How to Turn Off Message Requests on Instagram

28 December, 2021 — James Brandon

Instagram allows users to send direct messages to each other. By default, you can receive direct messages both from the people that follow you and those that don’t. Direct messages from the people you follow will automatically appear on the direct message page. Direct messages from Instagram users that you do not follow will appear in a different folder called Message Requests.

When you receive a message request, you can choose to accept it or delete it after reading. Instagram will not alert the sender that you have read the message unless you accept the request.

If you no longer wish to receive message requests on your Instagram account, there is a way that you to turn off Message requests. In a recently-published article, we discussed how you would turn off comments on Instagram posts. This piece highlights how you can turn off Message Requests on Instagram.

To turn off Message Requests on Instagram:

• Launch Instagram by tapping on its icon

• While on the launch page, tap the profile icon located at the bottom right side of the page

• While on the profile page. Tap the three horizontal bars located on the top right side of the screen

• On the menu that appears, tap Settings

• Under Settings, tap Privacy

• On the page that appears, scroll through the list of options to find Messages. Tap on it

• On the Message controls page that appears, tap on “Others on Instagram”

• Select “Don’t receive requests” on the page that appears

• You will no longer receive message requests from people that you do not follow