How often have you experienced creative block while indulging in what you love? Everyone experiences it at some point. But sometimes, what keeps you moving is following the individuals you like! Instagram is an enjoyable app, but it also significantly contributes to igniting our creative flames. We use messages to interact with people we want to collaborate with; some of us are fortunate enough to grab some incredible opportunities.
We’re here to discuss one of the questions many Instagram users have, so let’s get started. You must have noticed the Instagram message that says, “Tap to chat.”
People come across this message, and well, they get curious. Read the blog till the end to learn everything about the topic.
What Does Tap to Chat Mean on Instagram?
We exchange multiple messages via Instagram direct messages, isn’t it? We open the DMs and scroll down to the person’s chat to start a conversation with them.
What’s the first thing you see before opening a person’s chat thread on the app? We assume you see your last conversations or any notifications there.
You will commonly see the following things:
Sent (time) ago
You sent a reels video/sent a reels video
(number) new messages
Active today
Active yesterday
Active now
Last messages the user sent
Seen
Reacted to your story
These messages are common, isn’t it? However, users are interested in the Tap to Chat message that is displayed in the message box.
We have read several theories about this message and will try to break them down individually. Please be patient as we explain what we have learned in the sections below.
People on Quora claim that the message appears when the app wishes to let us know that the user is online/active. It indicates that we can get into their chat box to initiate a conversation. You can tap on this message to access the chat thread and type a message.
According to a different widely accepted theory on the forum, this message shows on a user’s chat when they have been inactive for more than 24 hours. Note that the active status switches to “active yesterday” after 24 hours. So, people believe you may see a “tap to chat” message if their inactivity lasts for a longer time.
There’s another theory we attempted to test while we were at it. We tried to check whether following a new account and sending and unsending them a DM would display this message.
Here’s what we did:
We used our main account to follow our secondary Instagram account. Please keep in mind that the two accounts’ most recent message exchange was a few months back.
We then initiated a conversation between the two accounts. The tap to chat message was visible on both accounts’ message windows when we sent the message from one of our accounts to another and then unsent it.
However, the entire message thread disappears once you refresh the DM page when the messages are unsent.
Please note that we tried doing this with other Instagram users, but the message thread instantly disappears if the messages are unsent.
How to send your first direct message to someone on Instagram?
Direct messages are one of Instagram’s most entertaining features because they let users send private messages away from prying eyes. Most of us really value how the feature allows more intimate interactions with people online.
You can send messages, funny posts, or Instagram reels to your best friends whenever you want on the platform. You can also not forget the audio notes people enjoy sending one another in the DMs, right? Lastly, we can easily create groups with all our friends to make this section more engaging.
We know some users don’t know much about sending a direct message on the app. It is a very simple process; we will explain everything in the step-by-step instructions below. So, please make sure to look at it.
Steps to send your first-ever Instagram DM to someone:
Step 1: Open your Instagram app and tap on the Direct message icon at the top right corner next to the heart icon.
Step 2: Use the search bar to find a person if this is your first-ever message to them.
You can also use the + icon at the top right corner of the DM and enter the person’s username under To in the search field. Tap on the Create chat button to open your chat box.
Step 3: Type in your message and hit the send button.
That’s it; you have successfully sent your first-ever direct message on Instagram.
In the end
With this, we have decided to wrap up our discussion. So, let us revisit the topics we have discussed today, shall we?
The topic of our conversation was what tap to chat means on Instagram. We have covered it in great detail, so please read it carefully. We also talked about how to send your first Instagram DM. We have mentioned the steps so that you don’t get confused down the road.
So, did you like the answers we provided in the blog? Please feel free to comment down your thoughts. Also, don’t hesitate to ask any questions if you have doubts.
Spread the word about the blog to anyone who might require these answers. You can visit our website to stay up-to-date with more tech-related topics.
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