How to Read Instagram Messages Without Being Seen
Do you want to know how to read Instagram messages without being seen or letting the other person know? WhatsApp messages can be read anonymously in at least five ways, but what about Instagram? The read receipts can’t be hidden like in WhatsApp. Anyhow, there are some tricks that can be used to view Instagram direct messages without marking them as read.
Instagram shows a small ‘Seen’ under your message whenever it is read by the recipient. We all have secretly wished there was a way to bypass the Seen receipt on Instagram and read messages without letting the other person know.
Is it possible to read Instagram messages secretly? There is no official way to disable the read receipts on Instagram. It is possible to overcome this problem with some workarounds and tricks.
Step-by-step instructions are provided in this guide if you need to read Instagram messages anonymously. Our recommendation is to use the Restrict method if you need the best method.
If you prefer texting over phone calls or voice messages, you’ll agree that different messages have different purposes. Simple messages can be answered immediately, such as a direct question or instruction that doesn’t require much thought.
On the other hand, there are some messages that deserve more time, more attention, more thought, and more speculation before an appropriate response can be offered. But a recipient’s ability to take their sweet time to respond is hindered by the read receipt. After you open a message, the recipient will be aware that it has been opened and will expect a reply. Simply having this knowledge disturbs us and causes us to answer haphazardly without thinking things through.
Imagine what it would be like if you could read someone’s message without them knowing. Is that possible? In today’s blog, we’ll discuss the possibility of reading an Instagram DM without the sender’s knowledge. If you want to find out how this can be accomplished, stay with us until the end.
Can You Read Instagram Messages Without Being Seen?
Here’s how people know when their Instagram DMs have been read before we talk about reading them without telling the sender.
A few years ago, people could not tell if their social media messages were read or not until they received a reply. As a result, most users were unable to discern whether their messages had been ignored intentionally or not.
Social media platforms launched read receipts to help users deal with such a dilemma. When a message was opened, it displayed a read receipt indicating both that it had been seen and at what time. While Instagram wasn’t the first to introduce this feature, they adapted it quickly to their DMs section, and the rest is history.
Back to the original question: Is it possible to read an Instagram Message without telling the sender? We apologize to inform you of this, but such a thing cannot be done on the platform.
WhatsApp rolled out the option to turn off read receipts long ago, but Instagram has not yet followed suit. However, don’t worry, we’re keeping close tabs on the platform’s new development plans and will be the first to let you know when such a launch is announced.
Currently, you cannot remove read receipts from your direct messages directly on the platform. Now that this possibility has been eliminated, there are several other options you can explore in order to be able to read Instagram DMs without informing the sender. Let’s take a look at them one by one.
How to Read Instagram Messages Without Being Seen
1. Restricting the Sender
The easiest and most convenient way to read someone’s direct messages is to restrict them on the platform. Even though most of you are familiar with how restricting someone works, we’re here to explain it to those of you who aren’t.
Using the Instagram restriction feature is a way to limit someone who annoys you on the platform, but it’s not a way to get rid of them completely. The best examples of this would be friends who are far too vocal and comment on everything you post, those who send you far too many reels and posts in DM, and so on.
Here’s how Instagram restricts people. The first consequence is that their comments on your content would only be visible to them and you. In addition, any DM you receive from this person will go straight to your Message Request section. In addition, this person would have no idea that they are restricted by you until you or someone else tells them.
In reading the second consequence of restricting someone, you would have seen how it solves your problem as well. You are protected from the hassle of reading receipts if you receive their messages as message requests since message requests don’t display read receipts until you approve them. Does this sound intriguing? Let me provide you with a guide that will explain how this is done:
Step 1: On your smartphone, open the Instagram app.
Step 2: Go to the Home tab. To find this person’s profile, either go to the Explore tab and search there or go directly to your Profile tab, where you can find them in your Following or Followers list.
Step 3: Regardless of which approach you choose, you’ll end up on their profile. When you’re there, tap on the three dots icon next to the Bell icon in the top-right corner of the screen.
Step 4: Once you do this, a menu containing only the Restrict option will appear on your screen. After you do that, you’ll receive a confirmation message saying this user has been blocked from your account. You’re done.
What Does Restrict On Instagram Mean?
There are a few differences between restricting users on Instagram and blocking users. Users can’t interact with you in certain ways when you restrict them on Instagram. Restricted users can view your profile, like your posts, and leave comments, but their comments and messages are hidden from you.
Restrict On Instagram: Pros And Cons
Although it serves the purpose, of restricting other people’s accounts to read Instagram messages without being seen has more cons than pros.
Cons:
- Their posts and stories will not be visible to you
- Only you and the account will be able to see any comments left for you by the user
- Unless you un-restrict them, you cannot reply to their direct messages
- Any photos or videos they’ve sent you via direct message will not be visible to you
Pros:
- On Instagram, you can read DMs without being seen
- You won’t lose followers or engagement if you block unwanted interaction
2. Turning Off Data/WiFi to Prevent the Read Receipt
Earlier today, we read about Instagram’s restriction feature and how it can help you avoid reading receipts most conveniently. The feature does have some flaws, though.
Although you’re protected from reading receipts when you receive message requests, these messages do not appear directly in your DMs section, so you may not realize they exist until it’s too late. Taking this step could potentially cause more problems for you than it solves, so we understand if you’re not too eager to go through with it.
As a result, restricting users isn’t the only way to read someone’s message on Instagram without them knowing. As well as the way we’re talking about now, there are other ways. It might seem long, but it’s safer:
Step 1: As soon as you receive a notification of an Instagram DM, scroll down to your quick notification window and disable both mobile data and WiFi on it.
Step 2: This will ensure that you are no longer connected to the internet, so any action you take now will not be recorded.
Step 3: Open the Instagram app and tap the message icon in the top-right corner of your screen to view your direct messages.
Step 4: Here, open the chat in which you’ve received a new message that you wanted to read without the sender knowing about it.
Step 5: After you have read the message, go back to the Home tab and close the app. Now you can safely turn on your internet without worrying about the read receipts.
Using the no-data mode also adds an additional layer of security to your actions, according to some users. Logging into your account is possible at any time once the internet has been turned on.
Disable Internet and Log Out
This trick is very similar to the one above. However, it does not mark the message as seen if you accidentally go online or Instagram connects to the internet in the background. This is how it works:
- You can make your phone offline by disabling its mobile data or WiFi connection.
- Go to Instagram’s direct messages tab. Take a look at the message you received.
- Log out of Instagram while still offline by going to Instagram Settings, scrolling to the bottom, and tapping Log Out
- The Instagram app’s data can also be cleared directly from your phone’s settings.
- Instagram will now log you out.
- You can now reconnect to the internet- the message won’t be marked as read
Read Instagram DMs Secretly using Third-Party Services
There are several third-party services that let you read Instagram messages without letting the other user know. AirGrow, for example, lets you read messages without sending read receipts. You can also send DMs via email.
Other methods are generally easier to use, so we don’t prefer this method. These third-party services also carry certain privacy risks, so use them only if you trust them with your data.
Find Individual Tools
Like Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, and YouTube, Instagram is a popular photo-sharing and instant messaging platform. You can find third-party applications for your Windows or Mac PC to read messages without being seen.
Go to Google and type ‘Hide seen receipts on Instagram tools’ in your web browser. To find the tools you need, you have to skim through the searches. Instagram messages are reported to be sent to your email address by some apps. It will take some time to find the right tool, however.
Through Notification Bar
Only if you haven’t cleared your notifications can you read a direct message on Instagram without letting the sender know. If the message is not too long, you can read the entire DM via the notification bar.
The notification bar can be expanded if the message is too long to display completely. When the notification comes to the top of the screen, drag it down. Alternatively, you can long-press the notification bar to see the full message.
Android users can expand the message by tapping the down arrow button in the notification. Here, you need to be cautious. It is possible that you may open the message by accident.
How To Read Instagram Messages Without Being Seen On PC
- Don’t open your Instagram inbox and read your DM notifications
- You can read the conversation if the internet is disabled
- The User Profile can be restricted to block messages, comments, and posts
- You can find individual tools here
Frequently Asked Questions
How To Turn Off Read Receipt On Instagram?
There is no way to turn off read receipts on Instagram. On Instagram, you can restrict a profile so that users cannot see if you have read their message. On the Instagram app, go to a user’s profile, tap Following, select Restrict, and then tap Restrict Account.
How Do You Unread A Message On Instagram?
Regular Instagram accounts cannot unread messages. Instagram business accounts are the only way to do it. Go to DMs, tap the Selecting icon, choose the conversation, select More, then tap Mark as Unread.
How To Read Instagram Messages Without Being Seen?
You can avoid being Seen by the sender of a message on Instagram by turning off your internet, reading the message, logging out of Instagram, then reconnecting the internet and logging back in.
How To Restrict Someone On Instagram?
The Instagram app allows you to restrict someone by going to their profile > Following > Restrict > Restrict account.
When using a PC, navigate to the profile > click the three dots > Restrict > Restrict Account.
Conclusion
Just now, we discussed different ways how to read Instagram messages without being seen. There are some that are easier than others.
Some Instagram messages may be helpful for us without letting the sender know. We would better use any of the methods mentioned above to see and read Instagram direct messages without being seen or marking them as seen, since Instagram does not have the official feature for hiding read receipts on Android, iPhone, and other iOS devices,
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