This archive report was first published on 11 October 2019.
October 11, 2019, marked a significant development in Instagram's evolution, as the platform began testing a web version of its Direct messaging feature. This move would enable users to engage in conversations without the need for the app.
Instagram's direct messages feature has become an integral part of the millennial experience, mirroring the functionality of other popular messaging services. However, this feature has been limited to smartphone users until now.
Reverse engineering expert Jane Manchun Wong, known for uncovering hidden features by diving deep into code, spotted the new feature. Wong shared screenshots of the DMs feature on desktop, highlighting its similarity to Messenger. The conversation threads appear on the left sidebar, accompanied by a thread info sidebar on the right, showcasing a list of members in the conversation.
Mark Zuckerberg's announcement to integrate communication between Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp further supports the shared UI. The question now is when Instagram will roll out this feature.
Interestingly, Wong had previously tweeted about Instagram's work on Direct Messages for desktop in February, but access to the feature was blocked shortly after. This recent development suggests that Instagram is actively working on enhancing its desktop capabilities.
While users can access their feeds, like, and comment on the desktop platform, they still cannot upload images or send direct messages. The inability to upload stories or react to stories on the desktop is also a notable limitation. If Instagram is committed to providing users with more features and better accessibility on desktop, it's likely that uploading posts will become a possibility in the future.
