Instagram Adds New Direct Message Features, Including Translations, QR Codes & Scheduled Messages to Help Users Stay Connected

Instagram / Direct Message Updates

Instagram introduced a handful of new updates for Direct Messages (DMs). They are:

• Message Translations: Translate messages in 99 different languages.

• Scheduled Messages: Schedule messages up to 29 days in advance.

• QR Codes for Group Chats: Invite friends to group chats via QR codes.

• Music Sticker: Share a 30-second preview of a song in chat.

• Pinning: Pin a message, image, meme, or Reel to the top of chats.

These features are currently available for iOS and Android users, with plans to roll out on the web experience in the future.

Why It Matters: Instagram has been consistently making updates to DMs for the past year and change. Its latest batch of updates adds improvements across several areas, helping users stay connected.

For example, Message Translations can help break down language barriers, making it easier for users to communicate despite speaking different languages, while QR Codes simplify inviting people to group chats.

Scheduled Messages, which started rolling out in December, give users the ability to send messages at more convenient times.

All together, Instagram is becoming more like Apple iMessages and other third-party messaging apps.