Instagram rolled out GIF Stickers for Stories earlier this year as an extension to the already available Sticker option. The feature has since allowed users to add more style to their creations with moving images. Now, Instagram is also letting users send GIFs to friends in Direct.
The Facebook-owned photo and video-sharing service announced today that it has added support for GIFs in direct messaging to let you "express yourself in countless visual ways when you’re messaging your friends." With the latest update to Instagram, you will be able to search for the latest popular GIFs powered by GIPHY by tapping the new GIF button in the composer bar.
There"s a whole lot of GIFs that you can choose from just by swiping through. You can also look for specific GIFs by typing the keywords or phrases that suit any occasion. If you feel like sending a random GIF to your friends or family, the new feature lets you tap "random" after typing in the search bar. The random GIF to be sent will be related to your search, of course.
GIFs for Instagram Direct are rolling out to all users of Android and iOS devices as part of the latest update to the app.