Direct messages and group chats both live under Messages in the nav.
Your friends, plus anyone who has switched on Messages from anyone in their privacy settings. If you can't see a Message button on someone's profile, send a friend request instead. Group chats a friend adds you to work regardless - two people in the same group don't need to be friends with each other.
Start a 1:1 conversation
Open Messages
The chat bubble icon in the main nav.
Tap New message
Pencil icon, top right.
Search by name or @username
Or open someone's profile and tap Message next to their name.
Type your message and send
Enter to send, Shift+Enter for a new line.
Start a group chat
Same flow, but pick more than one person at step 3. You can optionally name the group and add a photo before sending the first message.
1:1 vs group
| 1:1 | Group | |
|---|---|---|
| Participants | You + 1 other | You + up to 49 others |
| Reactions / replies / GIFs / stickers | Yes | Yes |
| Pin messages | Yes | Yes |
| Group name and photo | No | Yes |
| Member management | N/A | Add / remove from group info |
| Read receipts | On by default | Off by default |
Who can message you
By default, anyone who's a confirmed PopIn friend can DM you. People you only follow (or who only follow you) need to send a message request first, which you can accept or decline silently. Tighten this in Settings → Privacy.
Message requests
A first message from someone you're not friends with lands in Message requests, not your main inbox. They don't know you've seen it. You can:
| Action | What happens |
|---|---|
| Accept | Moves to your inbox; they get notified you accepted |
| Decline | Silent; the request disappears for you |
| Block | Silent; they can't message you again. See Blocking users |
Editing or deleting your messages
Long-press your own message to get Edit and Delete options. Edits show a small "edited" marker so the recipient knows the text changed. Deletes show a "[message deleted]" placeholder rather than vanishing silently - this is deliberate so conversations don't lose context. You can edit or delete your own messages; not other people's.