Instagram is rolling out some new features for direct messaging to make chatting and connecting with friends easier. The update is adding more sticker options, the ability to create custom nicknames for friends, and an easier way for users to share their location.
The platform has added a lot of new stickers in direct messages, with 17 new sticker packs that include over 300 stickers in total. There’s also a new “favorite” feature that lets users save their most-used stickers for quick access, including stickers shared by friends or made from images in the app. This makes finding and using stickers easier, helping users have more lively and visual chats.
Instagram is making using nicknames in direct messages (DMs) easier. Users can now create custom nicknames for themselves and others in a chat. This feature helps make recognizing people in group chats easier and lets users use personalized names or inside jokes. The nicknames only appear in that chat, and the public username won’t change. Additionally, users can decide who can create or change nicknames.
Instagram is also making it easier for people to meet up in real life by adding location sharing to their direct messages. Users can share their live location for up to an hour or pin a specific place on a map. This feature is for those who want to coordinate group events and meetings or just to help navigate busy areas.
To keep things private, the live location can only be seen by people in the same DM conversation and can’t be shared with anyone else. This feature is turned off by default, but users sharing their location will have a constant reminder in the chat until the hour is up. This feature is only available in certain regions, but it will be rolled out more widely in the future.
