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How to send photo dm on instagram


Send an Instagram Direct Message With These 5 Easy Steps

As the kids say these days, “it goes down in the DMs”.

How to DM on Instagram

  1. Open Instagram and log in to your account
  2. Tap the paper airplane in the top right corner
  3. Using the plus sign, select your recipient(s)
  4. Type your message, select a photo, or take a photo, and hit send!

Admittedly, I don’t know what “it” is, and I can’t say with any speck of certainty that anybody, regardless of age, actually says that. 

Either way, Instagram’s introduction of Instagram Direct, the photo-sharing platform’s direct messaging feature, was an exciting new release when it launched in 2013.

Instagram was always a public-facing platform. To interact with other accounts, users had to like or comment on their posts. When Instagram Direct was introduced, users who followed each other were able to send private, one-to-one messages for the first time.

In this guide, we’ll cover the introduction of Instagram Direct, what it is, and why it was such a big deal. Plus, we’ll take you step-by-step through sending different types of Direct Messages, including chat-like text messages, videos, disappearing pictures, and more!

Let’s get started!

First things first – what is Instagram Direct? Or in this case, an Instagram DM (direct message).

What is a DM on Instagram?

First things first – let's define DM. In this case, DM stands for direct message – or a message sent privately to one (or a few) people. 

So now that we have the DM definition, we can dive a bit deeper into how to send a message on Instagram and why the feature was introduced. 

Instagram Direct is Instagram’s private messaging feature. Kevin Systrom, Instagram founder, announced it at a press event in New York on December 12, 2013. This was an exciting moment for the photo-sharing platform, as it was the first time it explored one-to-one messaging on an otherwise public platform.  

The video above accompanied Systrom’s announcement and briefly explored the new feature's main functionalities.

Interestingly, this announcement came shortly after Instagram was acquired by Facebook, a platform that launched its private messenger back in 2008. 

In 2013, private social media messaging apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger were continuing to dominate (with the latter already seeing nearly 200 million monthly active users). Even more importantly, Snapchat, the multimedia messaging app, was quickly gaining traction. Introducing a direct messaging feature was a smart (and maybe even essential) move by Instagram.

Through Instagram Direct, users can send photos or videos that they take (or upload from their phone’s photo library), posts they saw in the feed, disappearing photos and videos (think Snapchat), other user’s Instagram stories, hashtags, and location pages.

Instagram also recently added a green dot next to an Instagram user’s profile picture that indicates when they’re logged on to Instagram and available to chat.

An Instagram DM can be sent to one person, or, up to 32 people in a group chat! (If you want to share private Instagram stories with more than 32 people, consider making an Instagram close friends list.)

As of 2018, users can use Instagram direct messaging to video chat with just one person or a group of up to four different people. This new feature works similar to FaceTime or Google Hangout, with users able to video chat anyone with whom they have a direct message thread open.

Today, Instagram Direct has evolved to be a valuable form of Instagram marketing. Organizations with an Instagram business profile can use the tool to offer social media customer service, and users can use the tool to connect with their favorite brands.

Of course, it would be unfair to tell you about all of these exciting features without telling you how to use them! These step-by-step instructions will give you all of the information you need to start chatting with your friends and followers via Instagram DM.

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How to DM on Instagram

As mentioned above, there are plenty of ways to DM on Instagram. That said, there are definitely two methods you’re more likely to use than others. In this guide, we’ll give you step-by-step instructions on:

  • How to send a picture, video, or chat in a DM
  • How to send a post from your Instagram feed in a DM

Let’s get started!

How to send a picture, video, or chat in a DM 

Have you ever taken a picture and immediately thought of a friend who just needed to see it? Or, maybe you ran into an old college acquaintance while running errands and want to reach out, but you forgot to exchange phone numbers. 

Whatever your reasoning may be, sending a chat, picture, or video by Instagram DM can be a great way to reach people! 

Luckily, this is a simple process consisting of just a few steps.

1. Open Instagram and log into your account 

This first step is easy – and if you’re anything like me, something you already do every single day. Grab your phone, open up your Instagram app, and log in to your account. As a heads up, our instructions and screenshots refer to sending an Instagram DM from an iPhone. However, the process should look similar (if not identical) on Android devices.

2. Tap the paper airplane button in the top right corner, or, swipe left from anywhere in the Feed

When you tap on the paper airplane button or swipe left, you’ll be brought to the screen from which you’ll send your DM. If you have existing conversations (or if you’ve ever been sent a DM before), they’ll appear on this screen.

3. Tap the plus sign in the top right corner 

To send a new message, tap the plus sign in the top right corner. This will bring you to the screen where you select the person (or persons) to whom you’d like to send the message.

4. Select your recipient(s)

Instagram will pull up a list of suggested accounts to which you may want to send your direct message. If you don’t see your intended recipient, use the search bar at the top of the screen to find them, searching by either their username or full name. When you’ve selected your recipient, click “Next” in the top right corner.

5. To send a written message:

To send a chat, type your message and click send.

To take a picture or video to send:

To take a new picture or video to send, tap the camera button to the left of the chat-box. If you’ve posted an Instagram story before, this screen should look familiar! You can take a picture or video as normal, or take advantage of some of Instagram’s fun features like Boomerangs, filters, and more.

 Once you take your picture, you’ll have a few options on how it will appear to your recipient. At this point, you’ll choose between:

  • Having the photo or video appear or play once, and then disappear (like the first version of Snapchat)
  • Having the photo or video appear or play once, but allow your recipient one replay after that (like Snapchat’s current functionality)
  • Having the photo remain in your private chat with the recipient

Select the way you would like your picture or video to appear, and hit send! 

To send a picture or video from your photo library:

To send a picture or video from your photo library, tap the button to the right of your chat-box. This button looks like a landscape scene. This will pull up your phone’s camera roll, from which you can select a photo or video. Once you select your image, click send. Keep in mind that for the best possible quality, the picture or video should fit the standard Instagram story dimensions. 

There you have it! From there, you can continue chatting back and forth, or send additional content.

How to send a post from your Instagram feed in a DM

Now that Instagram is littered with meme accounts (I’m not complaining), it’s a pretty regular occurrence to see something in your feed that makes you laugh out loud. And what’s better than laughing alone? Laughing with friends, of course!

Luckily, Instagram makes it easy to send posts directly from the feed to your friends and followers. The original poster will not know that you sent their Instagram post, nor will the messages appear in the Instagram feed, search, or your profile.

However, keep in mind that if the original poster has a private Instagram profile, your recipient won’t be able to see the post unless they follow the account that posted it. If the original poster has a public Instagram profile, then you’re good to go! 

Now, here’s how to send a post directly from your Instagram feed. We’ll skip the steps that require opening Instagram and logging in – if you’ve found something you want to share, we can safely assume you’ve done that already!

1. Tap the paper airplane button below the image you want to share 

When you tap on the paper plane image below the image you want to share, Instagram will pull up a list of your existing conversations. If you don’t see your intended recipient(s), simply use the search bar to find their account and select their Instagram handle from the list.

2. Add an optional message, or send without one

After you select your recipient, you can opt to type a message that will send along with the post. Consider including a message that provides more context on the image or explains why the post made you think of this particular person. Instagram DMs are a great way to connect with friends and family, so take advantage of the opportunity to include a personalized message!

Hint: If your recipient can’t see the post, no need for them to follow the account! Simply take a screenshot on your Android or iPhone and send the screenshot via DM using the first set of instructions.

Are you ready to slide into the DMs?

Hopefully, this post has taught you exactly how to DM on Instagram. Instagram’s direct message feature is a great way to stay in touch with friends and family, or, get in touch with those acquaintances with whom you haven’t yet exchanged numbers. Whichever way you use it, Instagram Direct was an exciting new feature that isn’t going away soon.

Curious to know more about Instagram? Check out this guide to learn how to leverage IGTV for your business.

Claire Brenner

Claire is a former growth marketing team manager at G2. Born and raised in the Chicago area, her brief stint in Ohio (University of Dayton) gave her a new appreciation for deep-dish pizza, but left her well-versed in Cincinnati-style chili and "cities" with a population fewer than 400,000. While not writing, Claire can be found practicing calligraphy, seeking out the best dive bars in Chicago, and planning her next trip. (she/her/hers)

How to Reply to an Instagram DM With a Photo or Video

By Aya Masango

Instagram's updated in-app messaging means you can now reply to a DM with a photo or video.

Did you know you can reply to an Instagram Direct Message with a photo or video? Instagram allows you to show your exact reaction to a message sent to you by sending back a suitable image or video, along with visual elements that are usually reserved for Instagram Stories.

Send back a video of yourself laughing instead of texting "LOL" when a friend sends you something funny to capture your most natural reaction, or send an image from your gallery that fits the mood.

Here's how to use the new visual reply feature in your DMs...

Instagram Continues to Add Interactive Features to Its App

Instagram continues to pack its app with features that make it more fun and engaging, so you can get the most out of your experience in the app.

One of its 2021 updates includes visual replies to messages, letting you send a video or photo reaction to messages.

Related: Facebook Adds New Messaging Features to Messenger and Instagram

In adding more interactive features to its platform, Instagram takes on video-sharing app Snapchat, which offers similar functionality.

Similar to Snapchat, these messages are not necessarily permanently available. With these Instagram replies, you can set them to expire.

Here's how to use the new feature...

3 Images

To send a reply with a picture or video, you can capture something new with your phone's camera or choose something existing from your phone's gallery.

Follow these steps to send a visual reply in your messages:

  1. In your Instagram Direct Messages, open the chat with the person you want to reply to.
  2. To reply with a photo or video, tap the camera icon at the bottom-left of the screen and capture your image or video.
  3. To reply with an image from your phone's gallery, tap the picture icon on the bottom-right of the screen.
  4. At the bottom of the screen are three options: View Once, Allow Replay and Keep in Chat. The reply is automatically set to Allow Replay, but if you don't want the recipient to replay your response after they view it, you can select the option you prefer by simply tapping on it.

To send your response to more friends, tap Send to others in the bottom-right corner of the screen.

If you'd like to download your reply, tap the icon with a downward-facing arrow at the top of the screen. This will save your image or video on your phone.

2 Images

The visual reply feature has similar functionality to Instagram Stories. This includes all the usual creative options to spruce up your reply.

Add a GIF, music, stickers, and a whole lot more. Add text to your selfie by tapping on the screen and typing, as you would do when uploading an Instagram Story. To access more features, simply swipe up and play around.

Related: How to Upload a GIF to Instagram

By extending the same functionality in messages that you're accustomed to in Stories, Instagram gives you the ability to engage with your friends and followers privately the same way you would publicly in Stories.

This makes your private chats less formal and more engaging, and allows you to enjoy a more consistent experience across the app.

In expanding its interactive features to Direct Messages, Instagram is taking another page from Snapchat's playbook.

And this isn't the first time either. Instagram Stories, after all, is a copycat version of Snapchat Stories that expire after a day.

Related: What Are Social Media Stories and Why Are They Everywhere?

Keeping Up With a Competitive, Ever-Growing Market

Social media apps are becoming more interactive by the day. As more apps enter the market with unique, fresher functionalities that social media users hop on to, older apps like Instagram have no choice but to adapt and compete on the same level.

Instagram is doing just that with its addition of the private reply functionalities, following in the footsteps of Snapchat and the like.

3 ways to send a photo to Direct Instagram

Contents:

  • 1 How to send a picture to Direct on Instagram?
    • 1.1 From phone
    • 1.2 From computer
  • 2 How to send disappearing pictures in direct?
  • 3 How to share someone else's post from the feed in Direct?
  • 4 How to download an image from a PM on Instagram?
  • 5 Questions from our readers

Photo posts are in the spotlight on Instagram. Private messages are out of the question - people prefer to speak through comments or, in extreme cases, reply to Stories. We can see such a picture due to the fact that there used to be much fewer opportunities in the LAN of the photoset than now. In 2019you can even send a photo to Direct Instagram. We will talk about how to do this below.

How to send a picture to Direct on Instagram?

You can upload a photo in two ways: through a computer and through a phone. We will analyze both cases so that you are fully equipped.

From the phone

The social network is primarily designed specifically for mobile devices. Therefore, it is most convenient to implement what was conceived with the help of gadgets. Let's move on to a small algorithm of actions in Direct. nine0003

  • Opening a PM. There are two ways to do this - by swiping left on the tab under the house icon or by clicking on the paper plane icon in the upper right corner of the news tab.
  • Here we either open the conversation or click on the notepad icon in the upper right corner. We will consider the first case a little lower, and in the second case, you will need to select a user from the list and proceed to the next item.

  • There will be several icons next to the text input line. We click on the one in which the landscape is minimalistically drawn. nine0008

  • The gallery opens. Select an image and upload it.

From a computer

Direct on Instagram is not available via a computer. However, there is no such functionality that people would not expand. That's how it is in this case as well. The web version, even the mobile one, won't let me access messages. However, with the help of an extension, you can get this feature. For example, I use Downloader for Instagram. After downloading the extension, refresh the tab with Insta. Additional buttons will appear in the interface, one of which is a phone. Click on it, and another tab with a mobile interface will appear. And then you need to do everything the same as in the previous instructions. nine0003

How to send disappearing pictures in direct?

Not everyone knows, but you can send disappearing images or videos on Instagram. The recipient will be able to view such a message, but then the materials will be automatically deleted. This is also easy to do. But to the question “How to send a disappearing photo to Instagram direct via computer?” there is no clear answer, except for the emulator of the Android mobile operating system.

Therefore, consider the example of a mobile interface:

  1. Swipe left on the tab with the news feed or click on the paper airplane icon in the upper right corner of the same tab.
  2. Here, next to the line of correspondence with the user, there will be a camera icon. We click on it.
  3. The photo creation interface will open. We click what we want to send.
  4. Below will be the display settings. You can make the message permanent, allow replay, or have the photo self-destruct. nine0066
  5. Click "Submit" and you will be happy.

How to share someone else's post from the feed in Direct?

We can't share an interesting post on our profile. Such is the interface of the social network. However, you can still show an interesting entry to a friend.

The instruction is as follows:

  1. Find the desired post.
  2. There will be some icons below it. One of them is a paper airplane. We click on it.
  3. In the list that opens, select the desired page and click on the blue "Submit" button next to the nickname. After that, the publication will appear in the correspondence. In addition, from here you can optionally add a post to the story. nine0066

How to download an image from a PM on Instagram?

Now a few words about how to download photos from Instagram Direct. Previously, to download any materials from the photoset, you had to download special software. Now everything is easier. Tap and hold on the photo until a menu of possible actions appears. There won't be many of them, so you won't get confused. Click on Save.

Realizing the importance of the section with private messages, the developers are developing this side of the account. Therefore, you have the option to upload visual content there. In addition, there is a function of disappearing "SMS". Only through this option will you be able to send video material as well. nine0003

Questions from our readers

#1. How to send a photo in a private message on Instagram?

Now everything is simple with this - just open the correspondence and click on the appropriate button next to the text input line. You also have this opportunity through a computer, but you will have to use either an extension or an emulator of the Android operating system.

#2. How to use the functionality of disappearing messages?

Through a computer, this will be possible for you only with the help of an emulator. But it must be taken into account that this will require at least some kind of webcam. Through the phone, in order to open the window for creating such an image, you need to click on the icon with the camera to the right of the nickname. nine0003

#3. Can I download an image from private messages?

Yes. Now you can simply click on the photo and hold this touch until the desired button appears.

Leave questions and opinions on the topic in the comments. Also watch related videos.

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    How to forward on Instagram: photo, message, video, story

    Content:

    • 1 Photo forwarding
    • 2 Video forwarding
    • 3 How to forward a story
    • 4 How to forward a message

    Almost every Instagram user is familiar with the situation when, while scrolling through the news feed, he came across a great photo or an interesting video, or, while browsing stories, noted important information that he would like to share with his friend, and, possibly, with several friends at once. But not everyone knows how to do this, and many are convinced that Stories cannot be sent at all. We will talk about how to send the materials you like in this article. nine0003

    Photo forwarding

    Looking through the news feed, you can see an interesting photo, want to share with someone, decide to forward the photo on Instagram. To do this, do the following.

    Having opened the photo of interest, click on the paper airplane icon located under the photo itself, next to the add comments icon.

    A window pops up. We are prompted to choose a dialogue with the user with whom we want to share the photo. Click the "Submit" button next to the selected name. If this person is not yet in the list of dialogues, enter his name in the search bar located above all dialogues. nine0003

    Select the "Finish" button that appears at the very bottom of the screen.

    We return to our main page. Select the direct icon located in the upper right corner.

    Opening a dialog with a user who has just received a photo.

    We see that the photo was sent along with hashtags and the name of the author. Click on the picture.

    The photo opens as we saw it before we "clicked the share button".

    nine0002 You can go the other way. Open the photo, click on the vertical ellipsis located in the upper right corner.

    In the window that opens, select the "Share link" line.

    A new window appears at the bottom of the screen, in which we are given the choice of other social networks, instant messengers or email. We click on the "Direct" of Instagram.

    A page opens on which we need to select a dialog. Having decided on the user with whom we want to share a link to the photo, click the "Send" button. nine0003

    Click "Finish" at the bottom of the screen.

    A dialog box opens. We see that this time we did not send a photo, but only a link to it. We click on the link.

    A photo is opened.

    Video forwarding

    To send a video, once you have decided on a video, click on the paper airplane icon below it.

    A list of recent conversations pops up. Choose who you want to share with, click Send.

    nine0002 Click "Finish" at the bottom of the screen.

    We return to the main page and click on the direct button.

    Select a dialogue with the user to whom the video was sent.

    In the window that opens, we see that it was sent with the author and signature, comments.

    If you click on the video with your finger, it opens in full size and looks like we found it before sending it.

    How to send history

    Not everyone knows that you can forward a story on Instagram. nine0003

    Being in your account on the main page, at the top of the screen, select the circle with the story you like.

    Story starts. Click on the paper airplane icon in the lower right corner.

    A list of recent conversations pops up. Select the one to which we want to send this Story, click "Send".

    The “Finish” button appears at the bottom of the screen, click on it.

    Go to your direct.

    Open the dialog to which the History was sent. nine0003

    We see a notification that the selected story was sent to this user. Author saved. Click on this thumbnail.

    History starts. Please note that the person to whom we sent the story can see not only the selected piece that we decided to share, but also take an interest in all the stories uploaded in this account at the moment.

    How to forward a message

    Being interested in the question of how to forward a message on Instagram, I came to the conclusion that there is no special button to activate this function. But there is a way by which we will still be able to share the received message, but without specifying its author. nine0003

    Open a dialog box, select the message you want to forward. We pinch it with our finger.

    In the window that opens, select the line "Copy text".

    We are looking for a dialogue with the user to whom we want to send the selected message.

    Learn more