Instagram emoji reactions for direct messages not working 2023

Forget comments that go straight to your DMs. Instagram is testing a new way to react to Stories that is much simpler, and it involves emoji.

Right now, the options to respond to a Story are limited: You can only reply to the person who posted the Story, or share the post with another friend via Direct. But the feature some users are seeing allows them to quickly react to a post by choosing from a set of emoji. (This way of responding is similar to the "reaction" emoji that Instagram's parent company, Facebook, introduced in 2016.) Only the person who posted the Story will see those emoji reactions, which appear when they swipe up to see their Stories viewer list, rather than their Direct inbox.

A Reddit user first posted about the feature after seeing a fire emoji in their list of Story viewers. Instagram confirmed to Refinery29 that the feature is being tested in select countries. "We are testing a way to make it easier to interact and get closer with your friends Instagram," a spokesperson said.

If the feature is rolled out to the masses, it will be a welcome opportunity to engage with someone's Story without sending them a DM. Chances are, you're already replying to some Stories with emoji, so the new tool would eliminate the need to clog up someone's inbox.

Of course, this is just a test. (According to The Verge, Instagram is also testing a way for public accounts to manually remove followers, without blocking them.) But unlike the panic-inducing trial of screenshot notifications, this is one test we'd like to see become a permanent feature.

Last updated: Sep 18, 2022 • 5 min read

Instagram emoji reactions for direct messages not working 2023

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Since Facebook messenger merged with Instagram messaging, both apps have started to share features.

One of the most popular ones is the ability to react to Instagram messages.

You can react to Instagram messages with custom emojis!

But, how do you even do that?

Is the custom emojis feature available in all regions?

Don’t worry! In this article, I will teach you how to use emojis! Instagram has a huge emoji list just waiting to be used.

You’ll learn:

  • How to react to messages on Instagram
  • Can you react to Instagram messages on your computer?
  • Why can’t I see emoji reactions on the Instagram app?

How To React To Messages On Instagram

If you want to add personality to your direct messages, use the emoji reaction. The default like reaction is the heart icon.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use the double tap reaction on Instagram:

  • Step 1: Open the Instagram app.
  • Step 2: Open your Instagram DMs by tapping the messenger icon on the top right corner.
  • Step 3: Open an Instagram chat.
  • Step 4: Double tap an Instagram message. You’ll see the emoji pop-up.
    • The default double-tap reaction is the heart emoji.
  • Step 5: Double-tap the message again to un-react it.

You can even use your favorite emoji reaction on vanish mode!

At the end of the day, people use their favorite emojis to express themselves.

To learn how to choose your favorite ones, follow the steps described below.

Can You Change The Emoji Reactions?

If you are not a fan of the default heart emoji, you can change it! You can choose a lot of custom emojis on the app.

To change emojis, just follow these steps:

  • Step 1: Press hold a direct message.
  • Step 2: The default emoji reactions will appear.
  • Step 3: Tap the heart emoji and hold it.
  • Step 4: Select other emoji.
  • Step 5: Tap the Done button.

You can also change the default emoji reactions.

To do so, just tap the plus icon. After selecting your favorite emojis, tap customize.

Once you replace default emoji reactions, you’ll be able to use them for all your chat messages.

**Note:**If you are more interested in protecting your privacy, learn how to delete Instagram messages on both sides.

It’s one of the many new features brought by the app to protect every Instagram DM you make.

Can You React To Instagram Messages On Your Computer?

Yes, you can use an emoji reaction on the PC version. There is even an emoji icon on it.

The double-tap feature also works on PC.

Try it out on your messages! Tap the message icon on the top right corner of the screen.

Then, open a chat. Hover over a message, and the suggested emojis option will pop up.

Emojis are a really important feature of the app, and you can even use them in new features like the Add Yours sticker.

Pro Tip: Remember that you can recover Instagram messages after they are deleted.

A message will not be stored for long, so you need to act fast to recover it. Click on the link to learn how.

Why can’t I See Emoji Reactions On The Instagram App?

You’ll need to update messaging.

You can update Instagram by going into the Apple or Google Play store and searching for the app.

After you finish updating Instagram, open up a chat and double-tap a message to see if you’ve unlocked the feature.

Instagram messages with emojis are great for communicating with people.

They convey emotions that regular messages don’t.

Feel free to use them in any way you want to.

Conclusion

That’s how you react to Instagram messages. As you’ve seen, Instagram has done a great job letting you pick your favorite emoji for the job!

To recap, you just need to tap twice a message to add an emoji.

Messages with emojis have the same properties as regular ones.

You can also add a custom emoji to a message.

Just long tap the message, and you’ll see the emojis appear.

Lastly, you can change the chosen emoji. Double-tap it to remove it and long-press it to choose a new one.

We hope this article was helpful, but don’t forget to check our other articles! We have plenty of experience writing how tos’ on any platform.

If you have a problem on any platform, we surely have an article that covers the topic.

How to React to Messages on Instagram FAQ

Can You React To Messages On Instagram?

Yes, you can! Just double-tap any message on the app. After that, an emoji should pop up. The default double-tap emoji is the heart icon. However, you can add custom emojis. Messages with emojis are great ways to get a conversation going.

How Do You Add A Quick Reaction To Instagram?

Just double-tap the message or long-press it to see the default emojis. You can change the default emojis by tapping on the plus icon. You can cancel your previous emoji reaction by double-tapping the message again.

Why can't I react to Instagram messages with emojis?

Why can't I react to messages on the Instagram app? The most likely reason would be that your Instagram has not been updated to the latest version. So, to update your Instagram app, visit the App Store page. And to know how to enable emoji reactions on Instagram, visit the app's Settings and choose Update Messaging.

Why can't I react to direct messages on Instagram?

In fact, most of the people who can't react to Instagram messages or complain about Instagram emoji reactions for direct messages not working haven't updated the app. If you do so, you can easily see the options. To update Instagram, you must visit Google Play Store (or App Store if you're an iPhone user).

Why reactions are not coming in Instagram?

There may be multiple reasons why you cannot react to a story with an emoji. Some of the newer update provides new features to Instagram. Sometimes if your app is not updated you will not be able to use the newer features. Go to your App Store, and see if you have any updates available for Instagram and download it.

How do you get emoji reactions on Instagram DM?

About This Article.
Open the message you want to react to on Instagram..
Double-tap the message to quick-react..
Long-tap on the message to see the emojis you can react with..
Tap an emoji to react to the message..