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why does my instagram.keep saying i have message requests

You’re seeing “You have message requests” on Instagram because the app thinks there are unread DMs sitting in your Requests folder, usually from people you don’t follow.

Below is a clear breakdown plus some quick fixes, in a slightly casual, forum‑style explainer.

What “message requests” actually are

When someone you don’t follow (or don’t interact with much) messages you, it doesn’t go straight into your main inbox.

Instead it goes to a hidden Requests section so you can decide whether to:

  • Accept the chat (moves it to your main inbox).
  • Delete it (removes the request, they don’t get a “seen” if you don’t accept).
  • Block the account if it’s spam or creepy.

Instagram will keep nagging you with a little “message requests” banner or badge if it thinks there’s at least one request you haven’t dealt with yet.

Why it keeps saying you have message requests

Common reasons this notification won’t go away:

  1. You actually do have hidden requests
    • Requests can be in:
      • “Requests”
      • “Hidden requests” (filtered as spam or offensive).
 * If you only check the main inbox, you might never open these, so the app keeps showing the alert.
  1. Old requests you never accepted or declined
    • Requests can sit there for weeks if you don’t tap Accept/Delete/Block.
 * Even if you saw a preview notification long ago, if you never handled it inside the Requests screen, it still counts as “pending”.
  1. Filtered by “Hidden words” / spam filters
    • Instagram can auto‑filter DMs with certain words into “Hidden requests”.
 * Those still trigger the “message requests” label, but they’re out of sight unless you open that hidden area.
  1. Notification bug or old cache
    • Sometimes the badge sticks around due to a glitch: the app thinks there’s a request even after you’ve cleared things.
    • Updating the app or clearing cache often fixes this kind of stuck indicator.

How to actually see those message requests

Steps (layout may vary slightly depending on your app version, but this is the usual flow):

  1. Open Instagram and go to your DMs
    • Tap the chat / airplane icon at the top right from the home feed.
  1. Look for “Requests” at the top of your inbox
    • You’ll usually see tabs like:
      • Primary
      • General
      • Requests 📩
    • Tap Requests.
  1. Also check “Hidden requests”
    • Inside the Requests screen, there is often a “Hidden requests” link, where spammy or filtered messages go.
  1. Open each request and choose what to do
    • For each chat, either:
      • Accept (moves to your main inbox)
      • Delete (removes it)
      • Block (if it’s spam or harassment)

Once you process everything in Requests and Hidden requests, the “you have message requests” indicator should disappear or stop appearing repeatedly.

If the alert still won’t go away

If you’ve checked every tab and it still says you have message requests, try:

  • Update Instagram to the latest version in the App Store / Play Store. Glitchy badges are often fixed in newer builds.
  • Force close and reopen the app.
  • Clear cache (Android) or reinstall the app (iOS/Android) if it’s really stuck.
  • Double‑check your message controls and filters to make sure there isn’t a category of requests you’re overlooking (like “Others on Instagram”, “Followers on Instagram”, etc.).

How to stop getting so many message requests

If the real problem is “why does my Instagram keep saying I have message requests” because randoms keep messaging me , you can reduce or disable them:

  1. Go to Settings and privacy → Messages / Message controls.
  1. For categories like:
    • People you don’t follow
    • People who follow you but you don’t follow back
    • Others on Instagram / Facebook friends, etc.
      set them to “Don’t receive requests” if you don’t want DMs from that group at all.
  1. Use Hidden words :
    • Settings and privacy → Hidden words → turn on Hide message requests and add custom words you don’t want in your inbox.

This way you’ll see fewer (or zero) message requests in the future, so the notification won’t keep popping up.

Quick example

Imagine this scenario:

You keep seeing “1 message request” at the top of your DMs, but every time you open your inbox, it looks empty.

What’s probably happening:

  • There’s a spam bot DM sitting in Hidden requests.
  • You never opened that hidden folder, so Instagram keeps counting it.
  • Once you open Hidden requests and hit Delete on that chat, the alert finally disappears.

TL;DR

  • Instagram shows “you have message requests” when there are pending DMs from people you don’t follow in Requests or Hidden requests.
  • Open your DMs → tap Requests → also check Hidden requests , then Accept/Delete/Block each one.
  • If it’s stuck, update the app, clear cache, or reinstall.
  • To stop this happening constantly, change your message controls and Hidden words so fewer strangers can message you.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.