Instagram is killing end-to-end encryption for DMs May 8 | Technology News

2 min readNew DelhiMar 14, 2026 11:40 AM Instagram has announced it will soon discontinue support for end-to-end encrypted (E2EE ) messages. In a rather surprising turn of events, the tech giant said on its support page that the feature “will no longer be supported after May 8, 2026.”
Meta says users whose chats are affected the change will see instructions on how to download any media or messages before the change takes effect. Also, those on an older version of Instagram will need to update their app if they want to download their encrypted messages or media.
While Instagram’s support does not mention the reason why it is ending support for end-to-end encrypted DMs, in a statement to The Verge, a Meta spokesperson told the publication that “very few people” were using E2EE in DMs, and those who want to continue using the feature can do so on WhatsApp.
Unlike WhatsApp, Instagram never made end-to-end encryption available to everyone, but instead, it was available to users in “some areas” on an opt-in basis. Also, it is still unclear if the instruction to back up end-to-end encrypted DMs will appear in the coming days or closer to the deadline.
To give you a quick recap, end-to-end encryption messages and calls make sure that only you and the user you are talking to can see. Also, every E2EE conversation is protected special keys that users can compare with the people they are talking to for additional security.
Meta has repeatedly changed its approach to encryption in the last decade. Back in 2016, it started encrypting WhatsApp chats. Three years later, the company said that all conversations should be end-to-end encrypted, but in 2021, the tech giant announced it would be delaying its encryption features until 2023.
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