If you literally live on your laptop or desktop and use Instagram a lot – then this latest news from the giant photo and video sharing platform will make your life even easier. The company has in the past slowly brought features only available in the app to its desktop interface but one key feature was The DMs Tab.
People who use Instagram’s desktop interface have had to use some workarounds to access their messages. Late last year, the Facebook-owned platform started teasing that they are testing the feature.
Well, Instagram has now begun involving a set of select users who will have access to and be able to send direct messages.
This feature will come in handy to power users of Instagram including brand managers and business owners. However, there’s no timeline for a public rollout.
The Desktop DM will have the same features as the regular DM feature where you’ll be able to:
- create new groups or start a chat with another person straight from the Dmscreen or their profile page.
- double-tap a message to like it
- share photos from the desktop
- see how many messages you haven’t read
- get DM notifications
This announcement reiterates Mark Zuckerberg’s plan to integrate messaging across its apps including WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Instagram messaging.
By the way, is anyone using Threads? The separate direct messaging app for Instagram that saw disappointing download numbers on the first week it went live.
Anyway, cross your fingers and hope these early tests go well so that us, the general public get this feature sooner rather than later.
What They’re Saying
Has Facebook given up on merging all the backends for Messenger/Instagram/Whatsapp? Or given up making it all end-to-end encrypted? I am curious what the long game here is. https://t.co/ZwfSleGhy2
— Can Duruk (@can) January 14, 2020
Before I get a flurry of DMs asking for clarification, there are two major and many minor issues standing in the way of a trustworthy end-to-end encrypted web messenger.
— Alex Stamos (@alexstamos) January 14, 2020
Finally can keep the app deleted. DM is the only healthy thing about Instagram https://t.co/71xxEqEslC
— Alexander (@A_Bonavia) January 14, 2020
It's about time. Having a crippled experience on my computer is the main reason I don't use IG much. https://t.co/60ju7gGJcZ
— Lynx2020™️ (@zorinlynx) January 14, 2020
Add a search feature that’s by keywords and not usernames and I’m sold https://t.co/e5xpAT8ExS
— Tomi Obebe (@goodtomicha) January 14, 2020
now the olds* will be able to DM you https://t.co/7n4CqudXfr
— alex (@alex_abads) January 14, 2020