Instagram Launched A New Chat Sticker In Stories, So Slide Into Those DM's

Now that we're in the midst of patio season, Instagram is adding another feature that's about to bring even more action to your DMs. Whether you're looking for a quick and easy way to make plans with your besties, crowdsource an opinion on an outfit, or even strike up a conversation on what's happening in the world, Instagram's new chat sticker in Stories is all about fostering relationships and starting a dialogue in your Direct Messages. Here's how to use the new feature, which is now available for Instagram users around the world.

The tech giant rolled out the new Instagram Stories update globally on Tuesday, June 2, giving users another way to connect on its platform. Personally, I love using Instagram Stories' current features like the poll sticker, the emoji slider sticker, and the quiz sticker to get a group consensus on anything you could think of and learn what people really think of your new haircut or whether your followers prefer tacos versus pizza.

However, when Instagram rolled out the questions sticker back in May, it was a turning point for the Stories sticker lineup. For the first time, people could share customized opinions, advice, flirty messages, or whatever in response to your query, and I felt like it helped open up conversation with some followers you might not normally interact with. If you're a fan of the questions sticker, you'll want to check out Instagram Stories' chat sticker, which works in a similar way, but at a group level. If you're ready to start inviting more people to slide into your DM's, here's how it all works.

First, I'd make sure you have the latest update of Instagram to find the chat sticker in your Instagram Stories. Once you click the sticker, which features a blue talk icon, you can give it a name and provide some details sharing what it's all about. From there, friends who watch your Instagram Story can request to join the chat by tapping the sticker, and you'll be able to either accept or decline their requests in your Stories viewers list.

Once you pick who you want to chat with, a new chat will be created in your Instagram Direct Messages — with all the people you accepted — and everyone can talk to their heart's desire. It seems like this feature works best for instances where you want to spark a group conversation about plans or a discussion about something where multiple people can weigh in and everyone can see what's going on, so I'd keep that in mind when using the chat feature. You can also choose to end the chat at any time.

Instagram's new chat sticker update comes just days after the company revealed that it was testing out a special "Suggestions For You" feature based on the people you DM with. Considering that Facebook (the parent company behind Instagram) announced earlier this year that it's working to streamline communication, I'm not surprised that it's continuing to put more of an emphasis on updates relating to your Direct Messages and Instagram Stories. In the meantime, I'd take the chat sticker for a spin to see who's in on some patio season plans and wait for the group consensus to roll in.