instagram: Instagram introduces 7 new messaging features, here’s everything you need to know

Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms across the globe and it is used by millions of people every day. Since its integration with Messenger, messaging has been a key focus area for Facebook owned platform apart from videos. Late last year, Instagram head Adam Mosseri had said that the company will also be focusing on messaging. “Messaging is one of the primary ways people connect online and we think Instagram needs to embrace the fact that messaging is the primary form of communication,” Mosseri had said.
Following on the plan, the company has now announced seven new messaging features that are aimed to improve the overall experience of Instagram app. Wonder what these features are, here’s a list to help you out.
Reply as you browse
With this feature, you will be able to reply to a message without going to your inbox and moving out of the feed. Before this, to see or reply to a message, you had to go in the inbox and leave your feed or post you were viewing.
Quickly share media or more with friends
The Quick share feature allows you to quickly share any image, video or Reel with contacts you frequently interact with. The feature has been integrated into the send key that can be spotted at the bottom of every Instagram post. It was already available for several Instagram users even before the announcement.
See who’s online
At the top of your inbox, you can see who’s free to chat at that moment. The user interface and design of the inbox will be quite similar to the Facebook Messenger.
Play, pause, and re-play
Instagram users will now be able to share a 30-second preview of a song from Apple Music, Amazon Music and Spotify with their friends. The receiver will be able to hear the preview directly from the chat window.
Send messages quietly
The features will allow users to send messages without notifying friends late at night or when they’re busy by adding “@silent” in your message. With this feature you can reach out without worrying about sending unwanted notifications.
Collaborate to create a poll
The company is bringing one of Messenger’s most popular group chat features to Instagram so you can create a poll directly in your group chat.
New lo-fi chat theme
Instagram has also added a new lo-fi chat theme to make your conversations feel more personal. These new features are available in select countries, and the company plans to expand globally in the coming days.