Instagram Chat: How to Use Instagram Direct
By Kushagra Kumar, founder of Shre. Updated 1 July 2026.
Instagram chat, officially called Instagram Direct, is the private messaging side of the app where you talk one to one or in groups. If you have ever tapped the paper plane or speech bubble icon in the top right of your feed, that is where every conversation lives.
This guide covers how to open Instagram chat, send your first message, change chat themes, deal with message requests from people you do not follow, and start group chats.
To open Instagram chat, tap the paper plane icon in the top right of your home feed. Tap the new message icon, pick a person, type your message, and send. Your chats stay in that inbox so you can reply any time.
How to open and use Instagram chat
Instagram chat sits behind the paper plane or speech bubble icon in the top right corner of your home feed. Tapping it opens your inbox, where every conversation is listed with the most recent at the top.
To start a new chat, open the inbox and tap the pencil or new message icon. Search for the person by username, select them, type your message in the box at the bottom, and tap send. You can also open someone's profile and tap Message to jump straight into a chat with them.
- Send text, photos, videos, voice notes, and GIFs from the message bar.
- Reply to a specific message by swiping left on it or holding it down.
- Share a post or Reel into chat by tapping the paper plane under the post.
- Unsend a message by holding it and choosing Unsend.
For a full walkthrough, see how to DM on Instagram and how to check your DMs.
Chat themes, reactions, and other features
Instagram lets you personalise a conversation with a chat theme, which changes the colour or background of that thread. Open a chat, tap the name at the top to open chat settings, then look for Theme. Steps may vary by app version, but the option usually lives in that settings panel.
Other everyday features inside a chat include reactions, nicknames, and vanish mode:
- Double tap a message to like it, or hold it to pick another reaction.
- Set a nickname for yourself or the other person from chat settings.
- Turn on vanish mode to send messages that disappear after they are seen.
Curious about the colour options people talk about? Read how to make an Instagram DM purple and how to like a comment.
Message requests and group chats
When someone you do not follow sends you a message, it usually lands in a separate Message requests folder instead of your main inbox. Open your inbox, tap Requests at the top, and you can accept, delete, or block each one. The sender is not told you have seen it until you accept.
To start a group chat, tap the new message icon, select two or more people, and send. Everyone in the thread can reply, add reactions, and share posts. You can name the group from its chat settings so it is easy to find later.
Want deeper detail? See what Instagram Direct is and what a DM on Instagram means.
Handling a high volume of chats
For a personal account, replying by hand is fine. For a business or creator account, chat volume can climb fast, and slow replies cost sales. That is where automation helps you keep the first response instant.
Instagram auto reply can send a friendly greeting the moment someone messages you, so no one waits. Auto DM goes further: when a follower comments a keyword on your post or Reel, Shre sends them a DM automatically through the official Instagram Graph API, without ever logging into your account.
- Answer common questions instantly with a saved first reply.
- Turn post comments into private conversations without lifting a finger.
- Keep every chat in one place and follow up when it suits you.
See the full Instagram automation tool for how it fits together.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I find Instagram chat?
Tap the paper plane or speech bubble icon in the top right corner of your home feed. That opens your Direct inbox, where all your chats are listed.
Can I use Instagram chat on a computer?
Yes. Instagram Direct works in a web browser at instagram.com and in the desktop app. You can read and send messages, though some features tend to appear first on mobile.
Why did a message go to message requests?
Messages from people you do not follow usually land in the Requests folder. Open your inbox, tap Requests, and accept or delete each one. The sender is not notified until you accept.
How can a business reply to chats faster?
Set up an auto reply so every new chat gets an instant greeting, and use comment to DM so keyword comments trigger an automatic message. Shre does both on the official Instagram API.
Related
Source and reference: Instagram Platform, Meta for Developers. Shre sends messages through the official Instagram Graph API within Instagram's rules.