How to get anonymous messages on Instagram (step by step)

Why Instagram's question sticker isn't anonymous

Instagram's Questions sticker is great for quick replies, but it isn't anonymous to you. When you look at the responses on your own story, you can see who sent each one; Instagram only hides the person's name and photo when you share a response back to your story. If you want people to answer without being identified — which usually means more replies, and more honest ones — you need a separate anonymous link.

Step 1: Create your anonymous link

1. 1Sign up for an anonymous Q&A app. On Sustalk it's free: go to Get your link, pick a username and confirm you're 18 or older.
2. 2Your username becomes your link. Anyone who opens it can send you a message without signing in or showing their name.
3. 3Choose the question your link shows, or write your own. Need ideas? Try these questions to ask on your Instagram story.

Step 2: Add the link to your story

1. 1Copy your link. On Sustalk, the Play tab has a Copy link button, and Share to your story makes a ready-made story image of your question and copies the link for you.
2. 2Open Instagram and create a story with that image, a photo or a plain background.
3. 3Tap the sticker icon and choose Link.
4. 4Paste your link. You can change the sticker's text to something like “send me anonymous messages”.
5. 5Place the sticker where people will notice it, and share your story.

Instagram has made the Link sticker available to everyone, so you don't need a minimum number of followers. Menus move around between app versions; if you get stuck, here's a fuller guide on how to add a link to your Instagram story.

Step 3: Read and reply

Messages arrive in your anonymous inbox, not in your Instagram DMs. On Sustalk, new messages stay sealed until you open them, and anything the safety filter catches waits in a separate Hidden folder instead of your inbox.

To answer on your story, open a message and tap Reply on your story. It makes an image with the question, the message and your answer, which you share to Instagram like any photo. Stuck for words? These NGL reply ideas cover compliments, crush confessions, questions and roasts.

How to get more messages

• Ask something specific. “Rate my playlist out of 10” gets far more replies than “send me anything”.
• Say it's anonymous on the story itself. People reply more when they know their name won't show.
• Reply to a few messages each day so followers see their answers land.
• Change your question every few days. Your link stays the same, so nothing breaks.
• Share bolder questions to your Close Friends list, where people know each other.

Stay safe while you do it

Anonymous messages can be lovely or cruel. Before you share widely, pick a filter level: Sustalk hides threats, slurs and self-harm encouragement on every level, and the stricter levels also hide bullying, sexual harassment and swearing. Messages with links are hidden by default. You can block any sender — they're never told — report messages, add your own filter words and pause your link whenever you need a break. Read more about how we keep it safe.