How to Turn Off Vanish Mode On Instagram in 2025

Instagram is constantly expanding its list of feature offerings to enhance user experience.

Towards the end of 2020, the social media giant jumped into the trend of disappearing messages.

This move is directed toward further protecting users’ privacy from unnecessary breaches.

As this is only for special use cases, learning how to disable vanish mode and re-enable it again is very important.

Let us dive right into the steps on how to turn off vanish mode on Instagram on iOS and Android.

How to Turn Off Vanish Mode on Instagram on iOS and Android

Turning off vanish mode on Instagram on iOS and Android follows the same rule for both operating systems.

Regardless if they come from different administrators, the Instagram app’s features are universal, and only come with subtle differences each.

To turn off vanish mode on the Instagram app for Apple and Android users, a user must have initiated a conversation on vanish mode.

With this, follow these steps below on how to turn Instagram’s vanish mode to ON.

Turning Vanish Mode to ON

Step 1. Open the dedicated Instagram applications and enter your login credentials

Step 2. After a successful login, you will automatically reach your homepage.

Turn to the upper right side of your screen to see the message icon reminiscent of the symbol of Facebook’s Messenger app.

Remember: your Instagram app should be updated to the latest version which integrates some of Messenger’s features on it

Step 3. To start a vanishing conversation, tap the pen and paper symbol found at the side of the list of conversations and click on their name.

You may also select from the users already in your inbox

Step 4. After selecting the recipient of a vanishing message and successfully landing on the conversation window, press the lower part of the conversation screen and swipe up.

You will be able to see a prompt saying “release to turn on vanish mode” before it turns on

Step 5. You will know that you have successfully turned the vanish mode on if the chat’s template turns to dark mode.

From here, you can start typing whatever vanishing message you want to send across

Turning Vanish Mode to OFF

After sending vanishing messages in a conversation, it has to end at some point and return to a normal conversation where messages stay.

Here are the steps on how to turn Instagram messages’ vanish mode to OFF:

Step 1. Go to the conversation you have turned to vanish mode

Step 2. The easiest way is to tap on the bottom part of your screen and swipe up. This will automatically turn the vanish mode off. Meanwhile, you may also click on the “Turn Off Vanish Mode” label located in the upper part of the conversation.

The chat will automatically turn from dark to normal Instagram conversation. This indicates that message can be sent and stored normally again

Instagram warns that its vanishing message feature may not be available for users in Japan and some countries in Europe.

Limitations of Conversations on Vanish Mode

Sometimes, the best way forward is to turn that vanish mode on.

While it is novel, fun, and secure to use, it also comes with several limitations which deter users from having a holistic messaging experience.

Some of these limitations are mentioned below, as mentioned on Instagram’s Help Center.

• Messages sent on vanish mode are not allowed to be copied and forwarded
• A user is not allowed to initiate a vanishing chat with other users they have not previously connected with. This means people on your message request could not initiate this feature with you
• Vanishing mode is not included on Instagram and Messenger’s cross messaging feature

Even after initiating a vanishing mode on sensitive conversations, Instagram cannot take control if any of the parties take a screenshot or takes a photo to keep receipts of the chat.

Always be vigilant even when using this feature.

What is Instagram’s Vanish Mode All About?

Instagram’s vanish mode is introduced in late 2020 as a response to the growing call for users’ message security.

The market’s leading social media platforms already have it available on their respective features, although with different names like “secret messages,” and the like.

As the name suggests, messages on this mode vanish which means they are temporary. They disappear even without having to delete each message individually.

This feature is tied to different conversation modes such as business, intelligence reports, sensitive conversations, and “sneaky links.”

Simply put, this is used by two people who do not want to keep receipts of everything they have talked about in a conversation.

Instagram’s End-to-end Encryption

Another way to protect a conversation from unnecessary lurkers is through Instagram’s end-to-end encryption.

Here is how to make one:

Step 1. Go to the Instagram app and enter your login credentials

Step 2. After successfully logging in, you will be redirected to your Instagram homepage. Find the Messenger icon or the Instagram Message icon at the top part of the screen and click

Step 3. Tap the pen and paper symbol at the side of your past conversations. You will see a lock symbol found next to a label that reads “start end-to-end encrypted chat”

Step 4. Find the person you want to send an encrypted message to and tap “chat.” Conversations done with an end-to-end encryption feature come with a lock symbol on the side

Conclusion

Privacy and security are among the most important features that users look for in a social media platform nowadays.

Good thing, you can turn to vanish mode on and off on messages sent on Instagram without a sweat.

So whether you are having a highly sensitive conversation for your business or simply wanting to ditch the need to delete individual messages sent to a friend, the best way is to try turning vanishing mode on and off.

We hope you enjoyed this article about how to turn off vanish mode in Instagram on iOS and Android.