Glossary / Instagram

Internet speak

Message requests

Message requests is the Instagram folder where DMs from people you don't follow land, separate from your main inbox, until you accept them.

Also called: DM requests, requests folder, hidden requests

By Aulto · Last reviewed

Why does it matter?

Messages from fans, brands and new customers often sit there unseen. Busy accounts can miss real opportunities in requests.

Does it affect messages you send?

Yes. A DM you send to someone who doesn't follow you may land in their requests too, so it can be missed. That's why some DM tools open with a short message and a button rather than a bare link.

What should you do?

Check requests regularly, and look at hidden requests too.

Example

A brand's collaboration email goes unanswered; their DM to the creator was sitting in message requests for two weeks.

  • Insta DM

    An Insta DM is a private direct message on Instagram, the chat inbox separate from public posts and comments.

  • Tap to send

    Tap to send is a Reply Drop mode where the first DM is a short message with a button, and the link is sent when the person taps it.

  • Ice breakers

    Ice breakers are preset questions shown to someone when they open a new chat with your Instagram account, which they can tap instead of typing.

  • Auto-reply

    An auto-reply is a message sent automatically in response to a DM, comment or keyword, so people get an answer without waiting for someone to type it.

  • Carousel post

    A carousel post is an Instagram post with several photos or videos that people swipe through, up to 20 in one post.

  • Close Friends

    Close Friends is an Instagram list of people you choose; content shared to it is seen only by them and marked with a green badge.

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