What Does the Paper Airplane Mean on Instagram? (Complete Guide)

Are you still one of those who have not yet explored all the features on Instagram? Do you still find a new icon on it every day? The main reason behind it is the regular updation of the features on Instagram. You must have seen different icons on your profile. But have you ever noticed the paper airplane icon present at the top of your feed? You must be confused about what it is and why it is important on Instagram. Knowing its meaning can help you understand your engagement level. Let’s dive in and explore what it means and how it works in different situations.

What Does the Paper Airplane Mean on Instagram?

The paper airplane icon is one of the useful features on Instagram. It is one of the features that helps to make the sharing of content easy and very effective. There are three different areas where you may have seen this icon. In short, there are three different meanings of using it. I have mentioned the meaning below:

1. Direct Message

Direct Messages is a way to directly have a conversation with your friends that makes the communication better. When you click on this icon as a case for Direct Message, it will take you to the chat list to view all the conversations and receive messages from friends and followers. Unfortunately, it was removed from the latest version of Instagram. But there are many other users, who are still able to access it on direct messages. 

2. Share Post

Another place where you will see the Airplane paper icon is below the posts when you want to share it directly in the messages or the status. With the help of this icon, you can also share it on another app rather than Instagram.

3. Besides Message

The airplane icon is one of the features that help to serve as the status of your message, whether it is sent to your friend or not. In most of the cases when you see this icon in your chats, it will suggest that the message is not sent to the other person. If your internet is slow, the process of delivering the message will also be slow. As soon as the message is delivered, this icon will automatically be removed from your conversation. 

How to Share a Post When You Don’t Have the Paper Airplane Icon?

There are many chances that your post may not have the Paper Airplane icon below the post on your account. In such a case, you can follow the simple procedure mentioned below:

• Start by opening the Instagram account on your desktop.
• Look for the video or the post you want to share in direct messages. 
• Now, tap on the three-dot icon present next to the username. 
• There will be different options mentioned on the screen. Look for the Share to… tab and click on it.
• You will get another option list on the screen. Look for the Share to Direct option and tap on it. 
• You will get a search bar on the screen. 
• Enter the username you want to share the video or the post with and tap on the send option. 

Also, read What Does ‘Embed’ Mean on Instagram? (All Meanings Covered)

Why Does Your Instagram Not Have the Paper Airplane Icon? 

In most cases, it was present in the early versions of Instagram, especially in the place of Direct Messages. If you also do not get it in that section, it is probably because the app is updated to the latest version. However, there are also some chances that you may not get it below the posts that you want to share with others. 

It is generally because there is some glitch within the app. Try to close it first and open it back. If it does not work delete the app or reinstall it. You may get the icon again. On the contrary, if you still do not have access to it, try to contact the customer support service. 

Is Paper Airplane Important?

The answer to this question depends upon the text of the question. The Paper Airplane Icon represents the inbox section or share button. Of course, it is an important symbol as it helps to do the following things: 

• It is a feature that helps you to send direct messages to your friends. 
• This feature helps you to get more shares on your content. When the share rate is high, it indicates that the people are enjoying your content a lot. 
• When people share your content with others, it helps to grow your visibility. This in return helps to grow the audience.

Also, read What Does ‘Back’ Mean on Instagram Stories?

Conclusion

The paper Airplane icon on Instagram is an important feature that is usually used to represent direct messages, messages, or even sharing of the post. In some cases, when you open the app, you will see this icon on the top of the feed, which shows the inbox section. This was present in the previous update of Instagram. At present, the two main areas where you can see this icon are below the post you want to share with others and when the message is not sent to the other person.

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