Many of us have developed anxiety about putting a message on “seen” to which we do not intend to give a reply.
Upon accidentally clicking the conversation, we feel obliged to send a message back as not doing so means impolite in today’s culture.
Luckily, we can now work our way around and see a message without putting it on “read.”
In this article, we will show you how to turn off read receipts on Instagram without using any third-party application.
This way, our anxiety to comply with social media ethics will be handled better.
How to Turn Off Read Receipts on Instagram?
There is no absolute rule on how to turn off read receipts on Instagram, but we can do so without having to install any third-party app.
Simply shut your internet router down or turn your device on Airplane Mode and make sure the WiFi is off.
After checking that the device is not connected to any internet source, you can now browse messages and read them freely.
This will not trigger any read receipts as you are technically reading offline.
Turning Instagram’s Read Receipts Off: A Step-by-step Guide
1. Start by opening the Instagram app
2. Tap on the message button in the upper right corner of your screen.
3. Once you are on Instagram’s message section, turn the WiFi off or switch your device to Airplane Mode. This will instantly cut off your connection to the internet.
4. Read the message you want to read. You are technically reading a message while offline which will prevent the app from logging your recent activity.
5. Close Instagram or logout.
What is a DM?
A DM is a modern term for a message. DM directly translates to Direct Message, thus the abbreviation “D” and “M.”
Instagram DMs are private and do not show on anyone’s feed or profile.
Conversations are kept exclusively between a person or group that are directly communicating with one another.
On Instagram, DMs are sent using the Instagram Direct which is a dedicated section that houses a user’s private messages.
Simply put, this section is an inbox for inbound and outbound messages sent and received by a user.
How to Use Instagram Direct
As mentioned, Instagram Direct acts as an inbox that allows users to send and receive messages to and from a person or a group privately.
The message can contain plain text, image, video, or GIF, depending on the sender’s preference.
Similarly, posts showing on the feed, disappearing photos and videos, and links could also be sent.
There are two ways to send direct messages on Instagram.
For the people you follow, you may do so by searching for the person you want to send a message to and tapping the “Message” button found on their profile header.
Sliding into DMs Using Instagram’s Message Icon
Another way to slide into someone’s DM, a slang term used for sending a message on Instagram, is through using the dedicated message icon.
Open your Instagram app and click the paper plane icon found in the upper right corner of your home screen.
Once done, you will be redirected to your message section which will show the list of direct messages you have sent or people have sent you in the past.
From this, you can do any of these three things:
1. Either scroll down and search through your list for the message you wish to reply to or the person you want to send a message to
2. Search for the person you are intending the message on the search bar
3. Or click the “New Message” icon found at the top right corner of your conversation screen.
After finding your intended receiver, type your message, double-check for errors and revise accordingly, and click “Send.”
How to Turn Off Message Notifications on Instagram
Read receipts often come from accidentally clicking direct message notifications showing on one’s screen.
To avoid making the same mistake and marking the message as “Read” in the future, you may opt to disable direct message notifications.
Follow our guide below on how you can turn off message notifications on Instagram:
1. Open the Instagram app and click “Settings.”
2. Scroll down and click “Notifications.” From here, select “Direct messages and calls.”
3. Turn Message Requests and Messages toggles to “Off.”
By turning your message notifications off, new messages coming in your Instagram Direct will no longer be announced.
Just make sure to check your inbox every so often to avoid missing important messages or announcements.
The Importance of Read Receipts
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While read receipts create a lot of anxiety, they play an important role in letting the person you are communicating with that you have read and acknowledged their message, and vice versa.
This is vital in the process of communication in letting you, as a sender, know that you have sent the message across and that it was received by the other party.
Direct Message Limit
Little to the knowledge of many, an Instagram user can only send 50 to 70 direct messages in a day.
Going beyond this limit might solicit Instagram’s suspicion and tag you as a spam account which will result in your account getting blocked, restricted, or temporary close.
Make sure to use Instagram Direct sparingly, even when advertising for new products or reaching customers through direct messages.
Conclusion
Sliding into Instagram DMs has become one of the fastest ways of communicating with family members, peers, and customers.
Instagram has enabled the “Seen” feature to let the sender know that the message has been sent across and the recipient has read it.
On the other hand, there are some conversations we want to read but do not intend to let the other party know we did as it creates pressure to reply.
This is where this article con how to turn off read receipts on Instagram comes in handy.
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