Instagram Direct was introduced in December 2013 to allow users send private photo and video messages to each other. Instagram has now announced several enhancements to the messaging features. The updates were rolled out as a part of version 7.5 of Instagram for iOS and Android.
The updates allow threaded conversions implying that you can chat about photos instead of just commenting. Instagram Direct messages used to be one-off sessions but now they are threaded conversations. You can scroll back and see everything you have shared with someone. A camera icon makes it easier to respond to a picture with a picture. Now, emoji are larger than before. The UI of an ongoing conversation feels different than comments posted. You can name group messages and add other users in the conversation as well. Users can also reply to a message with a selfie using a quick camera feature. They can also opt to reply with super-sized emoji.
With these updates, photos in your feed will include an arrow icon to send it to someone, or start a chart by text or emoji. Until Now, Instagram Direct has been a pretty low-key feature that was easy to miss. The new version places an arrow icon next to the comment and likes icons that accompany every picture and video. Also, you can use Direct to share location pages or hashtag pages via the new reshare arrow.
According to Instagram, “more than 85 million people use Direct every month to send inside jokes, family videos, photos from road trips and other moments meant only for a handful of people.”
The Instagram Direct update is available in App Store and Play Store.
Do you use Instagram Direct? What are your thoughts about these updates? Let us know in the comments!
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