Instagram's in-app messaging system is starting to look a lot more like Messenger. Facebook has begun merging some of Messenger's features with Instagram Direct, changing the way you chat on the app.
Messenger Slides Into Instagram's DMs
In January of 2019, Facebook announced a plan to merge Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp. But it wasn't until August 2020 that some users started to notice signs of an Instagram/Messenger integration.
Now, it seems like Facebook's plan is finally coming to fruition. In a post on the Instagram Blog, Instagram announced the new Messenger features coming to Instagram.
When you open Instagram, you'll soon see an option that prompts you to update to the app's new messaging experience. The integration with Messenger brings 10 new features to Instagram.
Not only will you be able to use selfie stickers and play around with animated message effects, but you'll even get to take advantage of Facebook's Watch Together feature. The Messenger integration also lets you customize your chats and make messages disappear in vanish mode.
Perhaps one of the biggest draws to the Instagram/Messenger merger is the fact that you can start conversations with people who don't have an Instagram account.
As long as the person uses Messenger, you can still message them through Instagram, and vice versa. In other words, you don't have to keep switching apps (or downloading new ones) to start chatting with a friend or family member on a different platform.
In terms of your privacy, Facebook has added new settings that allow you to choose whether non-Instagram users can message you on Instagram. The same settings apply to Messenger as well.
The Beginnings of Cross-App Messaging
The integration of Messenger and Instagram will likely be met with mixed feelings. While the addition of Messenger features vastly improves Instagram Direct, it also raises concerns over how far Facebook will go to combine its app family.
After all, Facebook has already created the Accounts Center, allowing you to exercise control over both your Facebook and Instagram accounts.
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