How to send a disappearing photo or video on Instagram?

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You can send a disappearing photo or video either as a group or individual message. After someone opens a disappearing photo or video you've sent them, the message is no longer visible in their inbox.

Follow the steps below to send a disappearing photo or video:
  1. Tap the 'camera' icon in the top left of the screen or swipe right from anywhere in Feed.
  2. Tap the circle at the bottom of the screen to take a photo or video, then choose to add effects.
  3. Tap the 'right arrow in a box' icon in the bottom right, then select people or groups you'd like to send to:
    - When you select multiple people, they'll each get separate, individual messages.
    - When you select a group, it starts a single group conversation that anyone in the group can reply to. To create a new group, tap New Group in the top right, select people then tap Create.
  4. Tap Send at the bottom of the screen.
  5. Keep in mind that you can only send disappearing photos or videos to people who follow you or have already approved messages from you.
Note: When you send other things using Instagram Direct (ex: posts from Feed, text, hashtags), those messages don't disappear and will remain visible in the conversation.

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