What to know
- Instagram now allows users to share real-time location in direct messages for up to one hour.
- Users can create custom names for friends in DM chats that only they can see.
- The app adds new sticker collections with over 300 designs for messages.
Instagram's latest update to Direct Messages now includes location sharing with friends for up to 60 minutes. This feature helps you meet friends at events or track arrival times.
You can share your location only in private chats or groups, and the feature stays turned off until you enable it. A notification remains visible when location sharing is active, and you can turn it off anytime.
You can also place a fixed location pin on the map instead of sharing live movement. This helps when setting meeting points or directing friends to specific places.
The update also includes a nickname feature for contacts in direct messages. You can replace long usernames with shorter names that show up only in your message threads. Setting a nickname requires just two taps on the chat name.
Instagram has also added new sticker options for messages. The update includes 17 new collections with more than 300 stickers. Users can save their preferred stickers as favorites for easy access.
Select countries have received this update first, as Instagram enhances its messaging features to match other location-sharing apps.
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