To send a disappearing photo on Instagram, open a chat, tap the camera icon, take or pick a photo, then tap the icon in the bottom left and choose View once or View twice before you tap Send. It only works in the mobile app, and only with people who follow you or have accepted your messages.
The disappearing photo lives inside the chat camera, not the normal photo button. That's the bit most people miss: if you attach a picture with the gallery button next to the message box, it stays in the chat for good. Use the blue camera icon instead and Instagram gives you a choice of how many times the other person can open it.
This guide is about single disappearing photos and videos. If you want to switch a whole chat into disappearing mode, that's Vanish Mode, a separate feature with its own guide.
Send a disappearing photo, step by step
These steps come straight from Instagram's Help Centre and work on iPhone, iPad and Android.
- Tap the Messages icon at the bottom of the app.
- Open the chat you want, or start a new one.
- Tap the camera icon in the bottom left of the chat.
- Take a photo by tapping the circle, or tap the image icon in the bottom left to pick a photo from your camera roll. Tap and hold the circle if you'd rather record a video.
- Add text, a drawing or a GIF if you like.
- Before you send, tap the icon in the bottom left and choose View once or View twice.
- Tap Send in the bottom right.
That's it. The photo shows in the chat as a coloured bubble the other person taps to open.
View once, View twice or Unlimited views
Instagram gives you three viewing options. Only two of them make the photo disappear, so it's worth reading the labels before you tap send.
| Option | What the other person gets | Does it disappear? |
|---|---|---|
| View once | One look at the photo or video | Yes, after that one look |
| View twice | The photo loops, and they can open and replay it one more time | Yes, after the replay |
| Unlimited views | A preview image stays visible in the chat thread | No, it stays in the chat |
If you're sending something you don't want hanging around, pick View once. View twice is handy for a quick video that someone might miss the first time.
The rules Instagram doesn't shout about
A few limits catch people out, and they're all on Instagram's own help pages.
- Screenshots are blocked. Instagram says taking a screenshot is now disabled for a disappearing photo or video you've sent in a chat.
- You can't see it again either. Once you've sent a disappearing photo, you can't view it yourself. Save a copy on your phone first if you'll want it later.
- It won't work with strangers. You can only send disappearing photos to people who follow you or who've already accepted your messages.
- No computers. Instagram says the feature isn't available on computers, so you'll need the app on your phone or iPad.
- Only the photo vanishes. Text, shared posts and hashtags you send in the same chat stay put.
Blocking screenshots doesn't stop someone taking a photo of their screen with a second phone, so the old advice still stands: don't send anything you'd hate to see again.
How to tell if your photo was opened
- Tap Messages at the bottom of the app.
- Open the chat where you sent the photo.
- Look just below the photo bubble. Instagram shows the status there, so you'll see when it's been opened or replayed.
You won't see the photo itself, only what's happened to it.
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Disappearing photo or Vanish Mode?
They sound alike but they're for different jobs. A disappearing photo is a single picture or video that vanishes after it's viewed, inside an ordinary chat. Everything else in that chat stays. Vanish Mode is a setting you turn on in a chat, and Instagram describes it as the way to send disappearing messages, photos, videos and other content together. If you only want to share one picture without it sitting in the thread forever, the disappearing photo is the simpler choice.
Why the option might be missing
- You're on a computer. Switch to the mobile app.
- You used the gallery button next to the message box instead of the camera icon. Photos sent that way don't disappear.
- The person doesn't follow you and hasn't accepted your message request yet.
- Your app needs updating. The viewing options sit in the bottom left of the camera screen on current versions.
If you're tidying up your messages more generally, my guide to unmuting Notes on Instagram covers another corner of the inbox people often lose track of, and if you can't find the person you want to message, here's how to find people on Instagram.
My advice
Use the chat camera, pick View once, and you're done. I'd always save your own copy before sending, because Instagram won't let you see it again. And while the new screenshot block is a welcome change, I wouldn't treat a disappearing photo as private. It's a quick, tidy way to share a moment, not a vault.
Frequently asked questions
Can you send a disappearing photo from your camera roll?
Yes. Tap the camera icon in the chat, then tap the image icon in the bottom left to pick a photo from your camera roll, and choose View once or View twice before sending.
Can people screenshot disappearing photos on Instagram?
Instagram says taking a screenshot is now disabled for disappearing photos and videos sent in a chat.
Can I see a disappearing photo after I've sent it?
No. You can't view it after sending, but you can see its status below the photo in the chat.
Why can't I send a disappearing photo to someone?
You can only send them to people who follow you or have already accepted messages from you, and the feature doesn't work on computers.
What's the difference between View once and View twice?
View once allows a single view. View twice loops the photo and lets the person replay it one more time before it disappears.
