Instagram began rolling out a new voice messaging feature this week, to its Direct messaging service, similar to the one already available on Messenger and WhatsApp.
The new feature, dubbed “walkie-talkie” by the various news outlets covering the rollout, pretty much gives users the ability to record audio messages to send directly to contacts on Direct. To do so, they hold down a new microphone button in a conversation to record a message which is then sent to a contact. The other person sees a waveform in their message stream.
Messages sent with the new feature can be up to a minute long, so they are more useful for short messaging, and they remain in conversations as long as a user wants them to be there, unlike audio messages on Apple’s Messages which disappear after two minutes unless they are kept.
Image: TechCrunch
The feature has already been around for some time, in apps like Messenger and WhatsApp, but now it’s making its way to Instagram on iOS and Android. It comes just as watchOS 5 introduces a native “walkie-talkie feature,” so this is obviously something people are using a lot. If you don’t see it yet, all you have to do is update your Instagram app to the latest version and wait.
You might also like
More from Instagram
Instagram’s New Twitter Competitor Revealed
Instagram's rumored text-based Twitter competitor still does not have a name, but now we know what it might look like. The …
You Can Now Add Songs To Your Instagram Photo Carousels
Instagram says it is testing a new feature that lets users add songs to the photo carousels they share on …
Instagram Now Lets You Add Up To 5 ‘Links In Bio’
Instagram is rolling out a new feature for adding up to 5 'links in bio' - a feature doomed to …
Instagram Collaborative Collections Are The New Way To Save And Share Content With Your Friends
Instagram is introducing a new 'Save posts with friends' that lets you create a collaborative collection for you and your …
Meta Verified Service Goes Live In The US
Want to get the coveted blue verification checkmark on Facebook and Instagram? If you're in the US, now you can. …
Instagram Is Testing A ‘Top 3’ Sticker To Boost Engagement
According to reports, Instagram is testing a new Top 3 sticker for Stories, allowing users to highlight favorite accounts, places, …
Facebook And Instagram Start Selling Blue Checks With Meta Verified
Meta Verified will give you a blue check badge on both Facebook and Instagram, along with other benefits for $12 …
Instagram Is Pulling The Plug On Live Shopping
Meta announced it will move away from live shopping on Instagram, removing the ability for users to tag products in …
How To Create Instagram Notes (And Delete Them!)
Instagram Notes are a new feature launched by Instagram that allows users to share posts containing only text and Emojis. Instagram …
