InstaMessage

Unofficial desktop client for Instagram DMs, built with Rust and Tauri v2.

Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Meta or Instagram.

Features

• Focused on DMs: the inbox, search, and profiles only. No feed, Explore, or Reels.
• Stays logged in across restarts; only logging out ends the session
• Closing the window hides it to the tray, so reopening is instant with no reload
• Starts hidden in the tray at login
• Single instance, and Dock reopen on macOS
• External links open in your default browser
• Windows, macOS, and Linux

Install

Download the installer for your OS from Releases.

• Windows: run the .exe setup. SmartScreen may warn because the app is unsigned: click "More info", then "Run anyway".
• macOS: open the .dmg and drag the app to Applications. The app is unsigned, so on first launch right-click it and choose Open, or run xattr -cr /Applications/instamessage.app.
• Linux: sudo apt install ./instamessage_*.deb, or chmod +x *.AppImage && ./*.AppImage.

Tray icon

• Windows and macOS: left click shows or hides the window, and right click opens the menu.
• Linux: any click opens the menu, because the AppIndicator system does not send click events to apps. Use Show / Hide from the menu. On GNOME, install the AppIndicator extension to see the tray icon.

Development

Install the Tauri prerequisites for your OS, then:

npm install
npm run tauri dev

Project layout:

• src-tauri/src/main.rs: window, tray, autostart, and navigation filtering
• src-tauri/src/inject.js: route blocking and hidden UI elements
• src-tauri/tauri.conf.json: app and bundle configuration

Instagram changes its markup often, so hidden elements may reappear after an update. See CONTRIBUTING.md for how to fix them.

License

MIT