In this guide, you are going to learn about how to view a secret Instagram conversation — that’s if you are having trouble finding an Instagram message someone sent you. Can’t find a specific message in your DMs? Don’t fret. I will help you find it and also help you uncover the reason behind it.
Instagram integrates a mechanism that filters and hides certain messages, especially, from strangers. Why? It is because some messages can be unwanted and offensive to you. Instagram is simply trying to protect its users. If you have set hidden words preference, it might also be one of the reasons behind Instagram’s hidden messages.
All Instagram hidden messages are stored in a separate hidden request folder. So, let’s learn more in detail below.
A Secret Instagram Conversation Vs Silent Vs Disappearing Messages
What do you call a secret Instagram conversation – the one that is silent and disappears once seen or the Instagram hidden message requests? Well, I shall leave that to you to decide. Both messages make sense in their own ways; however, we shall find out the differences between them in this section.
Silent and disappearing messages are intentionally hidden Instagram direct messages from one of your connections. These messages are sent in vanish mode, and all messages disappear once you view them. It is a perfect way to maintain secrecy between any two parties on Instagram. It can be useful whenever a user wants to keep their conversation discrete.
Disappearing messages can be activated and deactivated at a user’s will. It just takes hold and swipes on the conversation Panel. The sender will be notified instantly if the message receiver takes a screenshot. You cloud call them hidden chats, a type of hidden message in a sense.
In contrast, the hidden message we are referring to are the ones that usually contain spam or content that are offensive. These messages are usually sent from accounts that aren’t in your connections, like promotion messages, scams, etc. You can set hidden word preferences to a certain type of message away from your DMs.
However, this can sometimes affect the messages sent by your friends since the wording can match. All such messages will be sent to a secret inbox, the Hidden requests folder, that you can access at your will. We shall learn to find and access these hidden messages in the next sections.
How To Check Secret Instagram Conversation Messages
Checking hidden messages inbox on Instagram is all about finding the Hidden requests folder and clicking on the message you want to access. So how do you do that? Let us go through the process step-wise.
Note: You will need a mobile app to check hidden messages on Instagram, so you need to download the app on your phone.
- Step 1: Open your Instagram app and tap on the messages icon or Instagram chat.
- Step 2: Beside Chats and Rooms, you will find Requests; tap on it. (If you have message requests, a blue bar of request will appear.)
- Step 3: A new panel of message requests will open. On the top, you will see Hidden Requests with an eye-crossed button and the number of requests on the right side. Tap on it.
- Step 4: A new panel of hidden message requests will open, find the one you were looking for and tap on it.
- Step 5: The message preview opens with a prompt below the review providing you with three options – Block, Delete, and Accept. You want to check the hidden message, so you must tap on Accept.
By tapping on Accept, you will allow the requester to view your Instagram activities, call you, reach you via Instagram direct message and see when you have read their message (indicating time). You can also swipe to the left over the hidden message request before tapping to preview, you will find the same options.
You have the option to delete messages and block users sending you message requests. Once you block them, they won’t be able to send you messages. You could also report the message request.
Note: You need to remember that you cannot recover deleted Instagram messages, unlike photos, videos, reels, and stories that can be restored within 30 days, except stories within 24 hours. However, you cannot recover permanently deleted items on Instagram.
What Happens When You Report Hidden Request Messages?
Whenever you report Instagram hidden request messages, the content of that hidden message will be forwarded to the Instagram Help Team for review. The good part of reporting a hidden direct message on Instagram is that you will get to remain anonymous to the reported user.
Your account details will not be mentioned in the account whose message you reported. The person who sent the message would not get to know who reported the message unless you were the only person receiving such hidden Instagram messages. In the case of intellectual property infringement reports, transparency will be maintained.
And also, your account details will also be shared with the one being reported. In cases of teenage Instagram accounts (age 13-17), you could simply let your supervising Instagram parental control account know about your report by clicking on “Let your parent know” & “send” after reporting.
How To Hide Message Requests On Instagram
You may need to hide your hidden messages for security and privacy purposes. For instance, hiding a message from a friend. So how do you achieve that on Instagram? It is simple and can be done in a few steps, which include:
- Step 1: Open your Instagram app and tap on the three lines in the top right corner.
- Step 2: Tap on Settings >> Privacy >> Hidden Words.
- Step 3: Toggle on the Hide Message Request Option.
All the messages that are considered offensive and unwanted by the Instagram protocol will be moved into the Hidden Requests Folder. You can always disable the hide message option if you need to – just repeat the above steps and toggle off instead of toggle on in the third step.
You could use Custom Word and Phrases to enter the words you want to use as manual filter indicators to hide certain messages from your DMs on Instagram.
Wrapping Up:
Secret Instagram Conversations or hidden messages are a good approach from the Instagram team since it helps you filter out the messages you want to see and discard the rest of them. It helps you stay positive and avoid toxicity from unwanted messages – not to mention the time you can save with this approach.
However, if you want to check or view a Secret Instagram Conversation, you can always do it by implementing some simple steps to follow, as shown in the sections above. Keep everything in your hands on Instagram, allowing only the positive vibes to pass through.
