You’re not missing much—IG doesn’t have a true “secret inbox,” but a few spots get overlooked:
- Inbox > Requests > Hidden requests (tiny link at the top; sometimes called Potential spam).
- If they use a Professional/Creator account: check both Primary and General tabs.
- Open any chat and swipe up: Vanish Mode deletes messages after viewing (you’ll see a banner when it’s on).
- Settings & privacy > Messages/Story replies + Hidden Words: filtered DMs live in Hidden Requests; check custom word lists.
- Settings > Privacy > Restricted/Blocked accounts: messages from these go to Requests with no alerts.
- Use the DM search bar for names, and peek at the Calls tab for voice/video call history.
For oversight: IG Family Center shows time/follows but not DMs; real DM monitoring mostly works on Android via notification access (Bark/mSpy/etc). On iPhone, you’ll basically only see notifications, not full chats.