints, and more.

What does “DM” mean on Instagram?

DM means direct messaging.

On Instagram, DMs are private messages between one Instagram user and another user, or group of users.

Instagram DMs don’t show up in your brand’s feed, profile or in search. And they won’t for your followers, either. Only you and those you are communicating with can see the direct messages.

On Instagram, DMs are sent by Instagram Direct. Think of this as an email inbox where private messages are collected.

On both desktop and mobile, access Instagram Direct to see your Instagram DMs by clicking on the paper airplane icon.

When you see a red numbered notification over the paper airplane icon, you’ll know there’s an unread DM to be read.

How to send Instagram DMs on your computer (PC or Mac)

Anyone with an Instagram account can create or reply to Instagram DMs from the browser version of the app, from a desktop computer, without any special downloads or features. This makes it easier for your brand to respond to an influx or high volume of DMs.

(If that high volume of DMs is coming from more than one Instagram account or several profiles across different social media platforms, you’re better off using a social media management tool like Hootsuite to handle DMs — more on that in the next section!)

Whether you’re replying to an Instagram DM on a PC or creating an Instagram DM on a Mac, the process is the same:

1. Log into your brand’s Instagram account

Log in to instagram.com using whichever web browser you prefer. There is no specific Instagram DM browser to use.

2. Click on the paper airplane icon

To navigate to Instagram Direct, click on the paper airplane icon in the web page’s top right hand corner.

3. See all your Instagram DMs

All your brand’s direct messages and interactions show here. Unread direct messages will show first in the list.

You’ll also see the option to create a new DM. Click on the blue Send Message button to begin a new interaction.

Type in a user’s handle to begin a new one-on-one interaction. You can message any brand or user that you follow.

Or create a group for an Instagram DM. On Instagram Direct, you can send DMs to up to 32 people.

From your desktop, you can also like, copy or report a DM by clicking on the three buttons next to the Instagram DM.

4. Send other users’ content

As well as written messages, Instagram DMs can include photos, polls, GIFs, Instagram Stories and IGTV clips. Your brand might want to interact with users by sharing other users’ content in a DM.

Navigate to the photo, video or IGTV you want to share privately. Click on the paper airplane icon under that post.

Then, select how you want to share that content.

By clicking on Share to Direct, you can type in the Instagram user you want to send the content to directly via Instagram DM.

How to send Instagram DMs from the Instagram app

Sending Instagram DMs from the Instagram app is just as easy:

1.

Open the app on your phone

Download the Instagram app from the App Store or Google Play.

2. Click on the paper airplane icon

This will open all your Instagram DMs.

3. Engage with your users

Reply to customers’ queries by tapping on the unread message and writing a response in the Message bar.

And just like on desktop, you can choose one-on-one DMs or send to a group of up to 32.

4. Share others’ content

Any time you see the paper airplane icon, click on it to send that content privately.

Bonus: Save time and download 20 free, customizable Instagram DM templates for your brand, including greetings, partnership requests, FAQ responses, replies to complaints, and more.

Download now

How to send Instagram DMs using Hootsuite (on desktop and mobile)

If you manage more than one Instagram account or your brand receives DMs on more than one social media platform, a social media management tool like Hootsuite can save you a lot of time.  

With Hootsuite, you can answer messages and comments from all of your Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts in one social inbox. No more clicking through countless browser tabs to check for new DMs, or accidentally forgetting to respond until customers get fed up.

To start answering Instagram DMs using Hootsuite, follow these simple steps:

1. Connect (or re-connect) your Instagram profiles

If you’re new to Hootsuite, follow this guide to add an Instagram account to your dashboard.

If you’ve previously used Hootsuite for Instagram analytics or scheduling, but you haven’t connected Instagram with the Hootsuite Inbox yet, follow these steps to re-connect your account. 

In both cases, you will be prompted to follow a few simple steps to authenticate your account. 

Once you’re done, make sure that your Instagram profile settings allow sharing messages with your Hootsuite account:

  1. Go to Settings and tap Privacy.
  2. Tap Messages.
  3. In Connected Tools, use the Allow Access to Messages switch to enable sharing.

Note: Hootsuite Inbox is compatible with Instagram Business accounts.

2. Go to your Hootsuite Inbox

In your Hootsuite dashboard, navigate to the Inbox. 

Here, you can see interactions from your connected Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts. 

The Inbox collects 4 types of Instagram messages: 

  • Direct messages
  • Replies to your Instagram Stories
  • Quick reactions to your Stories
  • Mentions of your account in other users’ Stories

3. Reply to Instagram DMs

All that’s left is to engage with your followers. 

Follow these social media customer service best practices to make sure your message responses are always on fleek. (Does anyone say on fleek anymore? Asking for a Millennial friend.) 

If you’re part of a team managing social media DMs, you can easily assign messages to other team members (who will be notified by email) and sort your inbox by assignment, social network, message type and date. 

How to delete Instagram DMs

Depending on your brand’s social media policy, you may want to delete Instagram DMs.

To delete Instagram DMs from your PC or Mac:

1. Navigate to Instagram Direct

Click on the paper airplane icon in the top navigation bar.

2. Click on the communication you want to delete

Then click on the information icon by the user’s profile picture.

3. Click Delete Chat

That will bring up this screen:

Then, you can choose to Delete Chat. This will only delete the conversation for you. It will still be visible for the others included in the conversation.

Also under the “Details” section, there is also the option to Block, Report or Mute Messages. Muting simply means you won’t get notifications for new incoming DMs for this conversation.

To delete Instagram DMs using the mobile app:

1. Navigate to Instagram Direct

Click on the paper airplane icon in the navigation bar.

2. Swipe or hold the communication thread you want to delete

If you’re using iOS, swipe left on the message you want to delete. If you’re using Android, press and hold the thread you want to delete.

This brings up two options. Mute the message to stop seeing new notifications for this thread. Or delete the message.

3. Click Delete

This action will only delete the conversation for you.

8 best practices for sending and responding to Instagram DMs

Engaging with your customers and responding to Instagram DMs is just one way to effectively use Instagram for business and gain more Instagram followers.

Here are some essential tips to keep in mind.

Set up notifications for Instagram DMs

Make sure your brand sees all the new, incoming Instagram DMs that it receives.

On both desktop and mobile, navigate to Settings. Choose Notifications (or Push Notifications if you’re on desktop).

Then under Direct Messages, make sure the From Everyone (if you’re working on desktop) options are selected.

And make sure all the On (if you’re working on mobile) options are selected. This will ensure your brand sees all its new incoming DMs.

Use Instagram Quick Replies

Chances are, your brand is going to get a lot of similar questions over Instagram Direct. Instead of typing out the same reply, save time by making the most of the Instagram Quick Replies feature.

Set up a Creator Account with Instagram. Not only will this enable the Quick Replies feature, it will provide more options for organizing and managing your Instagram DMs, like the two-tab inbox.

Find Quick Replies as an option under Settings. To create a Quick Reply:

  • Click on the “+” button in the top right hand corner.
  • Type out a reply to a commonly asked question.
  • Choose a one-word keyboard shortcut for that message.

When replying to an Instagram DM, type the one word into Instagram Direct. Click the blue “Insert a quick reply” button” and the full response you’ve saved will autofill.

Acknowledge when a new message has been received

That way, even if your team isn’t able to respond to the direct message immediately, your customer isn’t met with silence.

You might:

  • Thank the customer for getting in touch.
  • Let them know their message has been received.
  • Set an expectation for how long it will take the team to get to their query.

This helps foster a relationship between the user and your brand. It also boosts customer service, setting expectations for when that customer can expect a conversation with your brand.

Then follow up promptly

Don’t leave your customers hanging!

And the faster your brand can reply, the better. According to the analysis and advisory firm Convince & Convert, 42% of customers who complain to a company over social media expect a response within 60 minutes.

Waiting too long to reply to a customer could result in them losing trust in your brand.

Write in your brand voice

Whatever your brand’s tone, be sure to use that same voice in your Instagram DMs.

Remember to:

  • Be authentic and personable. Show your customer they’re interacting with a real person who cares about their experience with your brand.
  • Don’t use jargon. Avoid using these words and phrases.
  • Make sure communication is easy to understand. Irony, sarcasm and jokes might be misinterpreted by the reader or cause offence. Leave no room for misinterpretation.

Make sure there are no spelling mistakes

Make sure your writing reflects your brand in a professional way.

Check for typos, spelling mistakes and grammar errors. Read over your DM for flow. And if your company manages multiple brands and has multiple Instagram accounts, make sure you’re working with the right account.

Keep your writing short and sweet

If someone is reaching out to your brand directly, they want an answer quickly. So avoid the chit-chat. Get right to it.

Address your customers’ DM right away. Write in a way that is easy to read. Write short sentences.

And don’t fear short paragraphs.

Doing all this makes it easier for customers to find the answer to their query.

Don’t forget to sign off

Finally, bring closure to the conversation by:

  • Asking the customer if there’s anything else they need help with.
  • Thanking them for their business or loyalty to your company.
  • Wishing them a great day.

Closing off is a personable way to communicate, but also ensures your customer doesn’t feel snubbed or shut down before the conversation is over.

Improve your response time and efficiently engage with followers by responding to Instagram direct messages alongside all your other social messages in Hootsuite Inbox. Try it free today.

Get Started

Improve your response times by managing Instagram direct messages with Hootsuite Inbox.

Try it free

How to Send and Receive DMs on Instagram From a Computer

  • You can DM on Instagram from your computer using any internet browser.
  • To send direct messages from your computer, head to the Instagram website and click the paper plane icon in the top-right.
  • This story is part of Business Insider's Guide to Instagram.

In April 2020, Instagram added the ability to send direct messages to its desktop website. 

This means that Instagram users can now send direct messages, photos, gifs, and other kinds of media, as well as start group chats, unsend messages, and reply to chats using reactions, right from their desktop. 

However, some direct message features — like video chats — only remain available In the mobile app version.  

Here's how to use the direct message feature on Instagram using your desktop computer. 

How to send a direct message on Instagram from a computer 

1. Using your preferred internet browser, go to the Instagram desktop website and log in.

2. Once you've logged in, select the paper plane icon in the top-right corner to access Direct Messages. 

You can access your direct messages from any page. Meira Gebel/Business Insider

3. You'll be shown all of your active conversations. Click one to open it, or start a new one by clicking "Send Message" or the pencil-and-paper icon.

There are two ways to start a new conversation. Meira Gebel/Business Insider

4. When starting a new conversation, begin typing in the name or username of the person you want to message, or select an account from the list of "Suggested" users. 

5. Type your message into the text box at the bottom, and then select "Send."

You can also press Enter or Return to send it. Meira Gebel/Business Insider

Once you've sent a message, you can click the three dots next to it and then click "Unsend" to take the message back.  

Once you unsend a message, the message will be removed from the chat, no matter if the recipient has seen it or not. There's no time limit for unsending messages on Instagram. 

You can "Unsend" a message at any time. Meira Gebel/Business Insider

You can also delete an entire chat conversation by clicking the "i" icon in the top-right, and then selecting "Delete chat." Note, however, that this only deletes the chat on your end — the recipient will still be able to see it.

This will delete every message in the conversation — on your end. Meira Gebel/Business Insider

  • How to clear the Instagram cache on your iPhone to free up storage space


  • How to add Story Highlights on your Instagram profile in 7 simple steps

  • How to disable comments on Instagram on a post-by-post basis

  • How to add a location on your Instagram story to share it with your followers

  • How to add a GIF to your Instagram Story using GIPHY

William Antonelli and Kerry Wan contributed to a previous version of this article.

Meira Gebel

Meira Gebel is a freelance reporter based in Portland, Oregon. She writes about business, culture, and technology for Insider. Her work has been featured in Digital Trends, Willamette Week, USA Today, and more. She is a graduate of Columbia Journalism School and San Francisco State University.  Feel free to reach out to her on Twitter, where she can be found most of the time, @MeiraGebel.

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How to write a message on Instagram on a computer: 3 ways

Users of the popular Instagram network often face the problem of how to write a message on Instagram on a computer. It came as a surprise to some that this feature is not available in the Web version. Is it possible to do this from a computer?

Instagram was originally designed for smartphones. But in the world of modern technology, nothing is impossible. There are several options to write a direct message to Instagram on a PC. nine0003

The spelling depends on what you are planning to do. This is a letter to a private chat or a comment from another user's post.

How to comment on Instagram from a computer

In order to write a comment on a post from a computer, it is best to use the incomplete version of Instagram. It still exists and is available for various browsers. Difficulties with the addition will not arise.

To achieve the task, you need to take a few simple steps:

  • Open the browser you are using and search for the Instagram website. If you have not yet entered the site, you will first have to go through authorization by entering your login and password for a personal account.
  • Find the post you want to add your comment to and click on it. You will see a picture or video on the screen, and on the right there will be a feed with other user comments.

  • At the bottom of the ribbon there is a field, "Add a comment." Click on this area and write the required text. nine0016
  • After that, press Enter and you're done.

Correspondence can be conducted in the comments, sharing information. This is one way to write a message on Instagram through a desktop computer.

How to write to Instagram in Direct on a computer

Sending messages is more complicated if you want to do it directly through Direct. The official version of Instagram does not provide for personal chat conversations for computers. Therefore, before writing to someone in direct, you need to install a special add-on in the browser. It won't work without a plugin. nine0003

There are at least two ways to bypass Instagram and send a direct message. The first option is suitable for Windows 10 users. The official Instagram app is suitable for this. Follow these steps:

  • Open the Instagram website with whatever browser you use.
  • The main page with news reports is displayed on the screen. Find the airplane icon for Direct in the top right corner. Click on it to go to a private message. nine0016

  • If you have a chat with someone you want to write to, just open this dialog.

  • To create a new conversation, click on the "new message" button
  • Select the desired person in the list of friends or enter the nickname or name in the search field

  • Write text and send using the send button

The second option is if your Windows system is younger than 8. To do this, download an emulator for Android. The free emulator for BlueStacks smartphones is best. With it, we write the text directly in direct through a computer. nine0003

  • Find the BlueStacks emulator and download it to your computer
  • Install application on PC
  • When the installer completes, you will be prompted to select a language and enter your email address
  • Next, install the Instagram application through the emulator
  • We open access to files for the application

Instagram will be displayed in the mobile version on the computer screen. All functions available on the phone can be used on the computer. nine0003

Other ways

There is another option that will help you write messages on Instagram on a PC. But this one is not entirely convenient, since it is temporary. Use services to promote Instagram accounts. They provide temporary access to the user's private messages.

These tools have a number of drawbacks that are important to pay attention to before writing messages on Instagram on a PC.

  • Your personal data may fall into the hands of fraudsters, as the program requires access to the login and password of page
  • Applications for promotion are paid, so you will have several days for free use
  • You cannot write text in a new dialog; only existing conversations can be used

Tip: after using the service, you need to log out and change your account login password.

Among these services, you can use the Okogram.ru program. the client will receive 7 free days to use. The second option is Idirect.io. here you will get free only 6 days. nine0003

You can send a personal message through unofficial Instagram applications. Not everyone is willing to take the risk of using third party services. Moreover, most of them are paid. Among the most popular programs, we highlight:

  • RuInsta (free)
  • InstaPic (paid)
  • Wingram (paid)

Important: there are many fraudulent services among unofficial Instagram applications; choose carefully before you start using a similar program. nine0003

Conclusion

Today, Instagram has become one of the most successful platforms for selling and promoting services on the Internet. Conducting business or business conversations from the phone is sometimes not convenient, especially when you need to type quickly. A computer can help with this.

Unfortunately, there is currently no full-fledged web version of Instagram, with the possibility of correspondence. But there are other available ways to write a message on a computer on Instagram.

How to write a message on Instagram from a computer, send and read it

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Recently, Facebook, which owns the social network Instagram, has been developing not only a mobile application, but also an official web resource. Previously, it was impossible to even just view publications. Today, users can use the site to perform most of the usual tasks: viewing photos, videos, and stories of friends, searching for people, viewing the "Recommended" section, the ability to subscribe to profiles, post content, like and write comments. nine0003

However, the site does not have all the features visitors are used to. It is used for emergencies when there is no access to the phone. For example, here you can not access personal correspondence and publish a story. Messages on Instagram from a computer are possible, but for this you need to resort to different tricks.

  • How to write messages on Instagram from a computer
  • Sending emails to Direct
  • How to view messages on Instagram on a computer nine0016
  • How to read dialogue on Instagram from a computer

How to write messages on Instagram from a computer

Speaking of messages, users most often mean leaving comments under posts and correspondence in Direct. In mobile versions, Direct was not always available, but appeared in Instagram versions from 5.0 and higher.

When wondering how to write a message on Instagram from a computer, you should remember that there is no direct section in which you can enter and view correspondence in the browser version. However, you can deliver short messages through comments. To do this, you don’t even need to be subscribed to the person who is the addressee of the message (provided that the profile is open). The Instagram website is accessible in any browser. nine0003

  1. First, open a browser on a laptop or PC with Internet access.
  2. Then authorize by entering a nickname and password.
  3. Open the post on which you want to leave a comment. The photo will be placed directly in the center of the screen, and already published comments and a window for entering text will be placed on the right side.
  4. By clicking on it, you should enter the text and send it by pressing the Enter key on the keyboard.

Comment sent. Of course, other users will see it - this option for sending messages on Instagram from a computer is not suitable for personal intimate correspondence. nine0003

Sending letters to Direct

If a person wants to correspond with a PC in a private chat, like in an application on a smartphone, then he will not be able to do this on the site due to the lack of the function itself. You can write messages on Instagram through a computer only when you install a minimalistic desktop client from the Store on the Windows operating system. The user can select one of the following options:

  1. For desktop computers and laptops with an operating system belonging to the Windows family under the Windows 8 line and above. In this case, the person is invited to install the program from the official store. nine0016
  2. For earlier versions of the operating system, you can use third-party programs that emulate Android. They make it possible to open various clients created for smartphones.

To install the official application, you need to open the "Store" section located on the PC. This requires an internet connection. In the window that opens, you need to drive the name of the client into the search and click on the "Install" button.

After downloading, Instagram will be available for use: you need to open it and log in. This app has all the features of a smartphone. nine0003

How to view messages on Instagram through a computer

After installation and authorization in the application installed on the PC, a tab will automatically appear on the screen. It will show the news feed. With it, you can see the publications of friends, recommended profiles, write comments and put likes. To go to Direct to send messages to Instagram via a computer, you should click on the button in the form of an icon with an airplane.

All conversations are saved here, even those from the phone. If there has already been a correspondence, you need to touch the corresponding chat or create a new dialogue by selecting a person from the list and clicking the "New dialogue" button. nine0003

When selecting an interlocutor, you can mark several at once. This is done in the "To" column. At the same time, a feature of the computer version is the fact that in this way you can send messages on Instagram not only to people from the list of subscriptions, but also to those whose profile is closed. In this case, you need to find the page of interest by starting to enter a nickname in the search field. The system will return all matches. After selecting the desired option from the proposed list, start typing.

If the official program on the PC does not work for some reason (the operating system is Windows 7 and below), but you need to view the Instagram dialogs through the computer, a shareware program for launching Android applications can help. It's called BlueStacks App Player. Download BlueStacks from the official website. nine0003

  1. The downloaded client opens.
  2. Entering information from your Google account: login and password.
  3. The application store opens inside the program (same as on Android devices).
  4. Use the search to find Instagram, install and log in.

Then it can be used normally. The BlueStacks emulator is free. Its main advantage is the ability to use programs from the Android operating system for smartphones on a PC. Naturally, some functions and interface differ from the mobile version, however, all the main advantages of the social network are preserved - the ability to view and publish content, write comments, etc. nine0003

Another plus is the ability to use the keyboard and computer mouse, as well as setting up notifications: if an email arrives, the user will be notified (BlueStacks runs in the background).

Watching messages on Instagram through a computer is a pretty handy feature. It allows you to conduct private conversations in Direct: send text messages, photos and videos, or organize a group chat.

How to read an Instagram conversation from a computer

Regardless of which method of accessing Direct was chosen (the official application for PC with OC version Windows 8 and above or the third-party simulator BlueStacks App Player), read and send messages to Instagram only one scenario is possible through a computer: