Instagram Direct Messages (DMs) are the private messaging feature of Instagram that allows you to send text, photos, videos, voice messages, reels, and more to individual users or groups. Whether you want to reach out to a friend, contact a brand, reply to a story, or collaborate with a creator, Instagram DMs are the go-to tool for private communication on the platform. This complete guide covers every way to send a DM on Instagram in 2026.
How to Send a DM on Instagram (Mobile App)
The primary way most people send Instagram DMs is through the mobile app on Android or iPhone.
Method 1: From the DM Inbox
Open the Instagram app on your phone. Tap the paper airplane icon (or the chat bubble icon) in the top right corner of the home feed. This opens your DM inbox showing all your conversations. Tap the pencil and paper icon (compose icon) in the top right corner of the DM screen. A search field will appear. Type the username or name of the person you want to message. Tap their profile from the search results. Type your message in the input field at the bottom. Press the Send button (arrow icon) to send the message.
Method 2: From Someone Profile
Navigate to the profile of the person you want to DM by searching their username or tapping their name anywhere on Instagram. On their profile page, tap the Message button (it appears next to the Follow button). If you already follow each other, the chat window opens immediately and you can type your message. If you do not follow each other or they have a private account, your message will appear as a Message Request in their inbox that they need to accept before they can reply.
Method 3: Reply to a Story
When viewing someone story, tap the Send Message field at the bottom of the screen. Type your reply and press Send. Your reply will arrive as a DM in both your conversation thread with that person and in their DM inbox as a story reply. Story replies are a natural and casual way to start a conversation since the reply opens with the context of which story you are commenting on.
Method 4: Share a Post via DM
To share a specific Instagram post with someone via DM, tap the paper airplane icon below any post in your feed. A list of your recent conversations and contacts will appear. Select the person or group you want to share the post with. Optionally, add a text message alongside the shared post. Tap Send. The recipient will see the post preview in their DM and can tap it to view the full post.
What You Can Send in Instagram DMs
Instagram DMs support a rich variety of content types beyond plain text messages.
Text Messages
Standard text messages support emoji, line breaks, and up to 1,000 characters per message. You can also react to individual messages with emoji by long pressing on a message and selecting a reaction emoji from the pop-up bar. To reply to a specific message within a conversation, swipe right on the message you want to reply to and type your response. The original message will be quoted above your reply.
Photos and Videos
Tap the gallery icon next to the message input to attach photos or videos from your camera roll. You can send multiple photos in a single message. Tap the camera icon to take a new photo or video directly for the DM. You can also send photos and videos with view once mode activated, which causes the media to disappear after the recipient opens it once, similar to Snapchat. To enable view once, select the photo or video and tap the infinity loop icon to switch to one-time view mode before sending.
Voice Messages
Press and hold the microphone icon to record a voice message. Release to send. Swipe up while recording to lock the recording so you can release the button without stopping the recording for longer messages. Voice messages play directly in the chat and the recipient can listen at any time.
Stickers, GIFs, and Reactions
Tap the sticker icon or the GIF button in the message input area to browse and send animated GIFs and stickers. Search for specific GIFs or browse trending options. You can also react to any message with a quick emoji reaction without sending a full message by long pressing on the message and choosing from the emoji bar that appears.
Sharing Posts, Reels, and Stories
Any public Instagram post, Reel, or Story (from accounts that allow sharing) can be forwarded directly to a DM conversation. From any post or Reel, tap the paper airplane icon to share. From a Story, use the share arrow at the bottom. The shared content appears as a card in the DM with a clickable preview.
How to DM on Instagram from a Computer (Desktop)
Instagram also supports Direct Messages through its website, making it convenient to DM from a laptop or desktop computer.
Using Instagram Website
Open any web browser on your computer and go to instagram.com. Log in to your Instagram account. Click the paper airplane (Messenger) icon in the left sidebar or top navigation bar. Your DM inbox will open on the right side. Click the compose (pencil) icon to start a new conversation. Search for the person you want to message. Click their name and type your message in the input field at the bottom of the conversation window. Press Enter or click the Send button. You can also send photos and files by clicking the photo icon in the message input area on desktop.
How to Group DM on Instagram
Instagram DMs support group chats with multiple participants, making it easy to message several people at once.
Creating a Group DM
Open the DM inbox and tap the compose icon. Search for and select the first person you want to add to the group. Continue searching and selecting additional people (you can add up to 250 people in an Instagram group DM). Once all participants are added, tap Chat or the arrow to create the group. All selected participants will be added simultaneously. You can give the group a custom name by tapping the group name at the top of the chat. Group DMs support all the same content types as individual DMs.
Instagram DM Privacy and Settings
Message Requests
When someone who does not follow you (or whom you do not follow back) sends you a DM, the message appears as a Message Request rather than directly in your main inbox. You must accept the request to see the full message and reply. You can view message requests by tapping Requests at the top of your DM inbox. You can accept, decline, or block the sender directly from the request screen.
Controlling Who Can Message You
Go to Settings > Privacy > Messages to control who can send you message requests. You can choose to receive DMs from Everyone, People You Follow, or restrict it further by selecting No One for people you do not follow. These settings let you reduce unwanted messages from strangers or marketers.
Read Receipts
Instagram shows read receipts in DMs by default. When you read a message, the sender sees "Seen" below the message along with a timestamp. You cannot currently disable read receipts within the Instagram app itself. One workaround is to view DM notifications without opening the app by reading them from your device notification shade, though this only works if the full message is visible in the notification preview.
Tips for Effective Instagram DMs
Keep DMs to people you know or who are expecting your message to avoid being treated as spam. When DMing a creator or brand for the first time, introduce yourself briefly and state your purpose clearly in the first message. Use Instagram DMs to share inspiration, collaborate on content, or connect with your followers more personally. Avoid sending the same DM to many different accounts in a short period as Instagram may restrict your messaging ability if it detects spam-like behavior. Regularly clear old conversations and archive DMs you want to keep but not see in your main inbox to stay organized.
Conclusion
Instagram DMs offer a versatile private messaging experience that supports text, photos, videos, voice messages, GIFs, and shared posts. Whether you are sending a quick message from a profile, replying to a story, creating a group chat, or messaging from a desktop browser, the process is intuitive and takes just a few taps. By understanding the content types, privacy settings, and message request system covered in this guide, you can use Instagram DMs effectively and safely in 2026.