Meta decided the End of the Encrypted Direct Messages Feature on Instagram
Published 16 hours ago | By Pak24tv
Social media company Meta Platforms has announced that it will be removing the option for end-to-end encrypted Direct Messages on Instagram from May 8, 2026. According to the company, very few users were using the feature, which is why it was decided to remove it.
Meta says that the number of users who enabled end-to-end encryption in Instagram DMs was negligible, so the option will be removed from the platform in the coming months.
The company has advised users that if they want fully encrypted messaging, they should use WhatsApp, where this facility is already available by default.
Meta began testing the feature for Instagram Direct Messages in 2021. The plan was part of the company's CEO Mark Zuckerberg's vision of moving the platforms towards more privacy-oriented communication.
However, the feature was never fully rolled out to all regions of the world or made a default feature.
After the Russia–Ukraine War broke out in 2022, Meta expanded encrypted messaging on Instagram for adult users in Ukraine and Russia to provide additional privacy to users during the conflict.
The announcement comes at a time when major social media companies are debating the role of encryption in messaging services. TikTok also recently said it would not introduce end-to-end encryption to its direct messaging service because it could make it difficult for law enforcement agencies to review messages if needed.
Meta has not yet announced any new features to replace Instagram’s encrypted messages and has advised users to use WhatsApp for secure messaging.
