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You soon will be able to Instagram DM from the web

Instagram DMs are finally moving beyond the phone.

Eli Blumenthal Senior Editor
Eli Blumenthal is a senior editor at CNET with a particular focus on covering the latest in the ever-changing worlds of telecom, streaming and sports. He previously worked as a technology reporter at USA Today.
Expertise 5G, mobile networks, wireless carriers, phones, tablets, streaming devices, streaming platforms, mobile and console gaming,
Eli Blumenthal
instagram-dm-web

Instagram is finally set to bring DMs to the web. 

Instagram

After years of limiting direct messages to its mobile apps, Instagram is finally opening up. On Tuesday the Facebook-owned site announced that it is in the process of testing direct messaging from its website, giving those who want to message friends on the platform from a computer a new way to do so. 

As the company is testing the feature it may not appear for everyone right away, with Instagram perhaps taking a gradual rollout approach (CNET staff in New York, San Francisco and Maryland were unable to access the feature at press time). 

When it does appear, there will be the Instagram Direct paper airplane icon in the upper righthand corner of the website allowing you to read and respond to messages just as you would on the iPhone or Android app. 

Facebook's plans to allow Instagram DMs over the web were first revealed last year by noted app leaker Jane Manchun Wong

The move comes as Facebook tries to unify its messaging brands. The social networking giant announced plans to allow for messaging across Facebook Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp without having to switch apps but seems to have run into some issues. The company previously told The New York Times it had hoped to finish the project in early 2020.