Examples of how Instagram's direct messaging system will work on a desktop version.
Tuesday, Instagram rolled out Direct Messages on the desktop web for a small percentage of users around the globe.
“We’ll test this feature with a small percentage of people globally and share more information in the future,” a Facebook spokesperson told me. “We don't have any specific timing to share [to the wider Instagram audience] right now.” Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, said on Twitter that web DM is hoped to be brought to “everyone soon.”
When it does roll out across the platform, users will be able to:
- View your entire Instagram Direct inbox in one place and easily reply to messages. You can also create new messages and group chats.
- See total unread messages at a glance from the new Direct icon in the header.
- You can already view Stories from the Instagram web experience, and now you can reply using Direct on desktop.
- Send photos from your desktop including photos copied to your clipboard, but you can’t capture photos.
- Double click to like messages, as you do on mobile.
- Message people from their profile pages.
- Share posts from your Feed via Direct.
TechCrunch reports the launch contradicts Facebook’s plan for end-to-end encryption in all its messaging apps because both the mobile and web DM versions aren’t currently encrypted.
Despite lacking in security, users are thrilled to have access to a web version of messaging on Instagram.
Journalists who regularly reach out to sources on Instagram praised the possibility of not having to switch to their phones to message users.
“I’ve lobbied for Instagram DMs on the web, mostly because I’m a reporter who occasionally reaches sources through Instagram,” writer Ashley Carman wrote for The Verge. “I also live on my laptop for most of the day, so treating Instagram DMs like I do any other desktop chat app streamlines my process and makes it faster and easier to chat with my friends and sources.”
TechCrunch writer Josh Constine similarly mirrored the same sentiment on direct messaging expanding to the web saying, “Personally, I’m excited, because it will make DMing sources via Instagram easier, and mean I spend less time opening my phone and potentially being distracted by other apps while working.”
“People love using Direct to connect with their friends, and we’re always working on ways to improve the messaging experience,” a Facebook spokesperson told me. “Our hope is that this will give you easier access to your messages so that you can stay in touch with the people you care about.”
