8 Ways to Turn off Direct Messages (DMs) on Instagram
Aremessages on Instagramdriving you crazy? Thinking about turning off messages entirely? Don’t worry, while Instagram doesn’t have a direct off switch, you can disable DMs for people you don’t know. Plus, we’ve got some handy tricks to further limit messaging overall. Here’s how to turn off direct messages on Instagram.
Before we start, here’s a quick rundown of how to control who DMs you on Instagram:
Table of Contents
1. Stop Direct Messages from Strangers
By default, messages from strangers (folks you don’t follow) show up as requests, but those notification pop-ups can still be, well, notifying. Thankfully, you’re able to stop people you do not follow from messaging you.
Open Instagram app and go to your profile section. Tap thehamburger menu>Settings & privacy>Messages and story replies. Here, selectMessage controls. You’ll find two options:
2. Mute Direct Messages from an Instagram User
Do your friends keep sharing memes and reels all day with you on Instagram? Well, for situations where you’re able to’t block the user but don’t want the disturbance from irrelevant messages, you cansimply mute themfor a while.
To mute a user, open their chat and tap on their name at the top. Tap onMuteand toggle onMute Messages> chooseUntil I change itor the duration of your choice. You can also mute calls. The other person won’t know you have muted them.
3. Restrict a User to Avoid Their DMs
Sometimes you follow someone awesome, but their messages feel a bit much. Instead of blocking them entirely, you canrestrict their account. Any message they send hereafter will show up in Requests section. The other person will not know that you have restricted them, and they will not be able to see your online status.
To restrict someone, open their chat and tap on their name. Tap onOptions>Restrict. You can later manage restricted accounts inSettings and privacy>Restricted accounts.
4. Stop People From Adding You to Group Chats
Annoyed by group invites on Instagram? Don’t worry! You can control who adds you to groups.
On the same page where you manage message settings, you’ll find a section for Group Chats. Just tap onWho can add you to groupsand chooseOnly people you follow on Instagram. This way, only people you already follow can add you to group chats.
5. Prevent Replies on Your Instagram Story
Instagram stories are a great way to share moments but sometimes you may want to control who can chat about them. By default, anyone who can see your story can reply to it with a message. But you can eitherdisable these repliesor limit them to people you follow.
Go toInstagram>Settings & privacy>Messages and story replies. TapStory repliesand change it to:Allow story replies only from people you followorDon’t allow story replies.
The latter will completely remove the option to reply to your stories for others.
6. Turn Off Messages Notifications in Instagram app
On Instagram, you may manually pause push notifications of all sorts – including the ones for messages. Go toSettings and privacy>Notifications>Messages.
Here you can toggle notifications off for:
You can also enableQuiet modeand schedule it to automatically start during your working or bedtime hours. During this time, you won’t get any notifications from Instagram.
7. Turn Off Instagram Direct Notifications on Android
Unlike iOS, Android allows you to manage notifications category-wise. If you use Instagram on an Android device, you can simply disable all notifications for direct messages.
To do so, openSettings>Apps>See all appsand chooseInstagram. Here, tapNotificationsand toggle off the switch forInstagram DirectandInstagram Direct Requests. On Samsung Galaxy phones, you may have to tap onNotification Categoriesfirst.
You’ll still receive all messages – it’s just that there won’t be annoying alerts or pop-ups.
8. Block the User
Blocking is an optionIf someone constantly bombards you with direct messages making you uncomfortable. Tap their name at top of the chat and chooseBlock. Or go to their profile, tapthree dotson the top right, and selectBlock.
Blocking someone on Instagram cuts them off completely. They won’t be able to message you or see your profile. Here’s a breakdown ofwhat happens when you block someone.
Wrapping Up
Unfortunately, Instagram doesn’t currently let you hide read receipts for messages. While the “Restrict” feature offers some control, it’s not a perfect solution. Also, making your account private doesn’t stop others from sending you messages. Users can still send requests, which will appear in your inbox unless you set Message Controls to “Don’t receive requests” as mentioned earlier.
Mehvish Mushtaqis a tech lover from Kashmir. With a degree in computer engineering, she’s always been happy to help anyone who finds technology challenging. She’s been writing about technology for over six years, and her favorite topics include how-to guides, explainers, tips and tricks for Android, iOS/iPadOS, Windows, social media, and web apps. You can also find her work onMake Tech Easier,Guiding Tech, andNerds Chalk
