Twitter users can now receive Direct Messages from anyone on Twitter, even if you don’t follow them

Twitter has recently made some adjustment its direct message (DM) feature, allowing users to receive private messages from other users, even if you don’t follow them. This new feature is available in the form of a new setting, which is switched-off by default.

“Before, if you wanted to send a Direct Message to a user, you’d have to ask the user to follow you first,” the microblogging company said in a blog post. “With today’s changes, the user can opt to receive Direct Messages from anyone.”

A notable point worth considering is that if you have enabled the aforementioned setting and want to stop someone from sending you DMs, you can do so by blocking them. The new feature, which are rolling out worldwide, also shows a new DM button on profile pages of people you can send messages to – the button will only be available to iPhone and Android users.

This new feature comes just a few months after Twitter added group direct messages (DMs) to its service.

To set-up your direct message service, follow the steps below for android and IOS users 

To send a Direct Message from your Twitter app:

1. Tap the envelope icon. You’ll be directed to your Messages.
2. Tap the new Message icon  to create a new Message.
3. In the address box, enter the name(s) or @username(s) of the users you wish to send a Message to. A group Message can include up to 30 people.
4. Enter your message. Tap the picture icon to take or include a photo in your message. Note: When you share a photo in a Direct Message, the photo is only viewable by the sender and recipient(s).
5. Click Send.

Pro tips:

• You and anyone else in a conversation can click or tap the more icon ••• (iOS) or overflow icon  (Android) to add new people, view everyone participating, edit the name of the group, turn off notifications for the conversation, or delete the conversation.
• You can share a Tweet via Direct Message. Learn more here.

To delete a Direct Message or conversation:

• To delete a Direct Message, tap and hold the message and select Delete from the menu that pops up.
• To delete an entire conversation, swipe left on the conversation and tap the trash can icon (iOS) or tap and hold the conversation and select Delete (Android). You can also delete an entire conversation by clicking or tapping the more icon ••• (iOS) or overflow icon  (Android) and selecting Delete from the menu that pops up.
• When you delete a Direct Message or conversation (sent or received), it is deleted from your account only.

To send a Direct Message via the web:

1. Log in to your Twitter account.
2. Click Messages in the top navigation bar.
3. You'll see a pop up showing your Direct Message history. Click the New message button.
4. In the address box, enter the name(s) or @username(s) of the users you wish to send a Message to. A group Message can include up to 30 people.
5. If you’d like to include a photo in your Message, click Add photo. Note: When you share a photo in a Direct Message, the photo is only viewable by the sender and recipient(s).
6. Enter your message and click Send message.