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How to msg someone on instagram pc


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 Get More Out of Instagram DMs: The Ultimate Guide

What does DM mean on Instagram?

How to send Instagram DMs

9 best practices for sending and responding to Instagram DMs

Frequently asked questions about Instagram DMs

Gone are the days of calling a customer service hotline or writing emails to inquire about a new product. The modern method of communication between a customer and a brand? Through Instagram DM.

Nearly 50% of people say that digital channels will be their primary way of contacting brands in the future. And considering 90% of people follow at least one business on Instagram, it’s safe to say that even more people will rely on Instagram DM for customer support in the years to come.

Direct messaging on Instagram is a personal way to interact with customers, influencers, brand partners, and everyone in between. When it’s used well, Instagram’s messaging feature can help your brand build a strong relationship with your audience by making sure people feel heard and supported.

Here are some tips on sending and responding to messages to help you get the most out of your 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?

Instagram DMs are direct messages between one Instagram user and another user or a group of users. Users can share all types of content through DMs, including:

  • Photos
  • Video
  • Audio
  • Stickers
  • GIFs

These messages are private and 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.

For brands and creators, sending direct messages can be a good way to build personal relationships with followers, reach out to potential partners, or provide support to customers with questions or feedback.

How to send Instagram DMs

How to send DMs using the Instagram app

Sending and receiving DMs from the Instagram mobile app is easy. Follow these steps to start engaging with followers and customers alike:

1. First, open the Instagram app on your phone.

2. Click on the paper airplane or messenger icon in the top right corner of your feed. The messages icon that appears here depends on whether or not you’ve updated your Instagram account to connect with Facebook’s Messenger.

If you haven’t connected your Instagram account with Facebook messenger, you’ll see the paper airplane…

…but if you have connected your accounts, you’ll see the messenger icon.

3. In your Direct Messages tab, you’ll find all of your conversations. Unread direct messages will show up first in the list.

4. Tap on an unread message and write a response in the Message bar.

If you want to send content through a DM, you can also do this directly in the app.

5. Any time you see the paper airplane icon, click on it to send that content to another user in a private message. You can use direct messages to send posts, Reels, or Stories to another user or brand. The content that you forward to another account will appear in their Direct Messages tab.

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

Anyone with an Instagram profile can create or reply to Instagram DMs from the browser version of the app using a desktop or laptop computer. This method makes it easier for your brand to respond to an influx or high volume of DMs.

Whether you’re replying to an Instagram message on a PC or creating a DM to send on a Mac, the process is the same. Here’s how to open a DM on Instagram (web version):

1. Head to instagram.com using whichever web browser you prefer, and log into your brand’s Instagram account. Note: You don’t need to use a specific browser to access Instagram DMs.

2. Once you’re logged into your account, click on Messages in the panel on the left. Just like in the app, the icon you see here — either a paper plane or the Messenger symbol — will depend on whether you’ve updated your account with Facebook Messenger.

If your Instagram account is connected to Facebook Messenger, you’ll see the familiar messenger icon…

…and if you haven’t connected your accounts, you’ll see the paper airplane.

3. In the Direct Messages tab, you’ll see your brand’s messages and interactions here. Unread DMs will appear first in the list.

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

But that’s just one way to message on Instagram on desktop. You can also use a social media management platform like Hootsuite to streamline your social customer care.

How to send Instagram DMs using Hootsuite

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

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 to eager customers.

If you want to know how to check messages on Instagram (and reply faster) using Hootsuite, follow these simple steps:

1. In your Hootsuite dashboard, navigate to the Inbox. Here, you can see interactions from your connected Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn accounts. Hootsuite Inbox is compatible with Instagram Business 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

2. 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.

9 best practices for sending and responding to Instagram DMs

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

Before you start interacting over Insta DMs, here are some essential tips to keep in mind.

Set up notifications for Instagram DMs

Being responsive is key to engaging and maintaining strong relationships with your followers.

But you can’t be responsive if you’re not aware of the messages coming your way in the first place.

Checking your DMs regularly is a good place to start, but make sure you see all the new, incoming Instagram DMs that your brand receives by setting up notifications.

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

Then under Messages (if you’re working on desktop) or Messages and Calls (if you’re working on mobile), ensure the From Primary and General option is selected.

This will ensure your brand is notified of all its new incoming DMs.

If your brand typically receives a lot of messages, we recommend using a tool (like Hootsuite) that helps streamline and manage your DMs.

Check your Instagram message requests

To ensure there aren’t any customer messages that slip through the cracks, you’ll also want to check your message requests, too.

Requests are direct messages from accounts you don’t follow. As a brand, this means most of the customer messages you receive will land in the Requests tab if you haven’t interacted with them before.

Under Messages and Calls, make sure Message Requests is turned on to start receiving all DM requests.

Use Instagram Saved Replies

Chances are, your brand will get many similar questions and comments over DM. Instead of typing out the same reply to each follower every time, save time and ensure consistency by making the most of the Instagram Saved Replies feature.

To use this feature, you’ll need to set up an Instagram Business Profile or Creator Account.

These professional accounts will also provide more options for organizing and managing your Instagram DMs, like the three-tab inbox, which organizes your inbox into three tabs: All, Primary, and General.

Find Saved Replies as an option under Settings.

From there, go to Business and you’ll see the option for Saved Reply.

Under Saved replies, you can see all of the responses you’ve created shortcuts for.

To create a Saved 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 keyword shortcut into your message and the full response you’ve saved for that shortcut will autofill.

Psst: If you use Hootsuite, you can create and save message replies using Inbox.

Acknowledge when a new message has been received

If your brand receives a high volume of direct messages, it isn’t always realistic to send a carefully thought-out response the moment you receive it.

But at the very least, it’s a good idea to let the customer know you got their message. That way, even if your team isn’t able to respond immediately, your customer isn’t met with silence.

Here are a few responses you can use to acknowledge a new message:

  • 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 back to them
  • Share your appreciation for their support

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

Follow up promptly

Don’t leave your customers waiting! If you’ve already let them know you’ve read their message, follow through with a prompt response (even better if it’s sooner than the expected timeframe you initially shared).

The faster your brand can reply, the better — especially if the message is negative. In fact, 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 can result in them losing interest — or, worst, trust — in your brand. Always follow up with questions or inquiries in a timely manner to ensure customers feel supported and heard.

Write in your brand voice

Whatever your brand’s voice is, use that tone in your Instagram DMs.

Your followers associate your brand’s voice with everything you do and post on the platform, including your messages and replies. If your tone is usually upbeat and friendly in your captions or comments, then an abrupt or unhelpful direct message would be jarring and likely deter a customer from continuing the conversation.

When crafting your message replies, 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 offense, especially if that tone isn’t the norm for your brand. Leave no room for misinterpretation.

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, whether through a quick reply or an acknowledgment. Write in a way that is easy to read. Use short sentences.

And don’t fear short paragraphs.

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

If you need more guidance on how to respond to DMs in a prompt yet helpful way, use one of our Instagram DM templates to get started.

Review before you send

With every DM, make sure your message reflects your brand in a professional way before you tap Send.

Check for typos, spelling mistakes, and grammar errors. Read over your DM for flow — even better if you can read it out loud to make sure it sounds natural.

And if your company manages multiple brands and has multiple Instagram accounts, make sure you’re working with the right account.

There’s nothing more anxiety-inducing than sending a response on behalf of the wrong brand — worse if you accidentally reply from your personal Instagram account. Not only will it leave your customer feeling confused, but you’ll have to quickly toggle to the right account to rectify the situation.

Save yourself unnecessary stress by always double (or triple!) checking that you’re replying from the right account.

Don’t forget to sign off

Finally, bring closure to the conversation by tying up any loose ends or sending a thoughtful note.

A few ways to sign off your Instagram DM conversation include:

  • 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.
  • Sharing your appreciation for their feedback.

Closing off is not only a personable way to communicate but also ensures your customer doesn’t feel snubbed before the conversation is over and has clear next steps to follow (if any).

Frequently asked questions about Instagram DMs

Are DMs private on Instagram?

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

Can you screenshot Instagram DMs?

Yes, you can screenshot Instagram DMs. Neither party will know if a DM has been screenshot unless the message was sent using vanish mode.

Can people see if you screenshot Instagram DMs?

No, people can’t see if you screenshot their DM on Instagram in most cases. The exception is if a message is sent using vanish mode. Vanish mode allows people to send messages that disappear once someone leaves the chat. If you screenshot a message, photo, or video that was sent in vanish mode, the sender will be notified.

Can you delete Instagram DMs?

Yes, you can delete Instagram DMs using both the desktop and mobile versions of the app. If you delete a DM, this will only delete the conversation for you. The direct message thread will still be visible for the others included in the conversation unless they also delete it.

What is a DM group?

An Instagram DM group is a group chat. Instagram allows up to 250 people to be part of a group chat.

Can you video chat on Instagram?

Yes, you can make video calls with up to 8 people at a time using Instagram DMs. Click into an existing conversation or start a new one, then click video chat in the top right. According to the platform, “anyone you’ve accepted a message from, except for verified accounts, can video chat with you.” If you want to prevent someone from video calling you on Instagram, you can always block them.

Start building your Instagram presence using Hootsuite. Schedule and publish posts directly to Instagram, engage your audience, measure performance, and run all your other social media profiles — all from one simple dashboard. Try it free today.

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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.

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.
  • 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.

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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

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.

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.

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.

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
  • 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.

  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.

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.
  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.

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.

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.

  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.

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: