Instagram Direct

Direct lets people reply to a specific message so the recipient can tell what they are responding to, even when it appeared earlier in the conversation11. Instagram’s August 2017 announcement described a visual version of this exchange: photo and video replies could include a sticker showing the original item10. People can also bring outside material into a thread through camera-roll uploads and website links with previews; Instagram’s May 2017 announcement documented uncropped portrait and landscape uploads initially on iOS, with links available on both iOS and Android12. These exchanges connect to other Instagram activities: responding to a Story sends its author a private message, while Instagram’s December 2017 live-video sharing announcement limited recipients to viewing while the broadcast was live and, for private accounts, to followers29.

Instagram’s video calls can include shared activities: Meta’s Newsroom announced Heads Up! for Instagram and Messenger in December 2021, using digital effects within the call8. AI interactions offer another activity inside messaging, with Mosseri describing the ability to ask Meta AI to generate images using “/imagine”13. To try Instagram’s documented “Imagine me” experience, enter “@Meta AI” in a chat and type “Imagine me as…” followed by the setting or character you want14. The feature asks for photos on first use and generates images in the thread for friends to see14.

Meta’s delivery controls let recipients route people to the Chats list, where conversations arrive directly, or to message requests they can review, or prevent them from making contact altogether, according to Meta’s Newsroom3. Instagram’s December 2019 announcement described a follow-based option that allows only people the recipient follows to send messages or add them to group conversations, excluding messages, group requests and Story replies from everyone else16.

Direct’s search capabilities differed between ordinary conversations and requests in December 2024: Mosseri said DMs were searchable but requests had less powerful search, and he proposed better keyword filtering rather than announcing its availability15. For outgoing messages, press and hold the send paper-airplane icon and choose when to send a DM4. Mosseri described this in April 2026 as useful for creators and businesses that want to be considerate about delivery time4. For conversation privacy, he also described turning off read receipts—the notices that tell senders a message has been read—for one conversation or all conversations4. For incoming-message alerts, open your profile settings, go to Notifications and select notifications for DMs without other Instagram notifications4.

Direct’s Hidden Words feature filters offensive words, phrases and emojis into a hidden folder; Meta’s Newsroom said in December 2021 that its default filtering also covered potentially offensive material that might not break the rules3. For an existing contact, Mosseri explained in April 2021 that Restrict lets the recipient read that person’s messages without revealing that they have been read20. Prompts can address the sender’s behavior instead: in October 2022, Mosseri described improved nudges encouraging people to pause before potentially tense messages to creators21. Instagram’s February 2021 announcement introduced account removal for abusive senders and said it did not proactively detect hate speech or bullying in DMs in the same way as elsewhere18.

Direct can give a creator’s community a private route to contribute: Meta’s Newsroom described a widow-support project that received nominations through Instagram messages in February 20235. An exchange can also become a longer-term collaboration, as Instagram’s February 2022 account of two future business partners illustrated through a DM connection that eventually led to a directory of Black creatives from the South23. For work still in progress, Mosseri highlighted sending an unpublished video draft from Edits through DMs in September 2025 to obtain feedback from Instagram connections6.

Direct’s Notes appear as circles at the top of the inbox, where Mosseri’s December 2025 explanation described posting an update, an emoji or a link to what someone is listening to on Spotify22. Rather than addressing every follower, the author chooses between Close Friends and mutual followers—people they follow who also follow them—a selected audience also described in Mosseri’s June 2024 explanation2224. Recipients can tap a Note to send a private reply22.