How to reply to a message on Instagram

How does one reply to a message on Instagram?

Responding directly to specific messages from a particular sender is a common feature in major messaging apps.

It helps avoid confusion when replying to an older message, especially in group chats. Instagram introduced this feature later than others.

This article demonstrates how to use Instagram’s direct messaging feature to reply to specific messages, covering iPhone, Android, and PC usage.

Additionally, it delves into potential limitations preventing the feature’s use.

How to reply to a message on Instagram on Android

The optimal method for managing your Instagram DMs on a mobile device involves using the official Instagram app. Follow these steps to reply to Instagram DMs:

1. Open the official Instagram app and sign in with your username/email and password.
2. Tap the Instagram Direct icon at the top right (it resembles a paper plane beside the Instagram Story section).
3. Select the sender to open their conversation.
4. Press and hold the message you wish to reply to, then tap the “Reply” button at the bottom left to quote the message.
5. Type your response and tap “Send.”
6. A confirmation message, “You replied,” will appear above the chatbox.

How to reply to a message on Instagram on an iPhone

To respond to an Instagram message using an iPhone, follow these steps:

1. Open the Instagram app from your iPhone’s home screen.
2. Access your Direct Messages by tapping the paper airplane icon at the top right of the main screen.
3. Choose the conversation you wish to reply to, which will open the thread.
4. At the bottom of the thread, find the text field labeled “Message” and tap it to activate the keyboard.
5. Enter your response in the text field and tap the blue send button (shaped like a paper airplane) to send your reply.”

How to reply to an Instagram Story

To respond to an Instagram Story, follow these steps:

1. Open the Instagram app on your iPhone from the home screen.
2. Stories of the accounts you follow are displayed at the top of your Instagram feed. Select the profile picture or Story of the person you wish to reply to, opening their Story.
3. While viewing the Story, a text box labeled “Send message…” will appear at the bottom of the screen.
4. Tap this text box to activate the keyboard.
5. Use the keyboard to craft your reply, whether it’s a text message, an emoji, or a blend of both.
6. Once you’ve composed your response, tap the “Send” button situated to the right of the text box. This action will dispatch your reply to the person’s Direct Messages

How to reply to a message on Instagram on a desktop

Instagram’s appearance differs slightly on desktop compared to the mobile version, yet the process remains largely unchanged. To respond to a specific Instagram message using a desktop, follow these steps:

1. Visit Instagram.com via your preferred browser.
2. If it’s your first time using Instagram on that browser, enter your login details. If you have a Facebook account linked, use the “Login with Facebook” option for quicker access.
3. Click on the Instagram Direct messaging icon in the menu on the left side of your screen, or directly navigate to instagram.com/direct/inbox.
4. Access a chat conversation by selecting the individual whose message you wish to reply to (Instagram highlights new messages with a blue dot). This action opens the chat on the right side of your screen.
5. Enter your message into the message input box and press enter to send it. Additionally, you can send emojis, voice messages, or media from your gallery using icons around the message input box.

That concludes the process.

Instagram’s Saved Replies feature

Dealing with Instagram DMs and crafting responses can become a chore, particularly when faced with repetitive queries.

Consider the convenience of having preset replies for commonly asked questions, such as the price of your product.

Utilize Instagram’s Saved Replies tool to pre-compose responses to frequently asked questions.

This way, you won’t need to create a new message each time someone inquires about your product’s price or your return/refund policy.

How to create Saved Replies in Instagram DM

To access the Saved Replies feature, you’ll need to switch to an Instagram business account.

To make this switch, follow these steps:

1. Open the menu and select Settings and privacy.
2. Tap Account type and tools, then choose Switch to professional account.

Once that’s done, here’s how you can set up pre-saved messages:

1. Go to your profile and access the account’s menu.
2. Click on Settings and privacy.
3. Scroll down to the “For professionals” section and select Business tools and controls.
4. Scroll further and choose Saved Reply.
5. Click the ‘New saved reply’ button to establish your first pre-saved reply.
6. Generate a shortcut for the pre-saved reply. For instance, if you wish to automatically share your pricing breakdown in response to pricing queries, set “price” as a shortcut.
7. After creating your initial Saved reply, you’ll see it added to your list of Saved replies.
8. To add more Saved replies, click the plus sign and repeat the above steps. You don’t have to add them all at once; you can continuously add more as you encounter common questions and receive additional messages in your Instagram DMs.

Conclusion

Absolutely, Instagram’s Saved Replies feature is a tremendous time-saver when it comes to managing Instagram DMs.

However, as your business expands, the influx of incoming messages grows too.

While this increase is a positive sign, neglecting Instagram DMs for an extended period isn’t advisable.

Today, effective social media customer service is paramount. Consider that about half of customers anticipate brands to reply within an hour, whether through private messages or group chats designed for user support.

Delaying responses risks eroding the trust and reputation you’ve diligently built with your audience.

Fortunately, there’s a straightforward method to handle the continuous stream of incoming messages on Instagram.