Popular social media platform Instagram has launched a new feature that allows users to schedule direct messages (DMs). Meta, Instagram’s parent company, announced on Monday that the feature is now being rolled out globally. The news was reported by TechCrunch.
The DM scheduling feature is expected to be particularly beneficial for content creators and brands aiming to deliver messages to their audiences or customers at specific times. General users can also use the feature to coordinate with friends in different time zones or send reminders for future tasks.
The feature first came to public attention through social media specialist Lindsay Gamble.
To schedule a DM, users need to type their message, press and hold the send button, and then select the desired date and time for delivery. Testing has shown that Instagram allows messages to be scheduled up to 29 days in advance. Once a message is scheduled, users will see a notification banner reading “1 message scheduled” every time they open the chat until the message is delivered.
Over the past few weeks, Instagram has introduced several enhancements to its DM features. Users can now share their location directly through DMs, a move that positions Instagram as a competitor to Apple’s Find My and Snapchat’s Snap Map. Additionally, users can customize chat names or add nicknames for themselves or others.
Instagram has also launched new tools for content creators, enabling them to sort and filter message requests. Creators can now prioritize messages based on follower count, verified accounts, brands, and other criteria.
By continuously improving its DM features, Instagram aims to enhance user experience and make communication more streamlined and efficient.
