Vanish Mode Instagram: How to Turn It On and Off
Vanish mode makes the messages in an Instagram chat disappear. Swipe up in a chat to turn it on, and swipe up again to turn it off.
Quick answer
Turn it on: open a chat and swipe up from the bottom. The screen turns dark.
Turn it off: swipe up again. The screen turns light.
Messages disappear when someone leaves the chat or turns vanish mode off. If you see a timer note instead of a dark screen, your account has disappearing messages, which you turn on and off the same way.
What Is Vanish Mode on Instagram?
Instagram vanish mode is a dark, private version of a chat. In vanish mode Instagram deletes the messages, photos and videos you send once someone leaves the chat or turns it off, and nobody can copy, save or forward them. You can send text, photos and videos as usual, even bold or cursive letters from the Instagram fonts generator. It works in one-to-one chats with another Instagram account, not in group chats.
How to Turn On Vanish Mode on Instagram
Here's how to turn on vanish mode on Instagram on an iPhone or Android phone:
Checked November 2026 against Instagram's vanish mode help page.
Step 1: Open Instagram and tap Messages at the bottom. Tap the chat with your friend.
Don't see Messages at the bottom? Tap the paper plane ✈️ at the top of your feed.
yournameMessages
friend TapStep 2: Put your finger near the bottom of the chat and swipe up. Then let go.
Swipe on the messages, not on the keyboard.
friendhey!hi 👋did you see it?Swipe upMessage…Step 3: The screen turns dark. That means vanish mode is on. Anything you send now disappears later.
Saw a note about a timer instead of a dark screen? You turned on disappearing messages. See below.
friendsecret 🤫lol okMessage…
In vanish mode Instagram also tells the other person if you take a screenshot. More on that below.
Free tool
Instagram Fonts Generator
How to Turn Off Vanish Mode
Step 1: Open the chat that's in vanish mode. Its screen is dark.
yournameMessages
friend TapStep 2: Swipe up from the bottom again and let go. The screen turns light, and vanish mode is off.
The vanish mode messages disappear when you do this.
friendhey!hi 👋did you see it?Swipe upMessage…
Either person can turn it off. Once it's off, the vanish mode messages are gone, and the chat goes back to showing your normal messages.
Vanish Mode Instagram vs. Disappearing Messages
In some places, Instagram has a newer feature called disappearing messages. You turn it on the same way, by swiping up in a chat. The difference is that each message disappears after a timer. To change how long messages last, tap Change timer below a message. To turn it off, swipe up again.
| Vanish mode | Disappearing messages | |
|---|---|---|
| Turn it on | Swipe up in a chat | Swipe up in a chat |
| Messages go | When someone leaves the chat or turns it off | When the timer runs out |
| Change the time | No | Yes, tap Change timer |
| Screenshot alert | Yes | Yes, for screen recordings too |
Screenshots and What Gets Saved
Screenshots: the other person gets a notification if Instagram detects a screenshot in vanish mode. Instagram can't catch everything, though. Someone could take a photo of the screen with another phone, so only use vanish mode with people you trust. For every other part of the app, see does Instagram notify when you screenshot.
What's saved: not much. Vanish mode messages can't be copied, saved or forwarded, and they're gone once someone leaves the chat. If someone sends you something hurtful, you can still report the chat for up to 14 days after the messages disappear.
Vanish Mode Instagram Not Working? Try These Fixes
- It isn't offered where you live. Instagram says vanish mode may be unavailable in Japan and in Europe, and it isn't in every country.
- You have disappearing messages instead. Swipe up and look for a note about a timer. It works almost the same way.
- It's a group chat. Vanish mode only works in a chat with one other Instagram account.
- They have a professional account. Some business and creator accounts can't get vanish mode messages.
- You haven't chatted before. People you haven't connected with can't send you a message request in vanish mode.
- You're on a computer. Vanish mode only works in the Instagram app on a phone or iPad.
- Your app is old. Update Instagram from the App Store or Google Play, then try again.
- You swiped in the wrong spot. Swipe up on the messages, starting near the bottom of the chat, then let go.
Vanish Mode Instagram FAQs
What is vanish mode on Instagram?
A chat setting where messages, photos and videos disappear when someone leaves the chat or turns vanish mode off. The chat turns dark while it's on, and nothing sent in it can be copied, saved or forwarded.
How do you turn off vanish mode?
Open the chat and swipe up from the bottom again. The screen goes back to normal. If your account has disappearing messages instead, swiping up turns those off too.
Does Instagram vanish mode tell people about screenshots?
Yes. Instagram notifies the other person if it detects a screenshot in vanish mode. It can't tell if someone takes a photo of the screen with another phone, so only use vanish mode with people you trust.
Does the other person know I turned on vanish mode?
Yes, as soon as you send something. Instagram notifies them when you send a message in vanish mode, and the chat opens in vanish mode when they tap it.
Can you get vanish mode messages back?
No. Once they disappear they're gone, and you can't copy, save or forward them before that. If someone sent you something hurtful, you can still report the chat for up to 14 days after the messages disappear.
Why is Instagram vanish mode missing?
It isn't offered everywhere: Instagram says it may be unavailable in Japan and in Europe. It also doesn't work in group chats, with some professional accounts, in message requests from people you haven't chatted with, or on a computer. Some accounts get disappearing messages instead.
Is vanish mode the same as disappearing messages?
No. In vanish mode, messages disappear when someone leaves the chat or turns it off. With disappearing messages, each message disappears after a timer, which you can change by tapping Change timer below a message. You turn both on by swiping up in a chat.
Can you use vanish mode on a computer?
No. Vanish mode only works in the Instagram app for iPhone, iPad and Android.
Wrapping Up 👋
Swipe up in a chat to turn vanish mode on, and swipe up again to turn it off. Messages disappear when someone leaves the chat, but screenshots get reported, so keep it to people you trust. If you get a timer instead, that's disappearing messages, and it works the same way.
