New feature lets users schedule text-based messages up to 29 days in advance, enhancing communication flexibility.
Washington [US], December 18: Instagram has officially rolled out a scheduled messaging feature for direct messages (DMs), enabling users to send text-only messages at a later time. This latest addition aims to enhance the app’s messaging experience by offering more flexibility and convenience.
How It Works
According to The Verge, users can schedule messages by long-pressing the “send” button in a chat and selecting the desired date and time for delivery. The feature currently supports only text-based messages, meaning that photos, videos, and GIFs must still be sent in real-time.
Once a message is scheduled, Instagram displays a notification within the chat, showing how many scheduled messages are pending. Users can tap the notification to:
- View the scheduled message
- Delete it or
- Send it immediately by long-pressing the message.
The feature allows messages to be scheduled up to 29 days in advance.
Part of a Broader Messaging Upgrade
Instagram’s support page notes that this new tool aligns with its efforts to improve messaging functionality, which already includes:
- Message editing
- Drawing on photos
- Sharing live locations (similar to Snapchat).
While this feature is limited to text-only messages for now, it marks a step forward in Instagram’s evolution as a comprehensive communication platform.