6 Effective Ways to Disable Direct Messages (DMs) on Instagram
Are you tired of constantly receiving messages on Instagram? If you're looking for a way to turn off messages on Instagram, you're in luck. While there isn't a direct method to completely disable messages on Instagram, there are several workarounds that can help you limit messaging on the platform. In this article, we'll explore six effective ways to turn off DMs on Instagram.
1. Disable DMs From Strangers
By default, messages from followers whom you don't follow and those who are not in your followers or following list will arrive in the Instagram Message requests folder. If you don't want to receive messages from random people, Instagram provides an easy way to disable them and control who can message you.
- Open the Instagram app and go to the profile screen.
- Tap on the three-bar icon and select Settings from the menu.
- Go to Privacy > Messages.
- If you don't want to receive messages from your followers, tap on ‘Your followers on Instagram' and select “Don't receive requests.”
You can also customize who can message you under Potential connections if your Facebook and Instagram messages are linked. Simply go back and change the values to “Don't receive requests” for People on Facebook and Others on Instagram. This way, you will only receive messages from people you are following.
2. Mute Contact
If you only want to stop receiving messages from specific contacts, you can mute their chat thread. This way, even if they send a message, you will not be notified about it. However, please note that if your activity status is on, they can still see your online status on the chat thread.
To mute a contact, open their message thread and tap on their name at the top. Turn on the toggle next to “Mute message.” You can also mute call notifications without the other person knowing that you have muted them.
3. Turn off Notifications
If you prefer not to receive messages from anyone at all, you can turn off message notifications entirely instead of muting individual contacts. To do so, go to Instagram Settings > Notifications. Turn on the toggle next to “Pause all” if you want to temporarily stop all kinds of Instagram notifications, including comments, followers, live, and messages.
Alternatively, if you only want to disable message notifications, tap on “Messages and Calls” instead. Select “Off” under Message requests and Messages. From now on, you will not receive any notifications for incoming messages, and they will silently arrive in your inbox.
Please keep in mind that your notification settings are synced across all devices where you are logged into the same Instagram account. So, if you disable message notifications on one device, you will not receive them on another.
4. Turn off Messages on Instagram Story
When you share a story on Instagram, people can respond to it, and their responses are sent to your Instagram Direct messages. If you want to prevent others from responding to your stories, you can disable message replies.
To do this, go to Instagram Settings > Privacy > Story. Choose between “Off” or “People you follow” under Allow message replies, depending on your preference. This way, no one will be able to respond to your stories through direct messages.
5. Restrict User
Restricting a user is another option you can consider if you want to stop receiving messages from them. When you restrict someone, any new messages from them will be routed to the message requests folder instead of your regular inbox. This means that you won't be notified of any new messages from them. Additionally, the other person will not be aware that you have restricted them, and they will not be able to see your online status.
To restrict someone, open their chat thread and tap on their name. Then, tap on “Restrict” followed by “Restrict account.” Alternatively, you can go to Settings > Privacy > Restricted accounts to restrict people.
6. Block User
If all else fails, you can take the harsh step of blocking a user to stop receiving messages from them. To do this, tap on their name at the top of their chat and tap on “Block.”
Blocking a user will prevent them from sending you any further messages. If you decide to unblock them later, you can follow the steps provided in our guide on unblocking someone.
These are six effective ways to turn off direct messages on Instagram. Whether you're looking to limit messages from strangers, mute specific contacts, or disable message notifications altogether, these methods will help you take control of your Instagram inbox and enjoy a more focused experience on the platform.

Jim's passion for Apple products ignited in 2007 when Steve Jobs introduced the first iPhone. This was a canon event in his life. Noticing a lack of iPad-focused content that is easy to understand even for “tech-noob”, he decided to create Tabletmonkeys in 2011.
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