Instagram’s direct messages are getting all-new features straight from Facebook’s Messenger. Parent company, Facebook, is rolling out an update with ten new tools to make Instagram more engaging in the stay-at-home era, much like Messenger has.
According to a Facebook blog post, more than a billion people use Messenger to “share, hang out, and express themselves.” Thus, the features many people use Messenger for are being added to Instagram, which is owned by the social media giant.
Here are the new features coming to Instagram:
- Communicate Across Apps: Connect with users across Instagram and Messenger by using either app to send messages or join video calls.
- Watch Together: Watch videos on Facebook Watch, IGTV, TV shows, and movies with others during a video call.
- Vanish Mode: When in use, messages will disappear after they are seen (just like Snapchat).
- Selfie Sticker: Create a series of boomerang stickers with your selfie to use in conversation.
- Chat Colors: Personalize chats with fun colors.
- Custom Emoji Reactions: Create a shortcut of your favorite emojis to react quickly to messages from friends.
- Forwarding: Share content with up to five friends/groups.
- Replies: Respond directly to a specific message in your chat.
- Animated Message Effects: Add flair to your message with animated send effects.
- Message Controls: Decide who can message you directly and who can’t message you at all.
- Enhanced Reporting and Blocking Update: Users can report full conversations and single messages. They can also receive proactive blocking suggestions across Instagram and receive proactive blocking suggestions across Instagram and Messenger.
The announcement of the new features also emphasized users’ improved control of their privacy. Users can choose whether message requests go to their Chats list, Message Requests folder, or whether they receive them at all.
Users can also block someone across Instagram and Messenger to stop unwanted messages and calls.
The new features are currently opt-in, so users who want the old experience can still keep it without updating.
You can see the new features in action below:
Instagram Messenger Update — Sources
Facebook Newsroom: Introducing New Messaging Features for Instagram