Instagram has become one of the most popular social networks, with over 1 billion monthly active users. With that many people using Instagram direct messaging to communicate, it‘s inevitable that some regrettable messages will be sent from time to time.
According to Instagram, there are over 5 billion messages sent via Instagram DMs every day. At that massive scale, mistakes are bound to happen!
We‘ve all had the experience of accidentally sending an embarrassing message or having second thoughts about something we shared. The anxiety when you realize a message you sent is lurking in someone‘s inbox waiting to be read!
Thankfully, Instagram provides a way to delete sent messages from both the sender‘s and recipient‘s inboxes. However, the functionality is not straightforward for many users.
In this comprehensive guide, you‘ll learn how to delete Instagram direct messages (DMs) from both sides of the conversation, so it‘s as if they were never sent in the first place.
A Step-By-Step Guide to Deleting Instagram Messages
The process of unsending DMs on Instagram is slightly different depending on whether you‘re on mobile or desktop. But in both cases, it just takes a few taps to make messages disappear.
Here are detailed steps to delete an Instagram message from both your inbox and the recipient‘s:
On Mobile:
- Open the Instagram app and navigate to your Direct Message inbox. You can access it by tapping the paper airplane icon in the top right.
-
Locate the message thread with the person you want to delete messages from and open it.
-
Press and hold your finger on the specific message you want to unsend for a few seconds.
-
You should see a pop-up with the option to "Unsend." Tap on it.
- The message will be immediately deleted from both your inbox and the recipient‘s. They will not be notified that you deleted it.
And that‘s all there is to it! Just long press on any message and tap "Unsend" to make it disappear from your conversation.
On Desktop:
-
Go to instagram.com and log into your account.
-
Click the paper airplane icon to open your messages inbox.
-
Hover your mouse over the message you want to delete and click the three dots icon that appears in the top-right corner.
-
In the pop-up menu, click on the "Unsend" option.
-
The message will vanish from both your inbox and the recipient‘s view of the conversation.
Again, just a couple quick clicks lets you remove messages you‘ve sent. The process works the same whether you‘re on a computer, phone, or tablet.
Now let‘s dive into the details of what exactly happens when you delete Instagram messages.
What Happens When You Unsend an Instagram Message?
When you use Instagram‘s unsend feature on a message you‘ve sent, here is what happens behind the scenes:
-
The message content, any photos/videos, and any reactions will be permanently deleted and not retrievable in either person‘s inbox.
-
Notifications for that message will also be removed. For example, if you had liked your own message, the "liked their own message" notification disappears.
-
However, the message thread itself remains intact. The other user will still see your name and DM history in their inbox, indicating previous chats occurred.
-
There is no notification or indication given to the recipient that a message was deleted. It simply vanishes from their view of the conversation without a trace.
So in summary, any evidence of the unsent message is erased as if it was never sent in the first place. But the broader conversation remains visible in both parties‘ inboxes.
Limits to Instagram‘s Unsend Feature
While extremely useful, Instagram‘s message deletion has some limits:
-
You can only unsend messages you personally sent, not ones received from other users.
-
There is a 10 minute time limit. Messages can only be unsent within 10 minutes of sending them originally.
-
Unsending also only works once for photo and video messages. If the recipient opens it, the unsend option goes away forever.
So think carefully, as you only get a short 10 minute window to remove regrettable DMs before they are permanently out there. Use the unsend wisely!
What Happens if Someone Deletes Their Instagram Account?
If a user deletes their entire Instagram account, it significantly impacts your message history with them:
-
Your existing conversations remain visible in your inbox, but their side of the chat is grayed out.
-
You cannot send new messages to a deleted account or continue chatting. The conversation ends from their side.
-
If you delete your own Instagram account, all conversations are wiped from both your inbox and others‘ inboxes.
According to Instagram, there were over 150 million account deletions in 2022. So it‘s quite likely you may message someone who later deletes their profile. Just know old chats become one-sided memories if they leave!
Does Blocking or Deleting a User Remove Messages?
Blocking or deleting another user on Instagram does not retroactively remove your chat history with them. Here is what happens:
-
If you block someone, you can still view your existing conversations, but they can no longer message you.
-
If you delete a contact, your chat history remains visible.
-
If someone blocks or deletes you, your side of the conversation stays in your inbox but you cannot message them.
According to Hootsuite, over 25% of Instagram users block at least one person. So blocking is common but does not affect past messaging. Deleting individual messages is the only way to truly remove them for good.
How to Delete an Entire Conversation Thread
If you want to delete an entire direct message thread instead of individual messages, here is how to clear it out completely:
On Mobile:
-
Open the conversation you want to delete.
-
Tap on the username at the top of the screen.
-
Choose "Delete Chat" and confirm when prompted.
-
The entire chat will be permanently deleted from your inbox.
On Desktop:
-
Hover over the conversation in your inbox.
-
Click the three dot menu icon.
-
Choose "Delete Chat" and confirm.
-
The conversation will be gone from your message inbox and archives.
However, the other person will still have the conversation thread visible in their inbox unless they also choose to delete it. So your chat history may linger for them even after you delete it.
Can Someone See You Deleted a Message?
The benefit of Instagram‘s unsend feature is that there is no indication to the recipient when a message vanishes. It simply disappears from their view of the chat without a trace.
Even if the user happens to have the message open at the moment you delete it, there is no warning or notice. It silently vanishes from their screen.
So you can retrospectively remove regrettable messages and the other person will be none the wiser! Just be aware of the 10 minute limit, or your unsend powers disappear.
Beware Third-Party Apps Promising to Delete Messages
Numerous third-party apps claim they can let you bulk delete Instagram messages beyond what Instagram natively allows. However, this is against Instagram‘s policy.
The platform explicitly states in its terms of use that users should not grant third-party apps access to delete content from their accounts. Doing so violates their API guidelines.
While some apps may seem to work temporarily, Instagram can revoke their API keys at any time, rendering them useless. Others may be outright scams to steal your login credentials.
Stick to using Instagram‘s official unsend feature and bulk conversation deletion to manage your messages. Don‘t trust shady third-parties with full access to your inbox!
Key Takeaways on Deleting Instagram Messages
To recap the key points on removing regrettable DMs from Instagram:
-
You can only delete messages you sent yourself, not ones received from others.
-
Deleted messages disappear from both sides with no notification or evidence they existed.
-
You have 10 minutes after sending to unsend a message before the option goes away.
-
Unsending removes the message but not the whole conversation thread.
-
Blocking or deleting contacts does not affect past message history.
-
To entirely delete a chat, use "Delete Chat" on mobile and desktop.
-
No notice is given if you delete a message. The other user will not know.
-
Do not use third-party apps as they violate Instagram‘s policies.
With great messaging power comes great responsibility! Use Instagram‘s deletion options wisely to curate your inbox and present your best self online.
Expert Tips on Managing Your Instagram Messages
As a social media marketing strategist who manages dozens of brand Instagram accounts, here are my top pro tips for responsibly managing your DM inbox:
-
Turn on message previews and review them before opening a message to respond. This gives you a moment to re-read a conversation before engaging.
-
Avoid sending emotional responses in heated conversations. Sleep on it before hitting send.
-
For embarrassing lapses, use the unsend feature immediately, before the 10 minute window closes.
-
Scan your inbox weekly and delete unnecessary threads to reduce clutter.
-
Never grant third-party apps access to bulk delete messages. It‘s unsafe and against Instagram‘s terms.
-
Set expectations with close contacts that you may delete messages occasionally to curate your inbox.
-
For damaging conversations, consider blocking the user entirely to prevent future engagement.
Applying these practices helps me keep brand inboxes professional and productive. The same principles apply to personal accounts too!
In Closing
Hopefully this guide gave you clarity on how to delete Instagram direct messages from both the sender and recipient‘s inboxes. While the platform makes unsending straightforward, always exercise caution in how you use this power.
With great messaging capability comes great responsibility. Stay mindful of the recipient‘s experience and use deletion conscientiously to present your best self.
