Instagram Direct, was yesterday replaced by Facebook Messenger. This now allows users to send chats, photos and videos between the two platforms. Oh, and Whatsapp will be joining the pack soon too.

Facebook Messenger and Instagram Merger

The official word from Facebook:

“We’re connecting the Messenger and Instagram experience. We aim to bring some of the best Messenger features to Instagram. People on Instagram can decide whether to update immediately to this new experience.” Facebook’s Adam Mosseri and Stan Chudnovsky, the heads of Instagram and Messenger respectively, said in a statement.

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How it works;

The integration of the two apps requires specific user consent to and merge their accounts. Thus, Facebook is offering new features as a carrot to encourage this.

If you accept the update, you will be able to

1. send “selfie stickers”
2. watch Instagram videos with friends during video calls
3. send disappearing messages. To do this, get into your DMs, open a chat and swipe up for 2 seconds or more until vanish mode is activated.

To Instagram users, the advantage is the ability to use the best Messenger features. Despite being owned by one company, Messenger offers more functionality than Instagram on messaging.

Also thanks to this change, you no longer have difficulties remembering a particular conversation thread. When you open any app, you can access all chats from the other app.

“With this update, it will be even easier to stay connected without thinking about which app to use to reach your friends and family,” the company wrote in a blog post.

Facebook says the new features will roll out in “a few countries” immediately, and you should have it by now.