Instagram adds some improvements for its Direct messaging feature

Instagram

Instagram is once again adding some new features to its popular photo sharing and filtering app. This time, the Facebook-owned company has made a number of improvements in its Direct messaging feature.

One new addition is the ability to use threaded messages. Instagram says:

Instead of creating a new conversation every time you send a photo or video, your threads are based on the people in them — and your moments flow along naturally.

Another improvement will allow direct conversations to begin with friends based on an Instagram post:

Now, you'll find an arrow next to the like and comment icons under every post. Tap it to send that post to a friend or group as a message using Instagram Direct. It will appear as part of your conversation, and you can tap the photo or video to see and like the original post. You can also send hashtag pages and location pages by tapping the arrow icon in the top right-hand corner.

Instagram also now allows users to name their groups, and there's a new quick camera feature so people can respond to messages with a new photo or one in their camera roll. Finally, Direct now allows for larger emoji characters compared to earlier versions.