Guide
How to DM on Instagram (Phone and Desktop), and How Brands Handle DMs at Scale
Sending a DM on Instagram takes four taps. Managing the DMs a brand receives under its ads is a different job. This guide covers both, from the compose button to automation.
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The short answer
To send a DM on Instagram, tap the messenger icon in the top right of your feed, tap the compose icon, search the person's username, type your message, and send. You can also tap Message on any profile, or reply to a story from the "Send message" bar. On desktop, go to instagram.com, open Messages from the left sidebar, and use the compose icon. Messages from people you do not follow land in a Requests folder until you accept them. Everything else in this guide is detail, plus what changes when you are a brand answering hundreds of DMs a day.
How to DM on Instagram in the app
Open Instagram and tap the messenger icon in the top right corner of your home feed.
Tap the compose icon (a pencil or a plus, depending on your version) in the top right of your inbox.
Search for the username, or pick from suggestions, and tap the account. You can select several people to start a group chat.
Type your message. You can also attach a photo or video, record a voice message, send a sticker or GIF, or share a post.
Tap Send.
Other ways to start a DM
From a profile. Open the account and tap Message under their bio. If the button is missing, the account has restricted who can message it.
From a story. Open the story and type in the "Send message" bar at the bottom. Story replies go straight to the person's inbox.
From a post or reel. Tap the paper-plane share icon, choose the person, add a note, and send. This shares the post into the DM.
From a comment. You cannot DM directly from a comment thread, but tapping the commenter's name opens their profile and the Message button.
How to DM on Instagram from a desktop
Go to instagram.com in a browser and log in.
Click Messages (the messenger icon) in the left sidebar.
Click the compose icon at the top of the inbox, search the username, and click Chat.
Type and press Enter. Desktop supports text, photos and videos by drag and drop, audio messages, reactions, replies, and calls; vanish mode stays mobile-only.
Message requests, and why your DM may not be seen
If you message someone who does not follow you, your DM goes to their Requests folder rather than their main inbox, and they see it as a request they can accept, delete, or block. The same happens in reverse: messages from people you do not follow appear under Requests. Accepting a request moves the conversation into your inbox and lets you reply. If a brand wants customers to reach it easily, that is a reason to switch to a professional account and manage the inbox in Meta Business Suite, where requests are visible to the whole team.
Useful DM features
Reply to a specific message by swiping right on it.
React by double-tapping a message, or long-press for more reactions.
Unsend by long-pressing your own message and choosing Unsend. It disappears for everyone.
Mark as unread and flag conversations to come back to them.
Mute or restrict an account from the conversation's info screen.
DMs for brands: what changes at scale
A personal account answers a few DMs a day by hand. A brand running ads gets hundreds, most of them buying questions with a short shelf life: a buyer who asks about sizing on Friday night and hears nothing until Monday has usually bought somewhere else. Four things change the job.
Switch to a professional account (Business or Creator). It unlocks the Meta Business Suite inbox, saved replies, automated replies, and the API that automation tools use.
Use saved replies for the questions you answer daily, and turn on instant replies and an away message so nobody waits in silence. See how to set up auto-reply on Instagram.
Respect the 24-hour window. Businesses can reply to a person within 24 hours of their last interaction; after that, the conversation needs them to re-engage. It shapes every automation you build. Read the 24-hour DM window explained.
Automate the replies that make you money. AI tools built on Meta's official API answer product questions in seconds in your brand voice, move buyers from comments into DMs, and follow up when a conversation stalls. Exerta does this across Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and website chat, hides spam and negativity on your ads at the same time, and reports the revenue each conversation recovered. The Instagram DM automation tool comparison covers the options.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I message someone on Instagram? They may have limited who can message them, they may have restricted or blocked you, or you may have hit a temporary action block for sending too many messages too fast.
Can I DM someone who doesn't follow me? Yes. Your message goes to their Requests folder until they accept it. Some accounts turn off requests from people they do not follow.
Can I see if someone read my DM? Instagram shows "Seen" under a message once the recipient opens it, unless read receipts are turned off.
Can a business automate Instagram DMs? Yes, on a professional account, through tools that use Meta's official API and only message people who engaged first. Tools that need your password are not safe.
Other useful guides
Instagram bots explained: what is allowed and what gets you banned
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