How to use instagram messenger on laptop

Launching Instagram Messaging on Desktop

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Yorgos Askalidis

September 25, 2020

On April 10th, 2020 we launched Instagram Messaging (referred to in this post simply as “Messaging”) for personal desktop computers. We believe that this feature will improve everyday experiences and enable new use cases for all of our desktop web users. In this post, we go through some of our overall learnings from our desktop users, and dive into the engineering and experimentation that enabled us to ship this product. We believe that these learnings can be applied to other services to improve user experiences across all of their interfaces.

Part I: Why multiple interfaces matter

Instagram is a mobile-first experience. In fact, for the first few years of its life, Instagram was a mobile-only experience, with the website redirecting users to download the app. But as a service matures, both in terms of the number of users it has as well as in terms of the use cases it serves, it’s important to expand our understanding of how new interfaces can add value to the user experience. For Instagram, the desktop web experience is the main alternative to native apps, and we have done a lot of qualitative and quantitative work around what use cases it can solve for our users.

One benefit that the desktop web experience adds to the native apps is that it enables a complementary relationship that leads to an enhanced user engagement. For example, we observe a complementary usage pattern throughout the day and week, with an increased usage of the desktop website during weekdays and daytime hours (6am - 2pm), while the native apps see an increased usage during evening hours (5pm-7pm) and weekends. This pattern is consistent with our user interviews that consistently demonstrate that users want to take small breaks while performing tasks for school or work. This analysis also demonstrates how important the desktop web experience is for Instagram business accounts, who often use their personal computers throughout their workdays.

Furthermore, we haven't found any evidence that the Instagram desktop web experience cannibalizes engagement from the native apps. In fact, it’s quite the opposite -- users who use both interfaces spend more time on each interface, compared to users who use each interface exclusively.

Taking into account these findings, we have focused on building products that can enhance the user experience throughout the Instagram ecosystem, including web interfaces. Messaging was a natural fit and one of the most requested features to develop for the desktop web interface based on our user research. Not only it enabled casual use cases, such as messaging from your computer while performing various other tasks, it also created new use cases geared towards power users, such as the ability to use a large screen and keyboard to reply to hundreds of messages.

Part II a): Engineering, from hack project to testing

Before Instagram Direct messaging (also referred to as simply Messaging) was developed for the desktop web experience, it started off as an offering for the mobile web experience. The messaging experience was one of the first new product areas we had added in a while and was architected in a way that would allow its independent usage with or without the rest of the website. Some of the technical achievements included:

1. Being the first part of our website to be written in purely functional components with React hooks, which was a newer paradigm at the time.
2. It was our primary venture away from GraphQL usage and towards RESTful endpoints, which aligned us closer to the other Instagram applications
3. It was the only area of the website that relied on real-time communication, and so was our first primary usage of MQTT.
4. It was the first area of the website to use encrypted push notifications, as well as our first major expansion of our existing ServiceWorker framework.

Considering the design decisions above, we made the architectural decision to separate data for Messaging away from the rest of the web application, which had the data being unified through an inefficient GraphQL and Redux combination.

This change resulted in :

1. An isolated Redux store that could be operated without needing data from the rest of the website.
2. This also led to an independent client-side caching architecture, allowing Messaging on Mobile Web to boot quickly from cache independent of the rest of the website.
3. Code that was very re-usable on both Mobile Web and Desktop. The website as a whole shares a lot of the underlying architecture between the two surfaces, but Messaging’s implementation strictly separated the models from the views allowing for its easy re-use in this project, and further projects down the line.

We launched Messaging on Mobile Web at the end of h2 2019. After the launch, we noticed that many users were trying to get around the mobile web restrictions to use the experience on Desktop. After seeing the success the application had on Mobile Web, Messaging on Desktop started off as a Hackathon project in 2019.

The project took the already-existing Instagram Messaging on Mobile Web and wrapped it in a container to frame it into a seamless desktop web experience. This, along with the data we received over multiple user research sessions, showed that Messaging on Desktop had the potential to find product market fit.

When building out the experience for desktop, we had to take into account the larger interfaces and the different needs of Desktop web users. Some of the major changes we made:

1. Improving the UX experience, from badging support and message flows to desktop-centric actions such as drag and drop images.
2. Adding key missing features such as Presence, Voice Messages, Permanent Camera Messages, Gallery Views
3. Support for Creator and Business accounts, and the handling of multiple inboxes
4. Changes to the way we handle caching, as Desktop web users expected a more up to date experience

Part II b): A/B Testing and shipping decision

We launched the test to 2% of the Instagram desktop web population. The main metrics that we were keen on monitoring was usage of the messaging product, as measured by the number of users who send at least a message per day and the overall number of messages they send across both the native apps and desktop web. The results exceeded our expectations, with increases in both of those metrics. We also had guardrail metrics to ensure that enabling Instagram Messaging on desktop would have no negative effect on the usage of our native apps. The only regression we observed was in the usage of Messaging on the mobile web. We believe that some of the loss was organic since users now had one more option to choose from if they couldn’t access their native app. But some of these lost mobile web users were artificial, because we know that many users were using third party extensions and tools to disguise their desktop web browser as a mobile web browser in order to get access to Messaging (since Messaging was available on mobile web before it was available on desktop web).

Part III: Why desktop web features are more relevant than ever.

2020 has been an unprecedented year. The global pandemic has pushed the world into remote working and learning, which, along with social distancing measures, forced people to spend an increased amount of their time online. Because of this, products like Instagram Messaging and Instagram Live, became even more important in helping people stay connected with the people and things they love. It was important that we enable users to access those products from their desktop computers.

Across Instagram’s three main interfaces (native apps, mobile web and desktop web), desktop web was the one that grew (percentage wise) the most during the pandemic.

Enabling users to feel closer to the people and things they love is at the core of what we do. Instagram Messaging allowed more users to do so during a time when we needed to connect more than ever.

If this work sounds interesting to you, we’re always hiring! Please visit ourcareers page, follow us onFacebook or onTwitter.

This project has been a joint effort of engineering, product management, user research, data science and more. Big thanks to Judy Mai & Tyler Truong from engineering who actually built the product, Adam Kopec who designed it, Amir Shaikh & David Ressler who made sure that all the processes had been followed for the product to go live, Kenzie Snyder & Jeff LaFlam from user research whose work gave us an in-depth understanding of what users are looking for in an Instagram web experience, and Evelyn Tong & Peter Jalbert for continued growth and data engineering support. Big thanks also to Mario Estrada and Tony Pan who built a lot of the Messaging product on mobile web. Finally, big thanks to everyone from the entire ecosystem that made sure this product launched with all the user-safety and integrity features to ensure a pleasant experience for all our users.

Special thanks to Farhan Ahmed, Kiro Risk and Ryan Peterman for their help with early drafts of this post.

Yorgos Askalidis is a Data Scientist working with the Instagram Interfaces team, currently focusing on the strategy for improving Instagram’s web surface.

Tyler Truong is a Software Engineer on the Instagram Web team, leading the Direct and Notifications effort, and currently working on modernizing Instagram’s web surface.

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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. 

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. 

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.

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."

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 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.

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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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Direct on Instagram* on a computer - 4 ways

Direct messages on Instagram* make it easy to communicate privately with other users, but by default, this is only possible in the app on your phone or tablet. Although sometimes it would be more convenient to write in direct on Instagram * on a computer - this can be done.

This manual describes in detail three ways to open and write to direct Instagram * on a computer or laptop - either simply through a browser without installing anything, or using additional utilities for these purposes. You may also find it helpful: How to post a photo to Instagram* from a computer. nine0003

• The official Instagram app* for Windows 10
• How to open and write to direct Instagram* on a computer using a browser
• Direct Message for Instagram* extension for Google Chrome
• Program to write direct Instagram* from computer
• Video instruction

Official Instagram app* for Windows 10 with support for direct messages

If you have Windows 10 installed on your computer, you can use the official Instagram* app from the Microsoft Store that supports direct messaging:

1. Open the app store (usually the icon is located in the taskbar), search for Instagram* and install the free official app.
2. After launching, at the bottom, click "Login" and log in with your username and password.
3. When the application is running, you will see a Direct icon to access your messages.
4. If you need to direct Instagram* to another person, find him in your subscriptions or simply through the search, open his profile and click the "Write" button (only if you follow him). nine0008
5. If you are not subscribed to a person, then to write to him in direct, open his profile, click on the menu button and select "Send message".

As you can see, everything is very simple - the Instagram direct* is in the usual place, and its use should not present any difficulties, in this part the application works properly.

By the way, in Windows 10, pressing the Windows key + period (in the bottom row on the right) will open the panel for quickly entering emoji, it can come in handy. nine0003

How to direct write Instagram* from a computer using a browser

This method allows you to open a direct on Instagram* on a computer or laptop with any version of Windows and other OS and use it without any additional programs: a browser on your computer is enough, it is completely safe, but perhaps not always convenient.

1. In your browser (I'm demonstrating in Google Chrome, but you can do it in other browsers too), go to https://www. instagram.com/*. If you are prompted to sign in, enter your username and password. nine0008
2. The Instagram* site will open with your account and photos, but without a directive. Next step: Right-click anywhere on the page and select View Code. In other browsers, this item may have a different name, for example, in Yandex Browser - "Explore element".
3. The developer panel will open (it can open both on the right and at the bottom of the page), in it click on the emulation of mobile devices icon (first arrow), then select any mobile device, if you are not satisfied with the scale, change it, and then update page. nine0008
4. The appearance of the page will change and now the Instagram direct icon* will be available on it, where you can see your correspondence.
5. To start a direct chat with another person (who is not in direct chat), find him, go to his profile and click "Send message" (for the button to appear, you need to subscribe to him).

I think for everyone who is familiar with using Instagram* everything will be simple: direct from a computer works almost the same as from a phone. nine0003

The method is good for everyone, except that the steps to enable emulation of a mobile device on a computer will have to be done again each time. If you want to avoid this, there are other methods.

Direct Message for Instagram* extension for Google Chrome

A free extension for using direct on Instagram* from a computer is available in the Google Chrome extension store, which is called Direct Message for Instagram*.

In fact, all this extension does is launch a browser window with an open Instagram* website with the necessary parameters and emulation of a mobile device, convenient, fast and available at any time. nine0003

IG:dm program for using direct on Instagram* from a computer

There is a separate free program for Windows, Mac OS and Linux called IG:dm (Instagram* Desktop Messenger) and is specially designed for messaging in direct Instagram* from a computer or laptop. The official website of the program is https://igdm.me (keep in mind that some antiviruses can block its download, but judging by VirusTotal everything is completely clean).

After installing the program, you will need to log in with your Instagram* data, as a result you will see a kind of instant messenger for direct correspondence. nine0003

You can search for users (not only among those who are subscribed or who are subscribed to you) and write messages to them in the program window, reply, all this in a convenient way.

In my test, the program works fine, but it sometimes feels too slow. However, if you text a lot on Instagram*, IG:dm might be the fastest way to DM from your computer or laptop.

Direct Instagram* on a computer or laptop - video

I think one of the proposed methods of using direct messages will suit your use case and you will be satisfied.

* Belongs to Meta Platforms, recognized as an extremist organization, its activities are banned in Russia

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Direct instagram on the computer | where is Instagram Direct located

Instagram

Instagram Direct on a computer - full-fledged messenger web version desktop Instagram Direct for desktop computers .

• The version of instagram direct for computers has functional differences from the messenger in the application.

Content

Instagram direct on computer

Update by instagram development team, " instagram direct for computer" , just announced recently. And many do not know where the direct is located on Instagram on a computer.

We will consider the most main functions of the messenger on a PC and analyze which commands are not supported in the desktop version of Direct .

1. Press dialog with user whose messages you want to move to the public.
2. At the top of your correspondence there will be an icon letters i in a circle - the field " information" (after clicking it will turn black ). This is an active field when clicked, which will open the dialog settings for you.
3. You can — turn off notifications for messages (by checking the checkbox).
4. Move dialogs with user in " General " - the button " move" ( people will not know about the movement of . You can return this person to the folder " General " at any time. )
5. And also use , other settings: " delete chat" with a person, " block " him or " complain" .