Instagram Adds New Messaging Features
Instagram is also one of the few well-established platforms that don’t shy away from bringing about bold changes and features. In a recent update, the platform has introduced seven new features that ought to improve the way you use and interact with Instagram. So, let’s look at all the new features and how you can use them.
1. Quick Reply While Browsing
One of the biggest annoyances with the Instagram app has been the inability to reply to messages without diving deep into the messaging section of the app. This meant jeopardizing any photo or video that you were watching to jump into the chat.
Now, when you receive a message, it shows up as an in-app notification that you can then tap to reply directly. Although quick replying through the notifications has been a feature on Android, this in-app addition brings it to all devices. You can reply to messages without leaving your spot within the app.
2. Quickly Send Posts to Friends
We all have a few friends with whom we frequently share memes or posts. The new Quick Share feature makes it even easier to share Instagram posts with a shortcut, meaning you don’t have to manually select the person from a huge list of people.
Tap and hold the Share button below any post and a popup with a few of your frequently contacted friends will show up. Drag your finger from the Share button to the profile picture of your friend or follower. This will instantly share the post with the person without any extra steps.
3. See Who’s Online on Instagram
Seeing a friend online hits you with the motivation to start a conversation. While the Activity Status feature has been around for years now, there hasn’t ever been a way to just glance over a list of online friends like Facebook.
Instagram has taken inspiration from Messenger and now displays a row of online or active people at the top of your conversations list. Tapping on them will quickly send you to their DM.
4. Music Integration
Instagram has given you the ability to add tracks to your Stories through Spotify for a while. The new music integration within Instagram DMs now makes it easier to share snippets of your favorite songs with others.
5. Send Messages Without Notifying
Sending messages without alerting the recipient is now made possible on Instagram. Simply adding “@silent” anywhere in your message will not send a notification to the person on the other end. This is great news for those who don’t want to bother others with unwanted notifications but still want to get a point across.
You can also quickly mention someone by tapping on their name when you start typing in their username. This is a huge time saver when compared to typing in the entire username like before.
6. New Lo-Fi Chat Theme
Chat themes have added a layer of much-needed customization, replacing the rather plain white or black background. These themes are different for different chats, and thus also work well to set the atmosphere just right with a specific person or a group chat.
This new update adds a new Lo-Fi theme that brings a soothing touch to the chat. Follow these simple instructions to set the chat theme to Lo-Fi:
Open a DM on Instagram. Tap on the Info button at the top-right corner. Under Chat settings, tap on Theme and select Lo-Fi. Head back, and you should now have the new Lo-Fi chat theme applied.
Compared to the dozen other chat themes, this one gives off a more pleasant and relaxing aura, as you can see.
7. Create an Instagram Poll
The last feature on this list might be the most exciting one. You can now create polls in group chats and make decisions much easier. Say goodbye to hundreds of texts just to end up not agreeing anyway.
Once you create a poll in a group, the chat participants can vote for the existing options or create new ones.
To create polls in a group chat on Instagram:
Open a group chat on Instagram. Tap on the + icon just above the keyboard and beside the gallery icon. Tap on the Stickers icon and select the Poll sticker from the list. Enter a question and add options for the poll. Once done, tap on Create Poll.
It’s that simple. To interact with a poll, all you need to do is tap on it in the group chat.
Make the Most Out of Instagram’s New Features
Instagram rolls out its updates in waves to gain feedback from the early adopters and make changes if necessary. If you haven’t received the new features yet, make sure your Instagram app is up-to-date. Alternatively, you can sign up for the beta program in the Google Play Store if you use an Android device.
If there’s one positive thing to have come out of the merger between Facebook and Instagram, it’s the massive improvements in chat features. Instagram is always trying out new things to appeal to a broader audience, and it’s always fun to be subjected to nifty little features.
