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Instagram how to dm someone


How to Message Someone on Instagram and Chat Privately

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

Instagram allows you to communicate publicly and privately with followers, mutuals, and other Instagram users. That includes sending private messages to anyone. 

You don't need to follow or be followed by that user to use the app's private messaging feature, and no one can see these messages except the recipients. 

Not only can you send text and images to someone, but you can send a message to multiple people at once.  

Here's how to message someone privately on Instagram.

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iPhone 11 (From $699.99 at Apple)
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How to message someone on Instagram from the app home screen

1. Start the Instagram app on your mobile device and then swipe to the left from the Home screen or tap the paper airplane icon in the top-right corner.

2. Tap the New Message icon at the top right of the screen. 

The New Message icon is in the top right next to the Video Chat icon. Dave Johnson/Business Insider

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

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

4. Tap "Chat" at the top right of the screen. 

5. Enter the message, add an image, audio, video, or Giphy.

Write your message, add media, and then tap "Send." Dave Johnson/Business Insider

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

How to message someone from their Instagram profile page

1. In the Instagram app, find and open the profile page of the person you want to message. 

2. Tap "Message."

Use the "Message" button on a user's profile page to communicate with them. Dave Johnson/Business Insider

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

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

 

  • How to delete Instagram private messages, by deleting a conversation or unsending a message

  • How to make your Instagram private and hide your account from everyone except the followers you approve

  • How to delete a comment on Instagram from your computer or mobile device

  • How to tag someone in an Instagram post, story, or comment

  • How to post on Instagram from your phone or a computer, using the official app or an internet browser

Dave Johnson

Freelance Writer

Dave Johnson is a technology journalist who writes about consumer tech and how the industry is transforming the speculative world of science fiction into modern-day real life. Dave grew up in New Jersey before entering the Air Force to operate satellites, teach space operations, and do space launch planning. He then spent eight years as a content lead on the Windows team at Microsoft. As a photographer, Dave has photographed wolves in their natural environment; he's also a scuba instructor and co-host of several podcasts. Dave is the author of more than two dozen books and has contributed to many sites and publications including CNET, Forbes, PC World, How To Geek, and Insider.

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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.

Ready to take your Instagram to the next level?

Download The Beginner's Guide to Instagram and get started 🚀

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 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 in a personal, how to correspond, where to look and read, how to forward

In the Instagram social network, messages are displayed in Direct. In a service created for posting photo and video content, it can be difficult for novice users to understand where messages come from and where they can be found on Instagram. This important function can be used both from a smartphone and from a computer.

Content

  1. What is Direct and where to find it
  2. How to send a message
  3. How to write SMS
  4. How to communicate from a computer
  5. Did the interlocutor read the SMS or not
  6. How to delete correspondence
  7. What are requests in Direct, where to find them
  8. What are notifications
  9. Video review:

What is Direct and where to look for it

For long years of use networks, people are used to expressions such as “private message”, “personal”, “PM”. Even earlier, the expression “write in private” appeared. But in the social network Instagram appeared a section for personal correspondence called Direct. Therefore, now the expressions “details in Direct”, “contact Direct” and the like are already familiar. This is an absolute synonym for private messages. nine0003

Inexperienced users cannot immediately figure out where the messages are on Instagram. So that a person does not suffer for a long time, flipping through the tabs, you need to look for Direct on the news page. She hides under the first icon in the form of a house. If you click on the icon, it turns black. On this page, there is an icon in the shape of an airplane in the upper right corner. This is the Direct section.

How to send a message

Some users face problems not knowing how to write a message on Instagram first. To do this, you can use the following convenient ways:0003

  1. Via Direct using the search at the top of the screen. You need to know the nickname of a potential interlocutor. You can enter multiple initial letters and the system will suggest all options from the list of subscriptions and subscribers. After clicking on the desired user, a dialogue with him will immediately open.
  2. Via Direct, using the "Create a chat" button. It is hidden under the icon in the upper right corner in the form of a square with a pencil. The device will give recommendations. You can also independently use the search, enter the desired nickname, select a user. Then click the button in the upper right corner "Create a chat". nine0016
  3. Through search in subscriptions. You need to open the personal page section, then go to subscriptions or subscribers. In the search, find the right person through the introduction of a nickname, open a profile. Active buttons are placed under the description. You need to select "Write", a window with a dialogue will open.

You can also create chats for group correspondence on Instagram. The maximum number of participants is 32 people.

To create a dialogue, you need to go to Direct, click "Create Chat" in the upper right corner. Through the search to find the right users. There must be at least 2 people on the list. Also click the "Create Chat" button. A dialog box will open where you can name the group and send messages to all participants at once. The chat creator can change settings, add and remove participants, and manage notifications. nine0003

How to write SMS

It's not enough just to find where messages are located on a social network. You need to figure out how to write messages on Instagram:

  1. After the user has opened a new dialogue with the interlocutor, he sees an absolutely empty field in front of him.
  2. Above will be the nickname of the interlocutor, below is the working panel.
  3. You need to touch the line where the inscription "Send a message" is highlighted.
  4. The virtual keyboard will then appear. On it, the user can type any text in the same way as on a real keyboard. nine0016
  5. When a person starts typing, an active blue "Submit" button will appear at the bottom left.
  6. It will need to be pressed to start the dialogue.

It is important not to forget that you can send messages on Instagram not only text messages. Additional features are also available here:

  1. Sending voice messages. You need to pinch the microphone icon with your finger. Then dictate all the necessary information into the phone's microphone without releasing your finger from the icon. You will notice a blue bar that displays a voice recording. If a person said something superfluous or changed his mind about sending a message, he can delete it without sending it. Without releasing your finger while recording, you need to move it to the left until the urn icon to delete it. If deleted correctly, the entry will turn red and disappear. nine0016
  2. Sending images and videos from the gallery is the second icon in the form of a picture. He follows the microphone. When clicked, a gallery will open where you can select multiple images at once. Or insert a video up to 1 minute long.
  3. Send Giphy. Sometimes animated images can convey emotions, feelings, congratulations better than any words. In the last section, under the icon in the form of a square with a smiley face and a curled corner, there is a large selection of GIFs. Using the search, you can enter any emotion there. For example, sadness, laughter, love. And choose the appropriate option from the selection. nine0016
  4. Sending a real photo. Through the camera icon in the lower left corner, you can get into the front lens of the smartphone. You can instantly take a picture and send it to the user in the correspondence. The advantage of such a camera is that various masks, effects, modes are available in it.

How to chat from a computer

It's good if a person knows how to write a message on Instagram in a personal message through the application. It will be easier for him to understand this function in the web version of Instagram on a computer or laptop. Initially, Direct was not included in the web version. But people found ways to correspond without it. Now a lot has changed. The social network is improving, improving. Therefore, you can now correspond with the same convenience as from a smartphone. For this you need:

  • in any browser open the official website of Instagram, log in;
  • after login, the feed will be opened;
  • All the main control panel icons are placed in the upper right corner;
  • immediately after the house, the second will be the airplane icon. About the same as in the mobile version;
  • he opens the Direct section, where you can write messages on Instagram to any user from existing dialogs using a regular keyboard. Also here you can create a new dialogue with any user. nine0016

You cannot record voice messages for other people via the web version. But already sent or received can be listened to.

Also read: How many Instagram followers do you need to earn: how much you can get paid for advertising its addressee. This can be easily verified by opening a personal dialogue with him. When a person receives a message, they can see the notification about it, but not open it. After he reads it, under the text there will be a signature in smaller print "Viewed". nine0003

Similarly, you can make sure that the message has been read on the web version of Instagram. Under the text of the last message, the inscription "Viewed" should be lit. Sometimes, due to a network failure, SMS is not sent. It either disappears from the dialog on its own, or a red icon appears next to it with an error notification.

How to delete correspondence

After sending SMS, a person may regret what was written in it. Or, by mistake, they may send the wrong text, photo, or video. Therefore, you need to understand where messages can be deleted on Instagram. If the problem is one incorrect message, you need to do the following:

  • open Direct;
  • find the dialogue of interest;
  • hold your finger on the text of the message that needs to be deleted;
  • select "Cancel sending";
  • after pressing the SMS will be deleted immediately from all participants in the correspondence. But this does not guarantee that the addressee did not have time to see it.

You cannot do the same with incoming messages. The only option is to delete the entire correspondence entirely. To do this, in the list of dialogs in Yandex.Direct, you need to hold your finger on a specific one. In the menu that appears, click the "Delete chat" button. nine0003

What are requests in Direct, where to find them

Before chatting with a specific user on Instagram, you need to make sure that he did not write first. In Instagram Direct there is a section for correspondence requests. It is located at the top of the screen, highlighted in blue.

Prompts are the same messages, but they are not displayed in the main dialog list. And all because they are written by people who are not subscribed to the profile of a particular person. Therefore, their SMS immediately go to the "Requests" section. nine0003

Many commercial accounts may lose many customers without knowing about this feature. They actively promote their profile, engage in advertising, but do not pay attention to the “Requests” section. And there are quite a lot of requests. Therefore, it is important to know how to view Instagram posts that are in requests.

What are notifications

By default, all kinds of notifications are enabled in Instagram settings. If the user has not changed them, he will receive notifications:

  • for correspondence requests from third-party accounts;
  • about messages from people from subscriptions;
  • requests to join a group;
  • requests for incoming video chats.

If a person sends a request, the notification will look like this: "*username* wants to send you a message." If it's an SMS from a subscriber, the notification will look like "*username* sent you a message." How to read a message on Instagram - just click on the notification on the main screen. It will take the user to an open dialog in Yandex.Direct.

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