Meta has confirmed that it will discontinue end-to-end encrypted messaging on Instagram, with the feature set to be removed on May 8, 2026. The company has begun notifying users through in-app alerts and has updated its support pages to explain the change.
Users who currently have encrypted chats on Instagram will receive instructions on how to download messages, photos, and videos they wish to keep before the feature is removed. Meta said some users may need to update the Instagram app to the latest version before they can access the option to download their conversations.
The decision follows what the company described as limited use of the feature. According to a report by Mashable, Meta spokesperson Dina El-Kassaby Luce said the move was largely driven by low adoption among Instagram users. Meta also told The Verge that only a small number of people had chosen to enable end-to-end encryption in Instagram chats.
The feature was introduced as an optional setting rather than a default messaging mode. End-to-end encryption allows only the sender and the recipient to read the contents of messages and calls. When it is activated, even the platform hosting the service cannot access the conversation unless a participant chooses to share it.
Once the feature is removed, Instagram messaging will operate under the platform’s standard encryption model. Under this system, messages remain protected in transit but may be accessible to the platform under certain circumstances, such as legal requirements or safety investigations.
The change comes during an ongoing global debate about encryption and digital privacy. Technology companies have faced criticism from privacy advocates who argue that stronger protections are necessary to keep user communications safe from misuse or surveillance.
Governments and child-safety organisations, on the other hand, have raised concerns that strong encryption can make it more difficult to detect criminal activity or harmful content online. The discussion has intensified in recent years as messaging platforms expand encrypted services.
Although Instagram will remove the feature, end-to-end encryption will continue to be available on other Meta platforms. The company’s messaging service WhatsApp uses encryption by default for all chats, while Facebook Messenger also offers encrypted conversations as an option.
Meta said Instagram users with encrypted threads should take action before the May 2026 deadline if they want to keep copies of their conversations. After the change takes effect, those encrypted chats will no longer function inside the app.
For many users, however, the shift may have little visible impact since the encryption feature was not widely used. Instagram will continue to support standard messaging features while focusing on other parts of the platform’s communication tools.
