Where to find your Instagram messages
Your Instagram messages live in the Direct Messages section, which you reach from the paper airplane icon in the top right corner of your screen. On a phone, tap that icon and you'll see a list of all your conversations. On a computer, click the same icon in the top navigation bar. The number that appears on the icon tells you how many unread messages you have.
If you don't see the paper airplane icon, you may be looking at your profile or a search screen. Swipe left or click the home icon first to get back to your main feed, then look for the icon in the top right corner. On Instagram's web version, the icon sits to the right of the heart icon.
Instagram separates messages into two categories: Inbox (conversations you've already started) and Requests (messages from people you don't follow). Requests sit below your main inbox and don't send you notifications unless you open them. This is where messages from strangers land by default.
Key Takeaways
- The paper airplane icon in the top right corner of your feed opens your Direct Messages on both phone and computer.
- Unread messages show a blue dot next to the sender's name, and a number on the icon itself tells you how many you have total.
- Messages from people you don't follow appear in a separate Requests section and don't trigger notifications.
- You can search for a specific conversation by typing a person's name in the search box at the top of your messages list.
Reading a message and seeing who sent it
Tap or click on any conversation to open it and read the full thread. The sender's name appears at the top, along with their profile picture. If you want to know more about who sent the message, tap their name or picture to visit their profile and see their bio, posts, and follower count.
Messages you haven't read yet show a blue dot next to the sender's name in your list. Once you open the conversation, that dot disappears and Instagram marks the message as read. The sender will see a small "Seen" indicator below their message, letting them know you've looked at it. You can turn off read receipts in your privacy settings if you don't want people to know when you've seen their messages.
If a message contains a photo, video, or link, it will show a preview in the conversation list. Tap the preview to see the full image or video, or tap the link to open it in your browser.
Organizing conversations you want to keep
Instagram lets you mute conversations so you stop getting notifications without deleting the chat. Press and hold on a conversation (or right-click on computer), then select "Mute". You'll still see the conversation in your list, but you won't get a notification when new messages arrive. Mute a conversation for 15 minutes, 1 hour, 8 hours, 24 hours, or indefinitely.
If you want to hide a conversation from your main list without deleting it, swipe left on the conversation (on phone) or hover over it and click the three dots (on computer), then select "Hide Chat". The conversation stays in your account but disappears from your inbox. You can find hidden chats by searching for the person's name in the search box.
To delete a conversation entirely, use the same swipe or three-dot menu and select "Delete". This removes the entire thread from your account. The other person will still have their copy of the conversation on their end.
Responding to messages and using reactions
Type your reply in the text box at the bottom of the conversation and tap the send button (arrow icon). You can also send photos, videos, voice messages, or emoji reactions without typing words. Tap the plus icon to the left of the text box to see options for sending images, videos, or other content from your phone.
To react to a specific message without sending a new one, press and hold on the message (or right-click on computer). A menu of emoji reactions appears — tap one to add it to that message. The sender will see your reaction appear next to their message. You can remove a reaction by pressing and holding again and selecting the same emoji.
If you want to reply to one specific message in a longer conversation, press and hold that message and select "Reply". Your response will be connected to that message visually, making it clear which part of the conversation you're answering.
Handling message requests from people you don't follow
Messages from accounts you don't follow land in your Requests section instead of your main inbox. You won't get a notification about these messages unless you've turned on notifications for message requests in your settings. Scroll down past your regular inbox to find the Requests section, or search for the person's name if you remember who sent it.
When you open a message request, you can read it without the sender knowing you've seen it. You have the option to accept the request (which moves the conversation to your main inbox and lets the sender see your read receipts), decline it (which deletes the message), or ignore it (which leaves it in Requests). If you accept a request, future messages from that person will go straight to your inbox.
Declining a message request deletes that specific message but doesn't block the person. They can send you another message request later. If you want to prevent someone from messaging you at all, you need to block them from their profile.
Searching for old messages
To find a conversation you haven't looked at in a while, tap the search box at the top of your Direct Messages list and type the person's name or username. Instagram will show you matching conversations. This works even if the chat is hidden or if you've scrolled past it in your list.
Instagram does not have a way to search for specific words or phrases within a conversation. You can only search by the person's name or username. If you need to find a message with specific content, you'll have to scroll through the conversation manually to locate it.
If you're looking for a message from someone whose name you don't remember, scroll through your entire inbox or requests list. The most recent conversations appear at the top, so older chats will be further down.
Troubleshooting when messages won't load
If you tap the paper airplane icon and see no conversations, or if a conversation won't open, try closing and reopening the Instagram app. On a phone, swipe up from the bottom (iPhone) or press the back button twice (Android) to close the app completely, then tap the Instagram icon to reopen it. On a computer, refresh the page by pressing Ctrl+R (Windows) or Command+R (Mac).
If messages still won't load after reopening, check that you have an active internet connection. Switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data to see if that helps. If you're on Wi-Fi, try moving closer to the router or switching to mobile data instead.
If one specific conversation won't load but others do, the issue may be with that particular chat. Try searching for the person's name and opening the conversation again. If it still won't load, log out of Instagram completely and log back in. On a phone, go to Settings, scroll down to find Instagram, and select "Log Out". On a computer, click your profile picture in the top right, select "Log Out", and then log back in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see if someone read my message?
Yes. When you send a message, Instagram shows "Sent" below it at first. Once the recipient opens the conversation, it changes to "Seen" with a timestamp. If someone has read receipts turned off in their privacy settings, you'll see "Sent" but not "Seen", even if they've read your message.
What happens if I delete a message I sent?
You can delete a message you sent by pressing and holding it and selecting "Unsend". The message disappears from both your conversation and the other person's. They'll see a note that says "This message was unsent" instead of the actual text. You can only unsend messages within a certain time window — usually a few minutes after sending.
Why am I not getting notifications for messages?
Check your notification settings in Instagram. Go to Settings, select "Notifications", and make sure "Messages" is turned on. On a computer, go to Settings, click "Notifications", and verify that message notifications are enabled. Also check your phone's overall notification settings to make sure Instagram has permission to send notifications.
Can I message someone who doesn't follow me back?
Yes. Your message will go to their Requests section instead of their main inbox, and they won't get a notification unless they've turned on notifications for message requests. They can read your message, accept the request to move it to their inbox, or decline it.
How do I turn off read receipts so people can't see when I've read their messages?
Go to Settings, select "Privacy", then "Messages". Toggle off "Read Receipts". After you turn this off, people won't see "Seen" indicators when you read their messages, but you also won't see when they've read yours.