Meta’s photo and short-video sharing app Instagram will stop supporting end-to-end encrypted messaging, amidst a wider push by international regulators to clamp down on illegal content that is transmitted through such channels.

For its part, Meta has defended the move to end support for end-to-end encrypted messaging on Instagram by citing low adoption rates among users, per multiple media outlets.

Meta noted in its Help Centre page that end-to-end encrypted messages and calls ensured that only the sender and the people they were communicating with could see or listen to what was sent. However, this is no longer set to be the case.

“End-to-end encrypted messaging on Instagram will no longer be supported after 8 May 2026,” the company had stated as early as March in an update to its Help Centre page.

While authorities around the world are concerned about pro-terrorism content, pirated media, or child abuse material being sent undetected via end-to-end encrypted messaging services, digital rights advocates have argued against the erosion of adults’ privacy and the dwindling number of services that provide secure end-to-end encrypted messaging services.

Meta said that if users have chats that will be affected by this change, they will get instructions on how to download any media or messages for safe-keeping. If the user has an older version of Instagram, Meta said an app update might be needed in order to download the affected chat content and media.

Meta’s messaging service WhatsApp still offers end-to-end encrypted messaging.

Meta has not clarified in detail what will happen to the contents of existing Instagram messages after the new policy comes into force.