Have you ever seen an orange flag on your Instagram direct messages and wondered what it means? You're not alone.
Instagram recently made a change to its message filtering system, replacing the star filter with a flag, and it's left some users confused. I will explain what the orange flag means and how to use it effectively.
The switch from stars to flags - what does the orange flag mean on Instagram DMs?
Instagram replaced its star filter with an orange flag to improve the user experience.
The star filter was originally intended to mark important messages, but determining what constituted an "important" message was not always clear.
The switch to the flag provides users with a clearer way to mark messages they want to revisit or take note of.
Semiotics takes precedence over other factors regarding the change, according to Instagram. You "flag" something you want to revisit or take note of rather than adding some value to it with a star.
Users can spot the flag more easily when revisiting DMs because it is visually dominant compared to the star.
The flag feature has the benefit of serving as a bookmarking tool, making it simple to return to important message threads.
Influencers and businesses that need to respond swiftly to relevant messages will find this feature particularly helpful.
How to filter and flag direct messages on Instagram
The filter and flag feature for direct messaging is a game-changer for organizing and keeping up with messages and responses.
Here's a step-by-step guide on how to use it:
1. Open your direct messages on Instagram
This step involves accessing the direct messaging feature on the Instagram app.
2. Swipe left on the desired thread, tap 'More' and 'Flag' OR tap on the thread and select the flag in the top right corner
This step involves selecting the message thread and flagging it either by swiping left and selecting 'More' and 'Flag' or tapping on the thread and selecting the flag icon in the top right corner.
3. You can unflag messages the same way
If you wish to remove the flag from a message thread, you can do so by following the same steps used to flag it.
The flag feature acts as a bookmarking tool, allowing you to return to key message threads easily.
Users can also filter their messages by inbox, unread, or flagged. For influencers and businesses with a large influx of incoming messages, the tool is beneficial for responding to relevant messages in a timely manner.
Here are the three types of filters:
Inbox
The Inbox is the default view in the direct messages section of Instagram, displaying all messages in chronological order, starting with the most recent.
This view can be helpful if you want to see all of your messages, including those you've already read and those that aren't as important.
Unread
The Unread view shows only the messages you haven't opened yet, allowing you to catch up on new messages quickly.
This view is particularly useful if you're looking to stay up-to-date with new messages or if you need to prioritize messages from certain people or accounts.
Flagged
The Flagged view displays only the messages you've bookmarked with the flag feature, enabling you to revisit important message threads easily.
This view is ideal for users who receive a large number of messages and want to access specific conversations quickly.
It's also great for influencers and businesses who must keep track of important messages from clients, customers, or collaborators.
Whether it's customer feedback, influencer inquiries, brand collaborations, or even a funny meme from a friend, there can be a lot of content to sift through in your Instagram DMs.
Luckily, this new feature makes that process a bit more manageable. If you can't immediately respond, you can flag messages as a reminder to follow up later.
If you are wondering how to hide chats on Instagram, check our article on that topic.
What does it mean when you flag someone on instagram
So now that you know what does the orange triangle mean on Instagram DMs, let’s further understand what it actually means when you flag someone on IG.
Flagging someone on Instagram means that you have marked their message or conversation thread with a flag icon, indicating that it's important or requires further attention.
When you flag a message, it appears in the "Flagged" section of your direct messages, making it easy for you to revisit and respond to it later.
Flagging someone on Instagram is not the same as reporting them for violating the app's community guidelines.
Flagging is a way to keep track of messages and conversations that you want to revisit, while reporting is a way to alert Instagram to potentially harmful or inappropriate content.
Some reasons you might want to flag a message or conversation on Instagram include the following:
Important information
You may flag messages containing essential information, such as contact details or a business proposal, to ensure you don't lose track of it.
Follow-up
Flagging a message can serve as a reminder to follow up with the person or account later. This is particularly useful for businesses or influencers receiving a high message volume.
Personalization
Flagging messages from close friends or family members can make finding and responding to their messages easier.
Overall, flagging on Instagram is a helpful tool for organizing and managing your direct messages. By flagging essential messages, you can stay on top of your inbox and respond to messages promptly and efficiently.
The importance of organizing your DMs
Keeping your DMs organized is crucial, especially if you're using Instagram for business purposes. With so many messages coming in, it can be challenging to keep track of everything.
Here are a few reasons why organizing your DMs is important:
Efficiency
By organizing your DMs, you can respond to messages in a timely manner, which is essential for building relationships with your followers, customers, and collaborators.
Professionalism
A disorganized DM inbox can make you look unprofessional, which can turn off potential customers or collaborators.
Personalization
By organizing your DMs, you can personalize your responses, which can help you stand out from the crowd and build a stronger relationship with your followers.
The filter and flag feature on Instagram makes it easy to organize your DMs and stay on top of important conversations. By taking advantage of this feature, you can save time and respond to messages more efficiently.
Conclusion
There you have it, I hope you now have a clearer understanding of what does the orange triangle mean on Instagram DMs.
Instagram's change from the star filter to the flag filter in direct messages provides a clearer and more visually dominant way to mark and revisit important messages.
Flagging messages serves as a bookmarking tool and allows users to filter messages by inbox, unread, or flagged.
Flagging someone on Instagram is different from reporting them for violating community guidelines and serves as a helpful tool for organizing and managing direct messages.
The importance of organizing direct messages cannot be overstated, especially for businesses and influencers who receive high message volumes.
Improved inbox management is possible when users flag important messages in Instagram Direct Messages.