Meta Officially Removes Encryption Feature in Instagram DMs

Meta has long promoted the security of its end-to-end encryption (E2EE) feature in instant messaging services, including Instagram’s Direct Messages (DMs). However, Meta is now removing this privacy security feature starting 8 May 2026. As is known, end-to-end encryption ensures that messages can only be accessed by the sender and recipient. No other parties can access them, including Meta’s internal team. With this deactivation, the contents of messages in Instagram DMs will likely no longer be fully private and could potentially be accessed by other parties, including Instagram’s internal team. In fact, the E2EE feature on Instagram is optional, not default like on WhatsApp. This means users must activate it manually first. In its official help page, Instagram provides information to users, stating: Based on KompasTekno’s observations, the E2EE feature no longer appears in the Instagram Android app version 429.0.0.0.49. To technology media PC Mag, Meta stated that the E2EE feature is being removed from Instagram DMs because it is considered unpopular. Meta claims very few people use DMs with E2EE enabled. Therefore, Meta directs its users, if they still want to send messages with end-to-end encryption protection, to switch to WhatsApp. Besides WhatsApp, the E2EE feature is also automatically active in Facebook’s private messages. Although the aim is to make messages more secure, the encryption feature is also quite controversial. Criticism of this feature comes from several parties. It also accuses that the distribution of sensitive messages or media files could proliferate in Instagram DMs without oversight due to the encryption feature that “protects” it.