What Does The Blue Dot Mean On Instagram

What Does The Blue Dot Mean On Instagram

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✎ Key Notes:

» Instagram is packed with various features and symbols, some of which are readily apparent, while others remain hidden in plain sight.
» As you navigate through Instagram, you might notice a list of users scrolling simultaneously, thanks to the green dot feature. This dot not only indicates active users in direct messaging when sharing a post but also appears in your friend list.

What Does The Blue Dot Mean On Instagram:

When you’re on an Instagram or DM, you might see a blue dot.

1. New Messages / Posts

A blue dot typically appears in your DMs when you receive a new message, indicating that the message is unread. Once you open and either reply to or view the message, the blue dot will vanish.

2. Connection Status of User

When you’re engaged in a conversation on Instagram, you can gauge the user’s online status through a blue dot. If the blue dot disappears, it indicates that the person is no longer active on the app, implying they may not respond immediately.

Additionally, in certain scenarios, a blue dot may also appear outside of Instagram Direct:

You’ve likely encountered a blue dot numerous times while browsing Instagram search. When you’re looking up the profile of an actor, artist, or influencer, you’ll notice a blue dot accompanied by a checkmark.

This blue dot in the form of a check signifies that the user is a verified Instagram creator. These dots are displayed next to the user’s name.

DotsWhere it ShowsMeaning
GreenFriend list, DM inboxOnline / Active
YellowDM inboxIdle / Away
RedDM inboxUnavailable / Offline
BlueDM inbox, Instagram searchNew Message / Post, Connection Status, Verified Creator
PurpleDM inboxVideo / Camera
GrayDM inboxRecently Opened Message, Chat in Vanish Mode
No DotDM inboxUser turned off activity status

What Do Symbols Of Dots Mean On Instagram Direct?


Instagram’s direct messaging system, known as DM, is lauded for its privacy features when communicating with others. To discern if someone is ignoring your message, you can observe the small green dot that appears next to certain users, akin to Facebook. The DMs option is denoted by a paper plane symbol, functioning as a send button.

This feature allows you to share stories or posts with another user via Instagram message or add the post to your story.

Furthermore, after a recent Instagram update, a blue dot was introduced to indicate unread messages from others. Various other dot symbols, such as three dots on posts, enable users to perform actions like sharing outside of Instagram, turning on post notifications, unfollowing, hiding, and more.

Instagram also utilizes a symbol resembling a red dot to signify unread notifications from accounts recently added to your profile, among other activities.

A red dot may also appear at the bottom of any of the five tabs, indicating a notification related to a posted picture, a liked image, a new DM, a new follower, and so forth. Thus, each dot symbol on Instagram serves a distinct purpose.

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. What Do Green Dots Mean on Instagram Direct?


On Instagram, the small green dot serves to indicate the online status of a user, facilitating connections with friends by providing insight into their availability.

However, it’s worth noting that some users may appear online even when they’re offline due to the app not being refreshed. Additionally, there might be a delay in the app recognizing when someone is active. For the green dot to appear, certain conditions mandated by Instagram must be met.

🏷 These conditions include:

  • Both users must be following each other.
  • The activity status feature must be enabled to view when someone was last active or is currently active on the Instagram app.
  • If the activity status feature is disabled, you won’t be able to see other users’ activity status represented by the green dot.

2. What did Grey Dots mean on Instagram Direct?

Typically, the grey dots in Instagram Direct indicate that you’ve recently opened a new message. Once you exit the chat or leave the DM section, a grey dot will appear next to that specific conversation along with a timestamp. If it’s not immediately visible, try refreshing your DMs.

Another instance of grey dots is when a chat transitions into vanish mode. In this case, multiple grey dots may appear collectively, alongside the name of the person with whom you’ve engaged in vanish mode chat.

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