what you need to know
- Today, Meta announced a new update for Instagram that gives DMs an edit button to edit text up to 15 minutes old.
- Users will also find new chat topics, the option to pin the chat to the top of the DM page, and more.
- The “interesting” update for Instagram’s DMs comes two months after the platform launched new ways to help protect teens from unwanted exposure.
Instagram is rolling out an update today that should help improve the user experience around DMs and stickers, as well as more customization features.
According to Meta, the update launching today is the ability for users to edit their DMs after they’ve been sent. The company says you’ll soon be able to edit sent messages in “up to 15 minutes.” This can be done by long-pressing on the desired text and tapping the new “Edit” option in the small pop-up menu.
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Next, Instagram will roll out a chat pinning feature similar to that found in Google Messages. Meta notes that users can pin their favorite chats to the top of the DM page by swiping left or long-pressing. Since then, Instagram has added a new “Pin” option next to its pre-existing “Mute” and “Delete” buttons.
The social media platform allows users to have up to three one-on-one chats or group chats. Pinned chats will not only appear at the top of your view, but they’ll also be marked with a little pushpin icon.
Instagram is also focusing on customization, as this update includes new chat themes. Today, users should start noticing new options to replace the theme with a Love background, Lollipop, or Avatar: The Last Airbender. The company said users can expect a love-themed animation, but did not reveal when.
To exchange topics, please enter DM > Click on your name at the top > Topic.
Instagram is also rolling out an option for users to control read receipts for each private message or group chat.The post states that users can jump into Settings > Messages & Story replies > Show read receipts Turn it on or off.
Instagram offers the option to save your favorite stickers in DMs for quick rediscovery, and the way to express yourself is updated. Additionally, users will find more ways to reply to messages. The company says long-pressing to reply to a text message will now show the option to reply with a photo, sticker, GIF, video or voice message.
The update should start rolling out today. We spotted the new theme in Instagram’s DMs; however, the editing functionality isn’t there yet, which means we’re probably waiting for a patch to download.
Additionally, the company teases us that “more features are coming soon.”
Months after Facebook Messenger received messages, Instagram is finally getting an edit button for sending messages. Both services see the same 15-minute time frame before you can no longer edit a sent message. Meta said it retains copies of the original messages for reporting purposes. It’s unclear whether Instagram’s version will have the same functionality.
Additionally, while Instagram is now focused on the “fun” aspect of DMs, January emphasized its efforts on safety. Two months ago, the platform rolled out an update that took steps to protect teenagers from spam. Instagram is bringing “stricter messaging” settings for people under 16 (or 18), which should help block unwanted text messages from people they don’t know.