When words fall short, use emojis!  

Instead of typing a reply, you can save your time by simply choosing an emoji!

Imagine when you’re in the middle of a conversation on Instagram and want to show your friend or follower that you’re listening; you can use the emojis reaction.

It can also be used as a way to add humor or drama to a conversation. For example, if someone asks you, “What are you doing this weekend?” you could respond with a frowny face emoji with the text “Not leaving my bedroom!.”

In short, the emoji reaction feature lets you inject personality into the conversation. 

But how can you react to messages on Instagram? Do you know that you can customize and even remove your reaction on Instagram DMs?

In this post, we’ve shared how to react to messages on Instagram.

Here you’ll learn how to react or customize the reactions on Instagram messages. So, without wasting any further time, let’s jump right into the post.  

Can You React to Messages on Instagram?

Yes, you can react to messages or DMs on Instagram. 

Previously, you could only use the heart emoji as a reaction. However, as Instagram realized that users wanted to convey their emotions with more appropriate emojis, they rolled out the feature to react with any emojis. 

Now you can choose any of your favorite emojis and customize them according to your wish. But how? Keep on reading to find out!

How to React to Messages on Instagram With an Emoji

Using emoji reactions on Instagram DMs is a walk in the park. But before starting the process, make sure to update your Instagram app to the latest version. 

Once you’ve updated the app, simply follow the steps we’ve mentioned below: 

Step 1: Launch the Instagram app. 

Step 2: Head to Instagram’s direct messages by tapping on the messenger icon in your screen’s upper right corner. 

Step 3: Now, select a conversation and tap on it. 

Step 4: After opening the conversation, decide which message you want to react to. Then tap and hold on to the message. 

react to messages on instagram

Step 5: Once the emoji reactions tab pops up on your screen, you can select one according to your preference.

That’s all you have to do to react to a message on Instagram. 

If you want to use the default heart emoji reaction, just double-tap the messages. You can also remove the heart reaction by again double tapping the messages. 

Customize Reactions on Instagram

The Instagram emoji reaction tab has six emoji reactions in default. So, if you want to express your feelings more appropriately, you can customize it accordingly. 

To customize reactions on Instagram, follow these steps below: 

Step 1: Tap and hold a message. 

Step 2: the default emoji reactions tab will appear on your screen. 

Step 3: Tap on the + icon on the right side of the tab.

Customize Reactions on Instagram 

Step 4: A new menu will appear on your screen; from there, tap on Customize

customize emoji on instagram

Step 5: Now, you can customize the default emojis and replace them with your favorite ones. Simply tap on the emojis you wish to change, then tap on the emoji you wish to have

Step 6: Lastly, tap the done” in the upper right corner. 

Instagram dm reaction

That’s it! You’ve successfully customized your emoji reactions. 

How to Remove Reactions From Instagram Messages

Removing reactions from Instagram messages is quite simple. And there’s not just one but two easy ways you can try. 

First Method:

  1. Open Instagram DMs
  2. Tap on the emoji reaction you’d like to remove. 
  3. A menu will appear; from there, select the tap to remove option

Viola! Your reaction will be removed.

Second Method:

  1. Open Instagram DMs
  2. Tap and hold the message which you’ve already reacted to. 
  3. The emoji reaction tab will open. 
  4. From the tab, tap on the emoji you’ve reacted to before to remove it.  

Can You React to Messages on Instagram From a PC or Laptop?

All the steps mentioned earlier work perfectly on Android and iPhone devices. However, if you use Instagram from your PC or Mac, then these steps won’t work.

You can react to Instagram messages from a PC or Laptop. But only the heart emoji. You can’t use any other emojis or customize them according to your choice from a desktop.

To use the heart emoji from a desktop, double-click on the messages. You can un-react the heart emoji by left-clicking on the heart icon and choosing Select to remove

Why Can’t You React to Instagram Messages?

You can’t react to Instagram messages because you’re using an older app version. 

So, you have to update the app first to use the emoji reaction feature. You can update the app by visiting Apple or Google Play Store. 

After updating, open the Instagram DM, and you can follow all the steps mentioned above. 

Wrapping it Up

Emoji reactions are an absolute savior! And now you know a bit more about how to react to messages on Instagram. 

These easy step-by-step guides will always come in handy if you’re just starting out as an Instagrammer. 

Even after following this guide, if you’re unable to react to your Instagram messages, chances are the feature isn’t available in your country. 

If you have any additional questions, comments or suggestions, feel free to leave them below.