Open Instagram and go to your inbox
Your direct messages on Instagram live in the inbox at the top right of the app. On your phone, tap the paper airplane icon in the upper right corner of your home feed. On a computer, click the paper airplane icon in the top right of your screen. This takes you to your message list.
If you have unread messages, Instagram shows a small red circle with a number on the airplane icon. This number tells you how many unread messages you have waiting. Once you open the inbox, you see all your conversations listed by most recent.
Your inbox shows the last message in each conversation and when it was sent. Conversations with unread messages appear at the top of your list, with a small dot next to the person's name. Read messages move down the list as newer ones arrive.
Key Takeaways
- The paper airplane icon in the top right of your home feed opens your direct message inbox on both phone and computer.
- A red circle with a number on the airplane icon shows how many unread messages you have.
- Unread conversations appear at the top of your inbox list with a small dot next to the sender's name.
- You can search for a specific person or conversation using the search bar at the top of your inbox.
- Muted conversations still arrive but do not show notifications, and you can unmute them anytime.
Find a specific conversation by searching
If your inbox is long and you need to find one person quickly, use the search bar at the top of your inbox. Tap or click in the search field and type the person's username or the name they use on Instagram. Instagram shows matching results as you type.
The search looks through people you have messaged before and people who follow you. If you have never messaged someone but want to start, you can search for them here and begin a new conversation. Once you find the person, tap or click their name to open the message thread.
Read and respond to messages
Tap or click on any conversation to open it and see the full message thread. All messages in that conversation appear in order from oldest to newest. Your messages appear on one side, and the other person's messages appear on the other side.
To reply, tap or click in the message box at the bottom and type your response. You can also send photos, videos, voice messages, or emoji reactions to specific messages. Press send or hit Enter to deliver your message.
If a message has a small heart icon next to it, that means someone has reacted to it with a like. You can react to any message by long-pressing it (on phone) or right-clicking it (on computer) and choosing an emoji reaction.
Manage notifications and mute conversations
By default, Instagram sends you a notification each time someone messages you. If you want to stop seeing notifications from a specific person but still keep the conversation, you can mute them. Long-press the conversation on your phone or right-click it on your computer, then select "Mute."
A muted conversation still shows in your inbox and you can still read and send messages, but you will not get notifications when new messages arrive. The conversation stays muted until you unmute it. You can unmute the same way you muted it — long-press or right-click and select "Unmute."
You can also mute just the notifications from a conversation while keeping the chat visible, or mute both notifications and the conversation itself so it does not appear in your main inbox list.
Delete or archive conversations
If you want to remove a conversation from your inbox without deleting the messages, you can archive it. Long-press the conversation on your phone or right-click it on your computer, then select "Archive." The conversation moves to a separate archived folder and no longer shows in your main inbox.
To see your archived conversations, scroll to the top of your inbox and tap or click "Archived." You can unarchive any conversation by opening it and selecting the unarchive option, which returns it to your main inbox.
If you want to permanently delete a conversation, long-press or right-click it and select "Delete." This removes the entire message thread. Once deleted, you cannot recover the messages unless the other person saved them.
Use message requests for unknown senders
When someone who does not follow you sends you a message, it goes to your message requests folder instead of your main inbox. To see these, open your inbox and look for a "Requests" tab or section. Tap or click it to see messages from people you do not follow.
You can read the message without responding, or you can accept the request to move the conversation to your main inbox. If you decline the request, the message stays in requests but you will not see notifications from that person. You can change your mind later and accept or decline again.
Check message settings and privacy
Instagram lets you control who can message you and how. Go to your profile, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines), and select "Settings and privacy." Tap "Messages" to see your options.
You can choose to receive messages from everyone, only from people you follow, or only from people who follow you. You can also turn off message requests entirely so unknown senders cannot reach you at all. These settings explore to all new messages going forward.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do some messages show as "seen" but others don't?
Instagram shows a "Seen" indicator below your message only if the other person has opened the conversation and viewed your message. If they have not opened the chat yet, you see a single checkmark instead. Some people turn off read receipts in their privacy settings, so you may not always see when they read your message.
Can I recover a deleted direct message?
Once you delete a message, Instagram does not store it on your account anymore. However, the other person may still have the message on their end. If you need to know what was said, you can ask them to share it with you. Deleting a conversation removes all messages from your inbox but not from the other person's.
What does it mean when a message says "Delivered" instead of "Seen"?
A "Delivered" status means Instagram sent your message to the other person's account, but they have not opened the conversation yet. Once they open the chat, it changes to "Seen." If a message stays on "Delivered" for a long time, the person may have turned off read receipts or may not be checking their messages.
How do I know if someone has blocked me from messaging them?
If you try to message someone and your message does not send, or if you cannot find their profile, they may have blocked you. You can also try searching for them in your inbox — if the conversation disappears or you cannot open it, they may have blocked you or deleted their account.
Can I unsend a message after I send it?
Yes. Long-press the message on your phone or right-click it on your computer and select "Unsend." The message disappears from both your inbox and the other person's inbox. However, they may have already seen it before you unsend it, so unsending does not may provide they did not read it.