Instagram does not have one switch that turns off every DM while your account stays active. You can still shut down most new message access by blocking message requests, group chat invites, and story replies. For anyone who can still reach you, use Block or take the account offline.
Stop DM requests from strangers
This fixes new one-to-one message requests from people you do not follow. Open Instagram and tap your profile picture. Tap the Menu icon. Open Messages and story replies.
Choose Message requests or Message controls. Tap Others on Instagram. Select Don’t receive requests. If your app uses No one, choose No one.
Use the closest DM-off setup
The strongest everyday setup is to turn off requests from Others on Instagram and Your followers on Instagram. That blocks the two broad request channels Instagram gives you for people outside your accepted chats.
Start in Messages and story replies, open Message requests or Message controls, and set Others on Instagram to Don’t receive requests. Then open Your followers on Instagram and choose Don’t receive requests there too.
This does not stop messages from people you already follow, accepted chats, or accounts you separately allow. Use Block or Restrict account by account for those senders.
Fix follower message requests
The most common cause is that Your followers on Instagram is still allowed to send message requests. Go back to your profile picture, open Menu, and choose Messages and story replies. Open Message requests or Message controls. Tap Your followers on Instagram.
Set it to Don’t receive requests. If your version shows No one, choose No one.
Block group DM invites
This fixes group chat requests from people you do not want adding you to conversations. Open Instagram and tap your profile picture. Tap the Menu icon. Go to Messages and story replies.
Open Message requests or Message controls. Tap Who can add you to groups or Who can add you to group chats. Choose Only people you follow on Instagram.
Turn off story replies
Story replies can land in your DMs, so turning them off closes another common route people use to message you. From your profile picture, open Menu and go to Messages and story replies. Choose Story replies or Story reply controls, then select Don’t allow story replies.
If this method fails, update Instagram from the official Apple App Store or Google Play listing, then look again for Story replies under Messages and story replies.
Filter spam message requests
The most common cause is that unwanted requests are still reaching you because Hidden words is not hiding suspected spam or matching custom terms. Open your profile picture, tap Menu, and choose Hidden words. Turn on Hide message requests or Hide unwanted message requests.
For a custom filter, open Add words separated by commas… or Manage custom words and phrases. Add the words, phrases, numbers, or emojis you want filtered. Enable the message-request hiding option.
Block or restrict one person
Open the person’s Instagram profile. Tap the three-dot menu. Choose Block. Select whether to block only that account or also other existing and new accounts they may create.
Tap Block to confirm. To reduce visibility without fully blocking them, open Restricted from Menu, tap Next, search for the account, and choose Restrict. Use Block for a known sender who must not DM you again; use Restrict when you only want their messages moved to Message Requests.
Silence DM alerts
Turning off notifications is only a noise fix. Messages and message requests can still arrive in Instagram.
Inside Instagram, open your profile picture, tap Menu, go to Notifications, then open Messages or Messages and calls and turn message-related notification categories Off.
On iPhone, use Settings > Notifications > Instagram > Allow Notifications and switch it off. From an Instagram notification, swipe left, tap Options, and choose Turn Off.
On Android, use Settings > Notifications > App notifications > Instagram and turn notifications off. From an Instagram notification, swipe down, touch and hold the notification, tap Settings, and turn off all notifications or the relevant category.
Use account-specific options
These options apply only in specific situations: professional accounts connected to outside messaging tools, teen accounts with family controls, or accounts you want to take offline entirely.
For professional, business, or creator accounts connected to Meta Business Suite, Facebook Pages, Business Manager, or approved third-party apps, go to Messages and story replies > Message requests > Connected tools and turn Allow access to messages off.
This stops connected tools from accessing messages. It does not stop Instagram itself from receiving DMs.
For Instagram Teen Accounts, Family Center supervision can manage who can contact the teen, including message request settings. Teens under 16 generally need parent permission to make built-in protections less strict.
To take the account offline, open Accounts Center > Personal details > Account ownership and control > Deactivation or deletion, choose the Instagram account, then choose Deactivate account or Delete account and follow the prompts.
Deactivation is temporary and account-wide. Deletion removes the account instead of disabling only DMs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I completely disable DMs on Instagram?
No. Instagram does not offer one consumer switch that disables every direct message while your account remains active. The closest setup is to turn off message requests from Others on Instagram and Your followers on Instagram, limit group invites, disable story replies, and block known senders.
Will turning off notifications stop people from DMing me?
No. Notification settings only stop alerts. Messages and message requests can still arrive inside Instagram.
Why can someone still message me after I changed message requests?
They may be someone you already follow, an accepted chat, or an account you separately allowed. Use Block to stop a known sender from DMing you.
Does Restrict stop Instagram DMs?
Restrict does not fully block messages. It moves that person’s messages to Message Requests and hides read and activity status from them.