Short answer: you can’t fully turn off “Seen” everywhere on all accounts yet, but Instagram has two built-in options depending on your app version.
Try this first:
- Per-chat: open a DM > tap the chat name (or “i”) at the top > toggle Read receipts off for that thread.
- Global (if available): Profile > menu (≡) > Settings and privacy > Messages and story replies > Read receipts > toggle off.
If you don’t see either, update the app, force-quit/reopen, and check again—this feature is rolling out by region/build.
Workarounds when the toggle isn’t there:
- Read from notifications (expand previews) so it doesn’t mark “Seen.”
- Airplane mode: open DM, read, back out of the chat, force-close the app, then turn data back on.
- Leave messages in Message Requests (don’t “Accept”); you can read there without sending “Seen.”