Your Quick Answer :
To view secret conversations on Instagram, you’ll have to enable the vanish mode by swiping up the chat screen.
The vanish mode of Instagram allows users to carry on conversations that automatically get deleted after they closed the chat.
The message in vanish mode cannot be copied, forwarded, or saved. If a screenshot is taken by one user, it is notified to the other user on the chat screen itself.
You won’t be able to enable the vanish mode feature on the Instagram web. Notification for messages in vanish mode is sent to the users but the messages are not visible on the notification.
It shows a New message instead of the actual message. Vanish mode can only be enabled for chats between two Instagram accounts and not for group conversations.
Messages that you receive on vanish mode are not viewable from the Instagram web but the message you sent on vanish mode can be viewed on the regular inbox on the web Instagram.
Message sent on vanish mode can be unsend too if it is not viewed or you’ve not closed the chat screen yet.
There are some other fixes if your Instagram DM disappeared.
What Is The Secret Conversation Feature On Instagram:
Instagram’s Secret Conversation feature allows users to have private, end-to-end encrypted chats with their friends, making your messages more secure and confidential.
End-to-end encryption ensures that only the people involved in the conversation can read the messages, preventing third parties from intercepting the content.
This feature also includes the option to send self-destructing messages that disappear after being viewed, adding an extra layer of privacy.
βΈ Separate Chat Space: These secret conversations are distinct from regular chats and can be found in a separate section within your chat list.
βΈ Manual Activation: Secret Conversations must be manually enabled for each chat, giving you complete control over which conversations remain private.
βΈ Device-specific: These are device-specific, meaning they can only be accessed from the device where the chat was initiated.
βΈ Multimedia Support: Just like regular chats, you can share images, videos, and audio messages within secret conversations.
How To Find Secret Conversations On Instagram:
You have the following methods:
1. From Hidden Requests on DM
You can find secret conversations on Instagram from the Hidden request section on DM. In that section, the messages which are unwanted or offensive are moved to this folder. To find it:
π΄ Steps To Follow:
Step 1: Open your Instagram app, log in to your account using your credentials, and click on the Message icon from the top right corner.

Step 2: On the Message section, you can see the Requests option; click on it.

Step 3: You can see all the messages from those not on your friend list; click on the Hidden Requests option to find the secret conversations.

Step 4: The hidden messages will appear there; you can check them by opening them.
Step 5: If you are uncomfortable with the messages you get, for example, the message comes from someone you do not know and are not happy talking to, you can quickly delete the message request and block the user.
2. From Vanish Mode
π΄ Steps To Follow:
Step 1: Open the Instagram application.
Step 2: Enter your username and password to get into your account.
Step 3: Next, you need to click on the Message icon that’s at the top right corner of the homepage.

Step 4: You’ll be taken to the inbox of your Instagram account.
Step 5: You’ll need to click on any of the chats displayed in the inbox.

Step 6: From the chat screen, swipe up to turn on the vanish mode. The screen will immediately turn black.

You’ll be able to see the Vanish mode header in white on the screen.
Why Canβt I Find Hidden Messages on Instagram:
You may have the following reasons:
1. Not Receiving Message Requests for Settings
You need to permit the app to send notifications to get message request notifications. You will not receive notifications if you do not allow Instagram to send notifications.
To receive message requests and notifications, open settings, and from the App section, open Instagram, and from the Permissions section, allow the permissions.

2. Internet Issue
If your internet is not working well, you can face this issue. If you are using WIFI, you will rarely see it, but for the mobile data pack, you may face it more often.
Sometimes switching data can give you results, but if it is not working, wait until you get a stable internet connection.

3. Person Unsent Messages or Requests
Sometimes it could happen with the users that would not receive message requests because the other person unsent the messages or requests.
You may not receive notifications if someone deletes a message for both sides before you see it.

Instagram Hidden Message Finder Apps:
You can try the following apps:
1. ChatsBack
βοΈ Features of ChatsBack:
β Without knowing anyone, you can view and retrieve deleted messages and attachments directly from various backups.
β It is compatible with iPhone and Android devices and provides fast service.
β Your data privacy will be highly valued, and you can keep it confidential and download the data as HTML/PDF/Excel/CSV files.
π Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.imyfone.chatback
π΄ Steps To Use:
Step 1: Open Google Play Store, install the ChatsBack app on your Android phone and launch it.

Step 2: Now allow all the necessary permissions required by the app, and you can start viewing your friends’ messages, pictures, photos, videos, files, etc., that they send you.

Step 3: On your Android device or computer, you can preview the recoverable messages that they deleted.

2. Recent Notification
βοΈ Features of Recent Notification:
β You can read messages that others send to you without knowing them and can give quick replies and reactions.
β It will help you to manage your Instagram DMs even when the chat is deleted from Instagram.
β It has the dark theme feature and supports almost every messenger application.
π Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.libin.notification
π΄ Steps To Use:
Step 1: Install the app from the Play Store, and after launching it, tap Get Started and allow the notification permission.

Step 2: After that, tap Continue and Test Notification; you can see all the notifications on your screen. If someone sends you a message on Instagram, you can also see it from the app’s screen.

What are secret conversations on Instagram:
Instagram allows people to chat secretly. It has introduced a feature called Vanish Mode. This feature is very unique and different which allows messages to disappear once they are read or the chat screen is closed by the receiver. Basically, in vanish mode, people on Instagram can send disappearing messages to each other.
These messages can be pictures, videos, audio, or text messages. When two users are chatting in a vanish mode, the content or the message of the chats is visible to them only for the moment. Once they leave the chat, all the messages disappear from their chat screen.
Messages that are sent in vanish mode stay until the receiver reads them. But if the receiver reads it and closes the chat without replying, he or she won’t be able to get the message back to read it once again. Therefore, messages sent on vanish mode can only be read or viewed once.
Even when one party takes a screenshot of the chats in vanish mode, Instagram shows a notification of that on the chat screen itself so that the sender can become alert about it.
π― Does Instagram send notifications for messages in vanish mode?
Yes, when you receive any message on Instagram, you get a notification for it provided that you’ve turned on the switch for it from Settings. However, if that message is sent to you in vanish mode, you’ll not be able to read the message from the notification itself. It will only show as a New message on the notification instead of the actual message.
Therefore, you’ll have to open the chat to read the message, or else you won’t be able to read it at all.
Even on the chat list on Instagram, it won’t show the actual message like it usually does but it would only show 1 new message.
π― Can I know if the other person enables vanish mode?
Yes, when the sender enables vanish mode to send messages to you, the chat screen will turn black for both the sender and the receiver. You’ll be able to see the message (name of the user) turned on vanish mode on the chat screen itself.
Even, it will also tell you that as you’re in vanish mode, all the messages on the chat screen will get disappear as soon as you close the chat.
How to unsend messages on Vanish mode:
Messages sent in vanish mode can only be unsend before closing the chat. If you close the chat after sending a message in vanish mode, you won’t be able to see or unsend the message again if the receiver has seen it. But if the receiver has not seen it, you’ll be able to unsend the message even if you’ve closed the chat before.
If the message you’ve sent has been read by the receiver, you can still unsend it on Instagram even if the vanish mode is enabled.
Here’s how you can unsend a message on Instagram in vanish mode:
π΄ Steps To Follow:
Step 1: Open Instagram. Log into your account.
Step 2: Open the inbox of your Instagram account by clicking on the Message icon.

Step 3: Then click on the chat. If you’re not in vanish mode, you need to swipe up the chat screen to turn it on.


Step 4: Next, you can send any message to the person.
Step 5: Don’t close the chat. If you want to delete the message sent to you, you need to click on the message and hold it.
Step 6: Then click on the Unsend option from the bottom of the screen. The message will disappear from both the sender and receiver.

π΄ Flaws of Vanish Mode:
The Vanish mode of Instagram is one of the best features but it has certain flaws too. Its primary purpose is to make the chats end-to-end encrypted which disappears after closing the chat window.
βοΈ Features:
The messages that you’ve sent in vanish mode from the app are still viewable on the regular inbox of your account if you see them from the Instagram web.
But the message received in vanish mode is not viewable on the Instagram web. It shows the error message Sent in Vanish Mode. Use the latest version of the Instagram app to see this message.
As Instagram is a social media platform, you should always be careful about with whom you’re chatting or sharing secrets in vanish mode. As the other user can take a picture of the chats with another device which you won’t be able to know.
The feature of Vanish mode is still not available to users in some parts of the globe.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. Does vanish more delete old messages on Instagram?
When you close the chats in vanish mode, the message that you’ve sent and received gets deleted automatically. The message on the regular inbox that’s outside the vanish mode doesn’t get deleted. You’ll be able to get back the message on your regular inbox after turning off vanish mode by swiping up the chat screen again.
2. Does vanish mode delete messages on both sides of Instagram?
Yes, the message gets deleted for both sides on Instagram in vanish mode only if both users close the chat screen. However, if only one party closes the chat screen, the message remains with the other party until he or she closes the chat window.
Also Read:
- What Does Following Mean On Instagram & Why Says
- Why Don’t GIFs Work On Instagram
- Why Are Some Archive Stories Missing On Instagram & Limit
- How To Create An AD On Instagram Without Posting
- How To Recover Deleted Chat In Instagram
- Instagram Story Downloader Extension – Story Saver
- Why Is The Same Person At Top Of My Instagram Story
- Can Someone See Your Story After You Unhide Them On Instagram?
- What Does Instagram User Mean – Blocked Or Deactivated?
- Why Are My Instagram Messages Not Showing Up
- How To Clear Instagram Search Suggestions When Typing
- What Is The Order Of Someone’s Following List & Sort By Default Mean
- Can’t Share Post To Story Instagram – Why & How To Fix
- Will Other Person Know If I Delete Conversation On Instagram
- Instagram Highlights Viewer – Who Viewed Highlights after 48 hours