Instagram’s new ‘Send to chat’ button lets you share Reels in just one tap

Instagram just made sharing Reels way less complicated. A sneaky new “Send to chat” button is popping up for some users, letting you fire off videos directly to friends without leaving your DMs. The feature is simple but could save you a few taps next time you want to pass along a funny clip.

Here’s how it works. Let’s say your friend sends you a Reel in a direct message. You tap to watch it, then swipe up to check out more Reels. As you scroll, a little “Send to chat” button appears at the bottom. Tap it, and whatever Reel you’re watching gets dropped straight back into the same chat. No typing names, no making sure you don’t accidentally share it with someone else. So let’s say you were already in Mark Zuckerberg’s DMs (lucky you), that’s exactly where the Reel goes.

The button seems to have been quietly tested since at least October 2024. I spotted a user’s post about spotting it, joking about the panic of not knowing which chat the app would pick. While not ideal, the button also displays the profile picture of the person who’ll receive the Reel. In our testing, not everyone has the feature yet, and it’s still flying under the radar for most users.

This update comes as Instagram rolls out a handful of other tweaks. You might’ve noticed something odd with your profile page lately. That’s the controversial rectangular grid layout spreading to more accounts. The app’s also ditching its classic blue accents for a fresh purple makeover on buttons and icons. Apart from these intended changes, a few bugs also seem to have slipped in.

For now, the “Send to chat” button feels like a rare win. It’s one of those small additions that makes the app feel more intuitive. Of course, it’s going to be a pain for those strange friends who absolutely hate the barrage of Reels you send their way.