Instagram has quietly introduced the ability for users to schedule direct messages (DMs). Meta, the parent company of Instagram, confirmed to TechCrunch on Monday that this feature is now being rolled out globally to all users.
The ability to schedule DMs is particularly beneficial for creators and brands looking to send outreach messages at optimal times. It’s also helpful for regular users who wish to connect with friends at specific times due to time zone differences. Additionally, users can utilize this feature to send reminders at designated future points.
The new feature was initially discovered by social media expert Lindsey Gamble.
To schedule a DM, users can compose a message, hold down the send button, and select a date and time for delivery. Based on testing, Instagram allows messages to be scheduled up to 29 days in advance. Once a message is scheduled, a banner will appear notifying users of the “1 scheduled message” each time they access the chat until the DM is sent.
Over the past few weeks, Instagram has been enhancing its DM features, adding capabilities beneficial to both creators and everyday users. Most recently, Instagram introduced the option for users to share their locations via DMs, competing with features like Apple’s Find My and Snapchat’s Snap Map. Additionally, users can now customize their DMs by assigning nicknames to themselves or others.
For creators, Instagram has also implemented tools that allow for sorting and filtering message requests. These tools help creators organize their messages based on criteria such as follower count, verified accounts, brands, and other factors.
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