Many of us have experienced the frustration of sending DMs on Instagram with wording we wish we could change or containing embarrassing typos. Now, Meta has said that Instagram will allow users to edit their direct messages within a 15-minute window after sending them. Before this update, the sole recourse for rectifying errors was to delete the entire message.
"Today, we are excited to announce a number of new DM features to help you better connect with friends, express yourself, and organise your inbox.
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"Whether it’s a typo or something just doesn’t sound right, you can now edit messages up to 15 minutes after sending. To make a change, press and hold on the sent message, then choose “edit” from the dropdown menu," the comany said in a statement.
Now, to edit a DM on Instagram, just press and hold the sent message until the dropdown menu appears, then choose "Edit." The edited message will show "Edited" in the conversation. However, if you're hoping to avoid detection, deleting the original and resending might still be the safer option.
Notably, the editing feature debuts on Instagram chats just a few months after social networking giant Meta introduced it for Messenger. Despite the inability for cross-platform messaging between Instagram and Messenger since December, these two messaging apps under Meta's ownership still share several features.
Additionally, users will gain the option to enable or disable read receipts, pin specific individual or group chats to the top of their inboxes, and respond using a variety of mediums including stickers, GIFs, videos, photos, and voice messages.
Meanwhile, Meta-owned Instagram is in the process of developing a new feature dubbed "Friend Map," which bears similarities to Snap Map. This feature is rumoured to introduce a world map interface, allowing users to view the recent whereabouts of their friends.
According to leaked information users will have the ability to see others positioned across the map, relying on shared location data. Additionally, users can actively participate by placing themselves on the map through posts containing location information.