Instagram 'Other' inbox: App has secret folder that might be full of messages users haven't read
Just like Facebook, its owner, the app gives anyone the option to message anyone else – but then hides their messages away
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.There’s a secret ‘Other’ inbox hiding in your Instagram app.
Just like its owner Facebook, Instagram has a secret place where it hides away messages from people who aren’t your friends. And just like on Facebook, that feature might be filled with messages from people that are trying to get in touch with you.
To find the secret folder, open up the Instagram app. In the top right hand corner, you’ll find the normal inbox – but opening that will show the “message requests” option at the top in bright blue, if you’ve got any messages from strangers that you haven’t yet opened.
If you don’t have any messages in the other inbox then nothing will show up.
As on Facebook, the messages are formally categorised as “message requests” because they’re someone trying to get in touch with you. But they will include the full message if you click on them.
The folder is a lot harder to miss than the one on Facebook, since it lights up blue at the top of the normal inbox.
But if you’re not heading in there regularly then you might have missed it entirely – and you might even if you’ve still only been responding to individual messages, rather than looking at the inbox - any messages that are hiding in it won’t have triggered a notification or lit up the little inbox icon.
Instagram’s messaging feature is perhaps not as used as Facebook’s but can prove an easy way to share anything on the site.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments