Here's how to use Instagram new live location sharing feature

Instagram direct messages (DMs) have become increasingly sophisticated. Over time, the platform has introduced numerous features that have transformed it into a comprehensive chat experience.

Currently, the company is enhancing its offerings with various new functionalities, such as additional sticker packs, the ability to assign nicknames to yourself and your friends, and the standout feature of this update: location sharing.

This new capability allows users to conveniently share their live location with friends through Instagram direct messages.

Here’s how it works

Instagram, in a recent blog post, has announced that users can share their live location with friends for a duration of up to one hour. Additionally, users have the option to pin a specific location on a map to help coordinate their arrival times.

This feature proves particularly beneficial in crowded environments, such as concerts or large gatherings, ensuring that friends can easily find one another. According to Instagram, live location sharing is restricted to private direct messages, applicable to both individual and group conversations.

Once a location is shared, it remains visible only to participants in the chat. Instagram has implemented several security measures to protect user privacy, including restrictions that prevent the forwarding of location information to other chats. Users also have the flexibility to cease location sharing at any moment if they choose to do so.

New Stickers and Name Changing

According to Instagram, there are 17 new sticker packs available, totaling over 300 new stickers that can enhance your messaging experience. Additionally, users will now have the option to select a favorite sticker within their conversations.

Another significant enhancement to Instagram Direct Messages is the introduction of nicknames for both you and your friends. This feature allows users to move beyond traditional usernames in their chats.

Nicknames can add a playful element to group conversations and can represent how you refer to someone in your everyday life. Therefore, if you have specific nicknames for your friends, you can now incorporate them into your Instagram DMs.

Instagram has indicated that while you can assign nicknames for yourself and your friends, these will not be visible outside of the chat. Furthermore, once you have chosen the nicknames, you have the flexibility to change them at any time.

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