Facebook recently announced a bunch of new features for Messenger and Instagram DMs on its apps. Media messaging is now streamlined, chats are easier to archive (and unarchive), and Instagram DMs now include read receipts. Let’s investigate at all the new features and how to use them.
Easier audio messaging in Messenger and Instagram
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Messenger’s audio messaging (and, soon, Instagram’s) no longer requires you to hold down a button to record—it’s now toggled on by a single tap.
- While in a Messenger chat (or soon a DM thread in Instagram), tap the microphone icon at the bottom of the screen. If this is the first time sending an audio message, allow the app permission to record your phone’s mic.
- Record your message.
- Press the arrow to send the clip, or the trash can to delete it.
The changes apply on both iOS and Android.
Faster chat archiving in Messenger
Messenger has a new archive gesture on iOS and Android that can help you more easily organize your inbox.
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From Messenger’s inbox screen, swipe a conversation to the left or right to archive it. Archived conversations are sent to a new “Archived Chats” section in the app.
To see your archived messages:
- Tap your profile photo to open the overflow menu.
- Select “Archived Chats.”
You can tap an archived chat to send a new message and continue the conversation, or send it back to your active chats list.
Archived chats automatically return to your active chats list if you send a new message to the same contact(s), or if they message you.
Photo and video replies for Instagram
Instagram users on iOS can now reply to private messages with images and videos. Android will get the feature soon, too.
- Open a conversation from your Instagram DMs.
- Select the camera icon in the message composer menu.
- Take a new photo or video (or select one from your phone’s camera roll) and send your message.
New visuals
There are a handful of new app themes, camera stickers, and smaller updates in this recent feature drop for Messenger and Instagram, and they’re available on both iOS and Android:
- There’s a new collection of free camera stickers to celebrate the Asian and Pacific Islander (API) community. The stickers are available in the main Messenger apps’ sticker collection, and Messenger kids.
- Messenger and Instagram have two new app themes based on Star Wars and Selena: The Series. To enable them, open a conversation’s settings menu, then go to “Theme” and select the one you want to use.
- Instagram DMs now have read receipts, so you’ll know if a person hasn’t seen your messages yet or has intentionally left you hanging.
All these new features will be available on the supported platforms in the coming days and weeks.