Meta has announced that it will disable the “end-to-end encryption” option for direct messages on Instagram as early as May 8, 2026, bringing an end to a privacy function, that has been available to users for several years.
The encryption choice was first launched in 2021 as part of Meta’s larger strategy of making its different platforms more private.
However, the company currently states the feature saw very limited use among Instagram users.
According to Meta, few people turned in the use of encrypted conversations, which led to the decision to discontinue this from now on.
In an official statement, the company said that the reason for the change was low adoption. “Very few people were choosing to opt-in to end-to-end encrypted messaging in DMs, so we are taking this option away from Instagram,” the statement said.
Although the feature is being discontinued in Instagram, Meta stressed that those who want fully encrypted messaging can still stick to WhatsApp.
The messaging platform comes with end-to-end encryption enabled by default, so conversations will be successfully encrypted without the user having to go through the steps of using the encryption option.
On Instagram the encryption option had to be turned on manually for each conversation and this may have contributed to the low number of users enabling it.
For the time being, Meta has not announced any other privacy feature that would replace encrypted messaging in Instagram’s direct messages.
The company also said that users who are using encrypted chats now will soon get instructions on how to download their messages and media before the feature is permanently shut down.
The development comes shortly after TikTok announced that it won’t be introducing encrypted messaging on its platform.
TikTok argued that strong encryption can make it harder for law enforcement agencies and safety teams to review the conversations when need arises.
However, privacy experts have raised concerns about Meta’s decision, stating that eliminating the option restricts secure communication options for users.
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