Instagram has quietly introduced a feature that lets users schedule direct messages. The Meta-owned social network confirmed to TechCrunch on Monday that the new feature will be rolling out to all users worldwide.
The option to schedule direct messages is especially useful for developers and brands who want to schedule outreach messages at optimal times. It’s also useful for regular users who want to reach out to friends at specific times due to different time zones. You can also use the feature to send reminders about something at a specific time in the future.
You can schedule a DM by typing your message, holding down the send button, and choosing the date and time you want the message to be sent. Tests show that Instagram lets you schedule messages up to 29 days in advance. When you schedule a message, you’ll see a banner that says “You have one scheduled message” every time you open the chat until your DM arrives.
Instagram has been expanding DMs and adding new features for creators and regular users in recent weeks. The company recently introduced a feature that lets users share their location with friends through DMs, directly challenging services like Apple’s “Find My” and Snapchat’s “Snap Map.” Additionally, users can now customize their name in DMs by adding nicknames for themselves or other users.
Instagram recently added tools for creators to sort and filter message requests. Creators can now sort these messages by follower count, verified accounts, brands, creators, and other factors.
