Instagram keeps adding new ways for people to share photos and messages, but not every feature is winning users over. The latest addition, called Instants, allows people to send quick, disappearing photos through direct messages. Whereas some people may like the informal tone that comes with sharing, there are also those who feel that it only makes their inbox even messier. The feature appears directly inside Instagram DMs and can quickly become distracting, especially for people who use the app mainly for chatting or browsing posts. Thankfully, the social media platform has quietly added an option to hide Instagram Instants from the inbox. The setting is easy to miss, but once enabled, it can make your messages feel much cleaner and less overwhelming to use every day.
Instagram Instants is a new product that enables people to send temporary photos to their close friends or to other people they share some followers with on Instagram through direct messaging on the platform.
Users can send Instants directly within Instagram or through a separate Instants camera app. The photos disappear after they are opened and cannot be viewed again after 24 hours. Instagram also gives users a short time to undo a sent Instant before the receiver opens it.
If you do not want Instants appearing in your inbox, follow these steps on Android or iPhone:
1. Open the Instagram app on your device.
2. Tap your profile picture in the bottom-right corner of the screen and press the three-line menu in the top-right corner.
3. Go to Content Preferences under the ‘What you see’ section.
4. Enable the switch next to Hide Instants in inbox. Once you’ve enabled the setting, Instants will no longer appear in your DM inbox.
Users can also temporarily hide Instants by pressing and holding the Instants section in the inbox and swiping right. Swiping left brings it back again.
If you’ve disabled the Instants on Instagram, then you must be at peace, as you no longer have to deal with that constant buzz of your device. Not only that but your Instagram inbox will also look much cleaner and less crowded.
It would also remove the extra distraction that you get with the Instagram Instants while helping the users who prefer a simple social media experience.