Instagram has announced a range of new messaging features for users. The platform, owned by Facebook, has been testing these features for some time and considers them part of the company's plan to enhance messaging and videos on the platform.
Here are the key new features announced by Instagram, according to The Times of India:
1. **Quick Reply Feature to Send Messages Without Entering the Inbox**
Instagram has added a new feature that allows users to reply to a message without entering the inbox. Before this feature, users had to go to the inbox and leave the web feed or post they were viewing to respond to any message.
2. **Check If Your Friends Are Online on Instagram**
Similar to Facebook Messenger, Instagram users will be able to see which users are online. Active users will be visible at the top of the inbox section. This is one of the main features reflecting the integration between Instagram and Messenger.
3. **Quick Post Sharing Feature**
The quick sharing feature allows you to quickly share any photo or video with contacts you interact with frequently. The feature is integrated into the send button that can be found below every post on Instagram. By pressing and holding the send button, you will see 4 users you have interacted with the most.
4. **Sending Silent Messages Without Notification Alerts**
Instagram users can now send silent messages to other users without any alerts. This feature can be very useful for users who want to communicate without sending unwanted notifications. To send a silent message or "written direct message," you must include the word "silent" in your message. A pop-up above the message will also indicate the feature.
5. **Share a Song Preview with Your Friends**
Last year, Instagram added a feature that allows users to add music to their posts and stories. Now, a new feature lets you share a 30-second preview of a song from Apple Music, Amazon Music, and Spotify with friends. The user with whom you share the preview will be able to listen to it directly from the chat window.
6. **Create a Poll for a Group on Instagram**
Instagram has announced the introduction of one of the most popular group chat features from Messenger. This feature will allow you to create a poll directly in your group chat. Until now, the option to create a poll was only available for Instagram Stories. With the new feature, you will be able to receive results from a poll among a selected group of users.
