Instagram has significantly updated Direct — What's new

Instagram is rolling out an update to Direct messages that includes several new tools. These features may help the platform to compete with other messaging services, according to Engadget.

What's new on Instagram

The update allows users to share music both in private messages and in group chats. To do so, open the stickers panel and select the Music option. This will open a search bar in the Instagram audio library. There are a few limitations:

• the song must be available on Instagram;
• videos can last no longer than 30 seconds.

Now, DMs got a translation tool that supports 99 languages. Using the feature is very simple — users just need to hold down the message and tap Translate. The translated message will appear directly below the original one.

You can also pin messages, images, or even Reels to the top of your chat. To do this, simply hold down the message and tap Pin. Instagram allows you to pin up to three messages per chat, making it easy to save frequently referenced information.

Additionally, Instagram now lets users schedule messages by holding down the send button, allowing them to set messages to be sent up to 29 days in advance. Finally, the platform has introduced a new way to invite people to group chats via QR codes.

All of these features will begin rolling out today for iOS and Android users worldwide. An update for the web version is currently in development and not yet available.

Instagram is actively adding new features. Recently, the platform began testing a "dislike" button for comments. Instagram announced that it is working on a video editing application similar to CapCut. The platform also extended the duration of reels to three minutes, presumably to compete with TikTok. In addition, Instagram has recently stopped using third-party fact-checkers.

As a reminder, Facebook deletes recordings of users' live broadcasts that are more than 30 days old. After you receive a deletion notification, you will be able to save your videos.

As a reminder, Meta plans to build the 50,000-km-long subsea internet cable.