Finding Your Messages on Instagram

Your Instagram messages — called Direct Messages or DMs — live in a separate inbox from your feed. On the app, tap the paper airplane icon in the top right corner of your home screen. On a computer, click the paper airplane icon in the top left. This opens your message list, where you can see every conversation you have started or been added to.

The inbox shows your most recent conversations at the top. A small dot next to a person's name means you have unread messages from them. Tap or click any conversation to open it and read the full thread of messages back and forth.

Key Takeaways

  • The paper airplane icon in the top corner of Instagram opens your Direct Messages inbox on both the app and website.
  • A dot next to someone's name shows you have unread messages from that person.
  • You can search for old conversations by name using the search bar at the top of your message list.
  • Instagram stores your messages on its servers, and you can delete individual messages or entire conversations if you want them removed from your account.

Searching for Old Messages

If you are looking for a message from weeks or months ago, use the search bar at the top of your message list. Type the person's name or username, and Instagram will show you any conversation with that person. If you remember what the message said, you can also open a conversation and scroll up to find older messages in that thread.

Instagram does not have a way to search the content of messages — only the names of people you have messaged. If you need to find a specific message but cannot remember who sent it, you will have to scroll through your conversations one by one.

Understanding Message Notifications

By default, Instagram sends you a notification when someone sends you a Direct Message. If you have notifications turned on for Instagram, you will see a pop-up or badge on your phone when a new message arrives. You can control these notifications in your phone's settings or in Instagram's settings under Notifications.

If you turn off message notifications, you will still see unread messages in your inbox — you just will not get an alert when they arrive. This means you can check messages on your own schedule without being interrupted.

Replying to and Managing Conversations

To reply to a message, tap or click in the text box at the bottom of the conversation and type your response. You can also send photos, videos, voice messages, or emoji reactions to individual messages. Swipe left on a message (on the app) or hover over it (on a computer) to see options like reacting with an emoji or deleting the message.

If you want to remove an entire conversation from your inbox, swipe left on the conversation name (on the app) or right-click it (on a computer) and choose Delete. This removes the conversation from your inbox, but Instagram keeps a copy of the messages on its servers unless the other person also deletes them.

What Happens to Deleted Messages

When you delete a message you sent, it disappears from your inbox and the other person's inbox. However, Instagram may still store a copy of that message in its systems for a period of time. If you delete an entire conversation, the messages are removed from your view, but the other person can still see their copy of the conversation unless they also delete it.

Instagram does not tell you when someone deletes a message you sent to them, and you cannot see if they have read your message unless they have read receipts turned on. Read receipts are not on by default, so most conversations do not show whether the other person has seen your message.

Accessing Messages on Different Devices

Your Instagram messages sync across devices, so a message you read on your phone will also show as read on your computer. You can check messages from the Instagram app on your phone, the Instagram website on a computer, or the Instagram app on a tablet. All three show the same inbox and conversation history.

If you use Instagram on multiple devices, you may see the same conversation open on more than one at the same time. Changes you make on one device — like deleting a message or marking a conversation as read — will show up on the others within a few seconds.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see if someone read my message?

Only if they have read receipts turned on in their settings. By default, read receipts are off, so you will not see whether someone has read your message. If they turn on read receipts, you will see the time they read your message at the bottom of the conversation.

What if I accidentally delete a message I need?

Instagram does not have an undo button for deleted messages. Once you delete a message, it is gone from your inbox. If the other person still has the message in their conversation, you can ask them to take a screenshot or tell you what it said.

Can I unsend a message after I send it?

Yes. Tap and hold the message (on the app) or hover over it (on a computer), then choose Unsend. This removes the message from both your inbox and the other person's inbox, though they may have already seen it before you unsend it.

Do Instagram messages disappear after a certain time?

No. Messages stay in your inbox until you delete them. Instagram does not automatically remove old messages, so conversations from years ago will still be there unless you delete them yourself.

Can I recover a deleted conversation?

No. Once you delete a conversation, you cannot recover it from Instagram. If you need the messages, your only option is to ask the other person if they still have them.