Instagram finally lets you edit those embarrassing late night DMs

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Instagram is rolling out a new feature that finally lets you edit your direct messages up to 15 minutes after hitting send. Thank god.

We’ve all been there—firing off a late-night DM only to wake up the next morning in a cold sweat of regret over that garbled mess you sent your ex/boss/mom after one too many “quarantinis.”

Well, pour yourself another drink and breathe easy because Instagram has your back.

The Facebook-owned photo-sharing app now allows users to modify those ill-advised thirst traps and drunken confessions up to 15 minutes after initially sending the DM.

How to edit Instagram DMs

To edit an Instagram DM after it’s been sent is pretty self-explanatory. Simply tap the three dots next to the message to edit, unsend, or react with an emoji picker.

The update also includes React emoji responses and Instagram’s typical smattering of bug fixes and performance improvements. Updates include:

• Ability to pin up to three group or 1:1 chats for easy access
• Option to toggle read receipts on or off for all chats or specific ones
• Feature to save favorite stickers in DMs
• Ability to reply to messages with stickers, GIFs, videos, photos, and voice messages
• Introduction of new themes to personalize chats, including Love (soon to be animated), Lollipop, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and more

The ability to edit messages after sending is available on a few other major messaging platforms like Slack and WhatsApp.

But given Instagram’s popularity among younger generations, many of whom use DMs as a primary method of communication, the text editing option could prove to be a godsend (or temptation) for hormone-addled teens and Millennials alike.

The message editing capability is rolling out now to Instagram users worldwide on iOS and Android.

In an increasingly filtered world where Abraham Lincoln’s advice of “think before you speak” has been usurped by a generation conditioned to just “post first, worry later,” this release is either a) the most useful Instagram update ever or b) the slipperiest of slopes towards total social dissembling.

Alright, that last point is a little extreme, but nonetheless, having this feature is a big plus.

Are you embracing editable DMs with open arms, or is this just another drop in the bucket?Let us know in the comments, or follow the discussion on Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

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• New WhatsApp beta points to more Instagram-inspired UI elements
• You can now delete Threads while keeping your Instagram profile
• Ghost without guilt: Instagram’s forthcoming incognito mode

Kevin Raposo

Kevin is KnowTechie's founder and executive editor. With over 15 years of blogging experience in the tech industry, Kevin has transformed what was once a passion project into a full-blown tech news publication. Shoot him an email at kevin@knowtechie.com or find him on Mastodon or Post.