Instagram rolls out new feature which allows users to schedule DMs

Instagram users have been vying for a scheduling message feature for years. Scheduling DMs in advance can help save a lot of time in planning and can also help you plan certain aspects of business-related communication. In fact, if you have an important message or meme for an Instagram friend, but they're still at work, you might not want to disturb them with a notification. Thankfully, Instagram has introduced a solution: the ability to schedule messages for later. Recently, Instagram rolled out several updates to improve your direct messaging experience. So, how does it work? Let’s find out.

How does the schedule DMs feature work in Instagram? How to use it?

Instagram users can now invite friends to a chat using a custom QR code, pin messages at the top of conversations, and even translate languages directly in DMs. Among these new features, the ability to schedule messages is particularly useful. You can compose a message or share an article link in your DMs, and if it’s not the right time for your friend to receive it, you can simply schedule it to be sent later without the hassle of saving it elsewhere and risking forgetting it.

Instagram's scheduling feature might be difficult to find initially, but it becomes straightforward once you understand the steps. Here's how to schedule your direct messages:

Open your Instagram DMs.

Compose your message to the recipient.

Press and hold the send button; the scheduling option will appear.

Select the date and time you wish to send the message.

After clicking the Send button, a confirmation of your scheduled message will appear in your chat. If you wish to review the DM, just click on the confirmation. Should you decide to send it right away or delete it, options for both will be available. You can schedule messages up to 29 days in advance. Additionally, you have the option to schedule a message to yourself, which can serve as a reminder if you know you'll be checking Instagram on a specific date and time. 

However, there's one limitation to this scheduling feature: it only applies to text messages; images and videos cannot be scheduled. Nonetheless, it's a great addition to Instagram's messaging capabilities, taking inspiration from the scheduling functions in email and texting and enhancing your options for sending DMs.