Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Image-sharing platform Imgur adds social features to mobile apps, desktop

Image-sharing and discovery platform Imgur is introducing an update to its mobile apps and desktop site that’s all about encouraging social connections. Previously best known for its informal status as Reddit’s favorite image uploading site, the platform has always lacked a robust messaging system. However, that’s no longer the case.

On Tuesday, the company announced new chat and follow functions for its iOS and Android apps, with the former also being overhauled on desktop. In the past, Imgur’s users (known as “Imgurians”) only had access to a pared-back messaging system that didn’t allow for the sending of rich media — a major oversight for a platform that built its reputation on memes.

Recommended Videos

Now, the Imgur mobile apps allow users to message other Imgurians on the platform using GIFs, posts, emojis, and traditional text. There are several ways you can strike up a conversation with another member when on their profile: you can chat via comment, tap the share icon, or head into the chat interface and search for a username to initiate a conversation.

With unsolicited messaging comes the need for security measures to prevent abuse and harassment. For its part, Imgur is giving users the simple option to block users from within conversation threads. You can check to see who you’ve blocked from the “manage blocked users” list in the main chat menu. On desktop, users will be able to access old messages in read-only mode in account settings. Once again, you can use the search function to continue talking to a fellow Imgurian. As part of the update, Imgur has disabled messaging on its mobile website.

Another new addition on the Imgur apps is the ability to follow other users. If you want to keep up with the activity of an Imgurian, all you have to do is tap the new plus icon next to their username on posts and in profiles. A “following” tab within your own profile will show you who you’re currently following. By tapping the plus icon, Imgur will notify you when that user reaches “most viral” — a feed that shows the most upvoted, most widely shared content on the site. Unlike Twitter, Imgur doesn’t want its community to obsess over follower counts, which is why it’s chosen not to display who you’re following to others, and how many people follow you.

Additionally, the Imgur apps now support account updates, allowing you to edit your profile from right within the settings menu.

Earlier this year, the platform suffered a setback when Reddit announced it was ditching the site in favor of its own photo-uploading tool. Fortunately for Imgur, it has managed to build a community of devoted users and visitors since its launch in 2009. It’s currently sitting at number 15 on Alexa’s ranking of the top websites in the United States.

The Imgur app is available to download on iOS and Android.

Download for iOS Download for Android

Saqib Shah
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Saqib Shah is a Twitter addict and film fan with an obsessive interest in pop culture trends. In his spare time he can be…
How to deactivate your Instagram account (or delete it)
A person holding a phone with the Instagram app open on it.

Oh, social media. Sometimes it’s just too much, folks.

If you’re finding yourself in a position where shutting down your Instagram account for a period of time sounds good, the people at Meta have made it pretty simple to deactivate it. It’s also quite easy to completely delete your Instagram, although we wouldn’t recommend this latter option if you plan on returning to the platform at a later date.

Read more
Bluesky finally adds a feature many had been waiting for
A blue sky with clouds.

Bluesky has been making a lot of progress in recent months by simplifying the process to sign up while at the same time rolling out a steady stream of new features.

As part of those continuing efforts, the social media app has just announced that users can now send direct messages (DMs).

Read more
Reddit just achieved something for the first time in its 20-year history
The Reddit logo.

Reddit’s on a roll. The social media platform has just turned a profit for the first time in its 20-year history, and now boasts a record 97.2 million daily active users, marking a year-over-year increase of 47%. A few times during the quarter, the figure topped 100 million, which Reddit CEO and co-founder Steve Huffman said in a letter to shareholders had been a “long-standing milestone” for the site.

The company, which went public in March, announced the news in its third-quarter earnings results on Tuesday.

Read more