Meta has rolled out a slew of new Instagram features, designed to improve our experiences. Some of these features include the ability to translate, schedule, and pin our direct messages, share song snippets, and invite friends to Instagram groups via QR code.
In regards to the first feature, simply tap on the message and click ‘translate’ and Instagram will automatically translate it from its library of 99 languages sent in the direct messages box, including Malay, Tamil and Mandarin. Honestly, it’s a long overdue and much-welcome feature that we believe should have been released synchronously with their comment translation feature.
Along with translating, you’re now also able to schedule messages for Direct Messages (DMs). It’s a nifty feature, allowing one to schedule birthday messages or reminders. All you need to do is hold on to the “send” option and choose their preferred scheduling time. Sadly, the function only supports text and at the time of writing, it can’t schedule images, GIFs or memes.
Additionally, you can now pin specific messages and images in both group chats and one-to-one messages. Last year, Instagram released a feature allowing us to pin up to three chats to the top of our DMs list. Now, we are able to pin up to three specific messages and images within group chats – particularly useful if you’re trying to split the bill among friends.
Moving on, there’s the song-sharing feature that allows us to share song snippets in our chats. Previously, we could share songs using notes. With the new feature, you’re now able to send 30-second previews in chats, provided they’re part of Instagram’s song library. This can be done by tapping on the sticker tray in the chat and clicking on the ‘Music’ option.
Instagram also includes an easier way to invite friends into group chats. Simply tap on the group name at the top of the chat and click on the invitation link to generate a QR. The person to be added simply has to scan the QR code to gain access to the group.
The new features are being rolled out on a global level for both Android and iOS. If you don’t have access to said features, it’s likely due to Meta rolling them out in batches. So, just exercise a little patience.
