Sharing photos and other media on Instagram is extremely easy, and sometimes, that can be a problem. You may send a sensitive photo to a user and find out that they’ve shared it with people who you don’t want to see. We’ve all been there at some point.
Thankfully, Instagram offers a solution to this with the Disappearing Photos feature within chats. This feature lets you share photos with friends that self-destruct after being viewed. This brings a sense of intimacy and privacy into your direct messages.
Understanding the Disappearing Photos Feature
Disappearing photos function on Instagram is similar to that feature on other platforms like Snapchat. The recipient can only view the photo once before it is gone forever. This adds a layer of privacy and impermanence to your photo-sharing experience.
Who Can Use Disappearing Photos?
Instagram has a track record of restricting some great features to their professional accounts. Thankfully, disappearing photos can be accessed by every Instagram account, including personal ones.
However, this feature is currently only available on Instagram Direct messages and is accessed through private chats with friends. You cannot use it for public posts or stories.
How to Send Disappearing Photos on Instagram
Sharing disappearing photos on Instagram is quite straightforward. Here’s how to do it:
- Open the Instagram app and navigate to the Direct Messaging section: Do this by tapping on the message icon at the top right of the home screen.
- Select the individual chat with whom you wish to share the disappearing photo: Tap the specific chat to enter the conversation screen.
- Tap the camera icon in the bottom left corner of the chat window: This opens the media-sharing screen.
- Capture a new photo, or select an existing one from your camera roll.
- Once you’ve selected or captured your photo, you’ll enter the editing screen. Here, you can apply filters, stickers, or text to personalize your photo before sending it.
- Look to the bottom left for the ‘Allow Replay’ icon. This looks like a circular icon with a play sign inside.
- Tap the ‘Allow Replay’ icon twice: The first tap changes the setting to ‘Keep in Chat,’ and the second switches it to ‘View Once.’ That’s the one you want.
- Press ‘Send’ to share: The picture will only be viewable once now.
Important Things to Note About Disappearing Photos
- Limited viewing time: Once the recipient opens the photo, they’ll only have a short window (currently around a few seconds) to view it before it disappears from the chat.
- Screenshots: Disappearing Photos aren’t immune to screenshots, so keep that in mind as you share sensitive information.
Creative Uses for Disappearing Photos
We all have that close friend who we share everything with. This person has all the tea on everyone in your life, and you know that if your chat history is leaked, all hell will break loose. This feature was tailored specially for you.
You can use this feature to share inside jokes on personal conversation screens, or even Instagram group chats.
Conclusion
Disappearing photos add a layer of fun and privacy to your Instagram experience. With this feature, you can confidently share photos that you don’t want to see the light of day. Beware of screenshotting recipients and you should be fine. Enjoy!
