- Every message control in one table
- Message requests: who gets through
- Read receipts and the per-chat override
- Activity Status cuts both ways
- Vanish mode vs disappearing messages
- Locking a private chat
- Edit, unsend or delete for you
- Spam filter, hidden words and sending limits
- My verdict
- Frequently asked questions
Most Instagram DM settings live in one place: go to your Profile, tap Menu in the top right, then under How others can interact with you tap Messages and story replies. That screen holds message requests, read receipts, Activity Status and story replies, while chat-level controls like vanish mode and lock chat sit inside each conversation.
That's the wording Instagram's Help Centre uses as of October 2026. Instagram also says it's gradually moving settings to Meta Accounts, so the menu names on your phone may differ slightly.
Two things trip people up more than anything else. A read receipt choice you set for one chat isn't overridden by the account-wide switch, so turning them all off won't touch a chat you set separately. And the filter that hides unwanted message requests is off by default for adults.
Every message control in one table
| Setting | Where to find it | What it does | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Message requests | Messages and story replies > Message requests | Choose whether requests go to your Requests folder or aren't received at all | Doesn't affect messages through your ads or products you've shared |
| Group message requests | Same screen > Who can send you group message requests | Everyone, or People you follow | On Everyone, groups from accounts you haven't connected with go to Requests |
| Read receipts, all chats | Messages and story replies > Show read receipts | Lets people see when you've viewed their message | Won't change a chat you set separately |
| Read receipts, one chat | Open the chat > chat name > Privacy and safety | Sets receipts for that chat only | Stays as set when you change the account-wide switch |
| Activity Status | Messages and story replies > Show Activity Status | Shows when you were last active or are active now | Turn it off and you can't see anyone else's |
| Story replies | Messages and story replies > Story replies | Choose who can reply to your story | Default: anyone who can see your story |
| Vanish mode | Swipe up in a chat | Messages disappear when someone leaves the chat or turns it off | Not available in some countries in Europe |
| Disappearing messages | Swipe up in a chat | Messages vanish after a timer you can change | Only in certain locations |
| Lock and hide chat | Chat name > Privacy and safety | Moves the chat to a hidden folder behind face, fingerprint or passcode | Only locks it for you |
| Mark as unread | Press and hold a chat | Adds a blue dot as a reminder | Creator accounts only |
| Hide unwanted message requests | Your Hidden words settings | Sends requests that may contain scams or offensive words to spam | Off by default for adults |
| Allow access to messages | Message requests > Connected tools | Lets approved business tools view and send your Instagram messages | Only for accounts connected to Pages, Business Suite or other apps |
Message requests: who gets through
Messages from people you follow land in your Chats. Messages from people you don't follow land in Requests, and Instagram says you need to accept a request before it appears in your Chats list. To deal with them, go to Messages, tap Requests, tap a message and choose Accept or Delete. Once you accept someone, their future messages go straight to your inbox.
The Message requests setting lets you decide whether requests go to that folder or whether you get them at all. Blocked accounts can't send you requests or add you to groups, and if a blocked account is already in a group you've been added to, Instagram warns you before you join. If you want the full walkthrough, here's how to stop message requests on Instagram.
It works the other way too: message someone who doesn't follow you and it may arrive as a request, depending on their settings.
Read receipts and the per-chat override
Read receipts let others in a chat see when you've viewed their message. To switch them off everywhere, go to Messages and story replies and toggle off Show read receipts. To change one conversation, open the chat, tap the chat name, tap Privacy and safety and toggle Read receipts.
Here's the part that confuses people. Instagram says a per-chat choice isn't overridden by the account-wide setting. So if you turned receipts on for one friend months ago and then switched them off for all chats, that one chat still shows when you've read things. I've gone into the detail on turning off read receipts on Instagram.
Activity Status cuts both ways
When Show Activity Status is on, people you follow and anyone you message can see when you were last active or that you're active now. Turn it off and you lose the other side too: you can't see anyone else's Activity Status either. If you're wondering how much to trust that green dot, read whether Instagram's Activity Status is accurate.
Vanish mode vs disappearing messages
Both start with a swipe up in a chat. Vanish mode clears content when someone leaves the chat or turns vanish mode off. You can't copy, save or forward vanish-mode messages, and you're notified if Instagram detects a screenshot, though someone could still photograph the screen with another device.
Disappearing messages run on a timer instead. There's a default time, and you can tap Change timer below a message to alter it. Some message types won't disappear automatically. Instagram says disappearing messages are only available in certain locations.
Locking a private chat
Open the chat, tap its name, tap Privacy and safety and toggle Lock and hide chat, or swipe left on the chat in your inbox and tap Hide chat. Locked chats move to a hidden folder you reach by swiping down from the top of your inbox and tapping Locked chats. You'll need face, fingerprint or passcode authentication.
It only locks the chat for you, and a new chat with the same people after deleting a locked one isn't locked.
Edit, unsend or delete for you
- Edit: tap and hold a sent message and tap Edit. You've got up to 15 minutes and up to five edits per message, and Edited shows above it.
- Unsend: tap and hold a message you sent and tap Unsend. It's removed for everyone in the chat, but they may already have seen it.
- Delete for you: works on messages you sent or received, and only removes them from your side.
Unsent and deleted messages don't appear in your data download, but Instagram says they could be included if the chat or a nearby message is reported. More on that in whether the other person is notified when you unsend.
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Spam filter, hidden words and sending limits
Hide unwanted message requests sends requests that may contain scams or offensive words, phrases or emojis to your spam folder. It's off by default for adults and automatically on for Teen Accounts, where teens under 16 need a parent's permission to change it. You can also add your own hidden words, and senders won't know a message was hidden.
Instagram limits DMs to stop spam. If you're warned about sending too many and keep going, you may be blocked from sending more for a while. You can forward a message to up to five chats at a time.
Business accounts connected to a Facebook Page, Meta Business Suite or another app get one more switch, Allow access to messages under Connected tools. Off keeps your DMs in the Instagram app only.
My verdict
One visit to Messages and story replies fixes most DM annoyances. My advice: switch on Hide unwanted message requests, decide on read receipts once at account level, then check any chat where you'd set them separately. And if you share a phone or laptop, lock the chats that matter. It's an easy one to miss.
This guide is part of my Instagram Help: 81 Guides to Followers, Hashtags, Money, Accounts and Fixes.
Frequently asked questions
Where are Instagram DM settings?
Go to your Profile, tap Menu in the top right, then under How others can interact with you tap Messages and story replies. Chat-level controls such as vanish mode and lock chat are inside each conversation.
Why can people still see I read their message?
You probably set read receipts on for that chat separately. Instagram says a per-chat choice isn't overridden by the account-wide switch, so change it in the chat under Privacy and safety.
How do I stop messages from strangers on Instagram?
Go to Messages and story replies, tap Message requests and choose whether requests go to your Requests folder or aren't received at all. Switching on Hide unwanted message requests also filters likely spam.
How do I hide my active status?
Go to Messages and story replies and toggle off Show Activity Status. You won't be able to see anyone else's Activity Status while it's off.
Can you edit an Instagram DM?
Yes. Tap and hold the message and tap Edit. You've got up to 15 minutes and up to five edits per message, and Edited appears above it.
Can I lock an Instagram chat?
Yes. Tap the chat name, tap Privacy and safety and toggle Lock and hide chat. It needs face, fingerprint or passcode authentication and only locks the chat for you.
