Instagram mainly focuses on sharing photos and videos; however, it also encourages people to chat with their friends and family from all around the globe. And, Instagram has become one of the most used apps for chatting.

Instagram has a DM feature that allows people to send private and group messages to other people. Apart from text messages, you can also send images, videos, GIFs, links, and locations. You can even make voice and video calls through an app.

Most people prefer to use Instagram on their mobile phones, but there are people who like to use Instagram from their desktop. The reason behind this could be a bigger desktop screen or full keyboard to type on.

Instagram’s website neither supports posting on profile nor sending direct messages. You can still view posts from other people as well as find new people to follow.

In this article, we will look at different ways of checking and sending Instagram messages on PC.

Download the Instagram App for Windows 10

If you are using a desktop to use Instagram, then it’s better to download the Instagram app for Windows 10. The app will allow you to use DMs which you are unable to access on Instagram’s website.

Apart from DMs, you will be able to use other features such as manage your profile, follow or unfollow other people, send images and videos, and much more.

To download and install the Instagram app on your PC, follow the steps below.

Step 1: Visit Microsoft App Store and click on “Get”.

Step 2: Wait until the app gets downloaded. A pop-up will appear asking you for the launch of the app. Click on “Launch” to start using the Instagram app on your Windows 10.

Step 3: Now, enter your username and password to sign in.

Step 4: The first screen you will see after login will be your Instagram feed. At the top bar, you can see the DM icon next to the “Home” icon.

Sending Messages

Sending messages from the desktop app is way simpler. The message can be sent to anyone as follows:

Step 1: To send a message, you have to first click on the DM icon.

Step 2: Click on “Send Message”.

Step 3: Type the name or username of the person in the search field to whom you want to send a message.

Step 4: Select the person from the suggested list and click on “Next”. Now, type your message and click on “Send”.

Sending Images and Videos

Firstly, you will need to give access to your camera and microphone to take and send images and videos over a chat.

If your PC has a webcam, then you can take a selfie or press the button to start a video. Once you click a selfie, you can add stickers or emojis to your image.

To get started with sending images and videos, follow the steps below.

Step 1: On the bottom-left corner of your message screen, click on the camera icon.

Step 2: Click on the “Enable Camera Access” and “Enable Microphone Access”. Click on “Yes” to confirm the same.

By default, Instagram’s microphone permissions are turned off. To access your microphone, you will have to give permission to the app.

Step 1: Go to Windows settings (Press “Windows key” and “I” simultaneously). Then, click on “Privacy”.

Step 2: On the left side, you will see two types of permissions, Windows and App permissions. Under App permissions, click on “Microphone”.

Step 3: Scroll down to Instagram and make sure the toggled is on.

Now, go back to the Instagram app and try to access the microphone again.

The desktop version of Instagram is more useful and powerful than the website, but still, it’s not as good as the mobile version.

Installing Instagram on an Emulator

If you don’t have Windows 10 installed on your PC, or you don’t like the Instagram app of Windows 10, then there is another method, i.e, emulating a smartphone, to send messages and use other features of Instagram on PC.

Emulating a smartphone means you can virtualize an Android operating system on your PC via third-party apps. There are various emulators (both free and premium versions) available in the marketplace.

Firstly, you have to install one of the emulators, and then download the Instagram app (and various other apps) to use it on your PC.

Here, we will discuss a couple of emulators that you can consider for installing the Instagram app.

BlueStacks

BlueStacks is an Android app emulator available for both Windows (32 and 64-bit) and macOS. It is free to download and use.

You can start sending DMs on Instagram on PC using the software as follows:

Step 1: Visit BlueStacks and download it on your PC. The BlueStacks will automatically detect which operating system you are using and choose the right version accordingly.

Step 2: Click on “Install Now” and wait until the installation is complete. A welcome screen will appear after completion.

Step 3: To use BlueStacks, you will need to enter your Gmail credentials.

Step 4: On the Home Screen, you will see the icon of the Play Store. Click on it and type “Instagram” in the search bar.

Step 5: Install the Instagram app and click on “Open” to launch the app.

Step 6: Enter your Instagram credentials.

Step 7: Now, the Instagram app will be open on your PC, and on the top right corner, you can see the arrow icon, which you can use to send messages to other people.

Note: Click on the plus icon at the bottom, and then select ‘Gallery’. From the top left corner, click the ‘Gallery’ drop-down menu. Select the image or video you want to upload and click ‘Open’. Now, you can easily crop the selected image, add filters, and share it on your profile.

Nox

Nox is an alternative to the BlueStacks. It is a stable and smoother emulator for both games and apps. It supports both Windows and macOS. Unlike the premium level of BlueStacks, Nox has only a free version.

• The Android version is upgraded to Android 7. Users can use apps and play games on Android 7 now.
• Supported Version for macOS: macOS Sierra 10.12 or higher, including macOS Catalina 10.15.

To get started with the Nox player, you have to follow the below steps.

Step 1: Visit Nox and download it on your PC. You can choose the version (macOS or Windows) that you want to download.

Step 2: Set up the Nox player with your preferences.

Step 3: Now, start your emulator and search for Instagram in the Google Play Store.

Step 4: Download and Install the Instagram app and launch the app to start using it. You can use Instagram on your PC just as you would do on your mobile phone.

Third-Party Application for Instagram

There are lots of third-party apps used to access Instagram on your PC. One of those third-party apps is IG:dm.

IG:dm is an open-source application that is used to send direct messages on Instagram. It is compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux. You will find a guide for the installation process on their official website.

Some of the key features of IG:dm are:

• 2-Factor Authentication
• Disable Read Receipts
• Quote Messages
• Save Videos and Images
• Search for users

You will be able to continue your conversation on Instagram on the desktop from where you left off on the mobile app.

For more advanced features, you can buy the IG:dm Pro version. The features are as follows:

• 100 Conversations
• Filter Chat list
• Unsend Messages
• Dark Theme
• Quick Replies
• Search Messages

Use Vysor to Mirror your Smartphone

Vysor lets you connect your smartphone (excluding iOS) to your PC (Windows), macOS, and Linux via USB cable or wireless network.

When you run the application on a phone then it executes a server on the device. The client and the server communicate via a socket. The server streams an H.264 video of the device screen. The client decodes the video frames and displays them on the screen.

Now, you can use your mouse and keyboard to handle the screen. It’s like handling your mobile phone on a big screen with the help of a mouse and keyboard. Using Instagram on such a big screen with Vysor is seamless.

Vysor has free as well as paid plans. The free version will work for you but with limited resolutions, which means the screen will not have high-quality resolution as your smartphone’s screen. Furthermore, in the free version, there is no wireless connectivity between your phone and desktop.

With the paid version, you will get various features such as high quality mirroring, full-screen mode, wireless connection, drag, and drop files. You can subscribe to Vysor with three available options such as $2.50 per month, $10 per year, or $40 lifetime.

To get started with Vysor, follow the steps below.

Step 1: Download and install the Vysor app on your Windows, macOS, or Linux.

Step 2: Download and install the Vysor app on your smartphone via Google Play Store.

Step 3: If you are using a free version, then you have to connect your smartphone to your desktop with a USB cable.

Step 4: Run the Vysor app on your smartphone as well as on your desktop.

Step 5: To connect wirelessly, enter the IP address of your Android device. If you connect both devices using a USB cable, then you will see your smartphone under “Choose a device”.

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Using Instagram on PC can be very useful when you are not allowed to use your phone at work. The above methods offer an easy and great alternative.

Have you ever tried to send DM on Instagram on PC? If not, then follow the methods mentioned in this article.

Still, if you have any doubts or need any help, feel free to reach out. We will be happy to share more tips and practices to make your Instagram experience better.