I don’t think any college student is a stranger to the classic “Find My” app — dare I say, it’s a must-have in this day and age. With busy schedules, social events, and an always-bustling campus life, having a quick way to locate friends or update someone on your whereabouts can save time and stress. And now, Instagram has its own version of “Find My” that’s great for those friendships that basically live in the DMs.
On Nov. 25, Instagram announced a series of updates to its Direct Messages (aka DMs), and one of the most practical new features is its location-sharing tool, which allows users to share their live locations directly in DMs, making coordinating meetups and staying connected with friends and family easier than ever. So, whether you’re navigating a crowded city, meeting up at an event, or just checking in on loved ones, this tool simplifies the process and keeps everyone on the same page.
The new feature is definitely designed with privacy in mind, since you get to choose when to share your location and who gets to see it. Also, location sharing is turned off by default, meaning users must manually activate the feature before their locations can be shared, and it’s only temporary, lasting up to one hour at a time. Plus, you can turn it off at any time.
This feature works in both one-on-one DMs and Instagram group chats, so you can use it whether you’re coordinating with a single friend or planning something with a larger group, so you can have a convenient way to meet up for study sessions, track someone’s arrival for group projects, or locate friends at a concert or party without confusion. You can also pin a specific meeting spot in your chat, which means dropping a location — like a coffee shop, library, or favorite campus hangout — directly into the conversation. This makes it easy for everyone in the group to know exactly where to go without extra back-and-forth messages.
This update is great for anyone who communicates primarily through IG DMs and is tired of the endless “wya” messages or the hassle of coordinating meetups on various apps. Here’s what else to know about it.
How To Activate Instagram’s Location-Sharing Feature
As mentioned, you have to first turn on this feature in order to use it. Here’s how to do so.
Update Your App
First, make sure you’ve updated Instagram to the latest version. Without the update, the location-sharing feature might not be available.
Open Your DMs
From the home screen, swipe from left to right to access your DMs.
Select a Chat
Tap on the DM or group chat where you want to share your location — it can be to one user or multiple.
Tap the Plus Icon
Inside the chat, look for the plus icon in the lower right hand corner, and tap it to reveal more options.
Share Your Location
Select “Location” then tap “Share Your Location. Your live location will then be shared, updating in real time for one hour. You can extend your location sharing by repeating the same process every hour.
Other Instagram DM Updates to Check Out
Also on Nov 25., Instagram introduced two other updates to enhance its DMs. The first is the addition of over 300 new stickers for DMs. These stickers give users more ways to express themselves, whether replying to a group chat with a laugh or sharing a sentiment when words don’t capture the vibe.
Another new feature is the ability to add nicknames in group chats. Users can assign nicknames to themselves or their friends, with each nickname specific to their chat. That means you can give your roommate a nickname in your study group chat and something completely different in your weekend plans chat, making it easy to keep things fun and personal in every conversation.