Instagram to End Encrypted Direct Messages in May

Instagram will discontinue end-to-end encryption for its direct messages on May 8, 2026, according to an update in its Help Center and revisions to a 2022 company post.

The change will allow its parent company, Meta, to access the content of all private direct messages, including chats that were previously protected when users opted in to encryption.

Instagram said affected users will receive in-app instructions on how to download and save any messages or media before the feature is removed.

Meta’s decision follows years of criticism from child safety advocates and international law enforcement agencies, which have argued that encryption makes it more difficult to investigate crimes and protect children online.

Agencies that have publicly pressed Meta to reverse course include the FBI, Interpol, the National Crime Agency, and the Australian Federal Police.

Meta began testing encrypted Instagram chats in 2021 as part of a broader push to expand private messaging across its services.

The feature was available only in select regions, and never became the default for all users.