Instagram testing direct messages for desktop website, details

Instagram is working with a small set of users to let them access direct messages (DMs) from Instagram's desktop website, The Verge reports. This move could be useful for influencers and businesses that wish to send and receive Direct Messages on Instagram across devices. As a result, we can safely assume that Instagram is maybe planning to bring direct messages onto the web platform. For now, the limited rollout is part of a test. The actual, wide-scale rollout of Desktop DMs is expected to come in the future.

Apart from the difference between devices and their screen sizes, everything else will have remained pretty the same. For example, the actual direct messaging experience on the desktop website will not be different from Instagram's mobile app. On Instagram's desktop website, you can still create new groups. You can also start a chat with others from the DM screen or a profile page, which is not possible at the moment.

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Similar to the Instagram mobile app, you can double-tap to like a message, share photos from the desktop and easily keep an eye on the total number of unread messages you have. You can also enable notifications for desktop DM or the entire website. So, you will be notified every time you receive a new message or like or comment on your posts. Instagram will "continue to iterate" on this during the test.

This could very well be a part of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's privacy vision and his plans for the pivot to a more private and secure social network. Earlier, Zuckerberg outlined his vision for Facebook to offer encrypted and unified communication experience across its communication platforms including WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram Direct. Previously, Instagram launched the Snapchat-rival app called Threads to focus on the camera-first messaging experience.

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Threads allows users to share photos, videos, ephemeral stories and messages with their close friends on Instagram, much like Snapchat. Instagram users will see a dedicated inbox and notifications for Threads.