Instagram constantly evolves, introducing new features to keep users engaged and help businesses thrive—from tools to boost content reach to exciting creative updates, these features can transform how you connect with your audience.
After all, staying updated on Instagram’s latest developments is crucial, regardless of whether you’re a market, a business owner, or an everyday user.
To leverage the platform’s full potential and stay ahead of the competition, keep on reading, as I cover all the new Instagram features as they release!
Stay tuned for the latest insights!
Instagram new features: January 2025
Meta is replacing fact checkers with community notes
In a surprising move for Meta, Mark Zuckerberg has just said that his company is getting rid of its third-party fact-checkers and implementing a community-based fact-checking system like X does.
Obviously, this move is supposed to move Meta closer to the new administration and will open the doors for more political content across its apps.
According to Meta’s CEO: “We’ve reached a point where [our moderation systems] make too many mistakes, and it’s too much censorship. The recent elections also feel like a cultural tipping point towards once again prioritizing speech. So we’re going to get back to our roots, and focus on reducing mistakes, simplifying our policies, and restoring free expression on our platforms.”
Best time to post on Instagram is 3 p.m. weekdays or 6 p.m. weekends
According to a new Buffer research, to maximize your reach on Instagram, the best time to post on the platform is 3 p.m. on weekdays and 6 p.m. on weekends:
Buffer based these findings on data they collected from 2 million posts. Furthermore, the data revealed that the best days to post are Monday and Friday.
Embed Instagram feed on your website without lifting a finger!
Generate and embed Instagram widget with your feed, mentions, or hashtags directly to your website.
FYI: You can automatically embed an Instagram widget with a social media aggregator, bringing your website to life with fresh content.
Mosseri says they are considering adding search filters in Instagram DM requests
While right now Instagram users can search through their active DMs, they cannot do the same in their DM requests folder.
That said, Mosseri says they might rectify that since adding advanced searching filters in Instagram is of benefit to everyone:
If implemented, users will be able to filter out DM requests based on keywords, similar to how its done in the main DM folder.
Screenshot prevention for Instagram media you can view only once
To protect the privacy of its users, Instagram has added new controls for the viewing of private media content:
Namely, users will now be prevented from screenshotting or recording media tagged as “only view once” and they will get the above popup when trying to do so.
Instagram is ready to release its 4:5 grid format
Instagram continues testing its 4:5 format for the users’ main grids, which will make it more appealing for certain user groups, such as photographers:
As you can see from the image above, the new grid is supposed to add an additional amount of detail to users’ photos.
You can now add custom chat nicknames in DM chats
Instagram users can now customize the chats they are having with their friends by adding nicknames for them:
Should you choose to, you can add different nicknames to different chats, and everyone can see these new nicknames.
Remember: only people you permit or follow can change your nickname.
Read more:
Check out the new Instagram updates released prior to 2025!
How to get new Instagram features?
Instagram frequently adds new features, and accessing them is not that hard. Here’s how you can ensure you’re among the first to try out Instagram’s latest updates:
- Keep the Instagram app updated – always check for updates in the App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android). Many new features are tied to app updates;
- Join Instagram’s beta program – sign up for Instagram’s beta testing program via the app store to get early access to experimental features before they’re widely released;
- Enable automatic updates – you can get the latest Instagram updates by turning on automatic updates in your device’s settings to ensure you never miss a feature;
- Check regional availability – some features are rolled out regionally, so if you don’t see a new feature yet, it might not be available in your area;
- Follow Instagram’s official channels – stay updated by following Instagram on its official social media accounts for announcements about new features;
- Be patient as it takes a while for global adoption – Instagram releases features in phases, so it may take time for them to reach your account.
By following these steps, you can stay ahead of other users and marketers and make the most of Instagram’s new features as they become available.
Instagram new features: December 2024
Instagram is launching Movie Gen by the end of 2024
According to Mosseri, Instagram is hard at work on their Movie Gen technology, which is supposed to help users change almost every aspect of their videos via text prompts:
As you can see, the early version of the current model helped Adam change his clothing and background into a winter-themed location.
When officially launched, this new tech will allow creators to change everything from their outfits to the background and style of the video, i.e., convert it into a cartoon version.
Instagram Reels are getting cover art
To help creators better express themselves, the Instagram team will soon be introducing a “Cover Art” feature for Reels:
Now, social media managers can choose the right frame to display and even add text to their cover images, which should clarify their goals better.
Instagram will allow you to hide your Reels view counts soon!
In an effort to give its users more control over their metrics, Instagram is soon implementing an option to hide the view counts on your Reels:
This new change is related to the overall Meta initiative to give users total control over their data across the full app portfolio.
Instagram is helping out its Reels creators via audience sampling
Since Reels is probably the most popular content on Instagram right now, the platform wants to help its creator base optimize their Reels performance.
The latest change is ‘Trial Reels’, which will help creators test their content with non-followers to determine what works and what doesn’t:
As you can see from the images above, now you can toggle the ‘Trial’ option when posting a reel, which will keep the Reel in a separate section while it’s being tested. Also, you can opt in to have it go live automatically if it performs well within the first 72 hours.
Read more in the official Instagram post for creators.
Instagram has introduced plenty of new Broadcast Channel features
Recognizing the importance of channels in bringing closer creators to their audience, Instagram has made some very impactful improvements to them:
- Replies—have back-and-forth conversations with your audience
- Prompts—create conversation prompts for your fans
- Insights—study metrics like total number of interactions and story shares
The goal of all these improvements is to help creators understand what works with their audience and to offer them tools to communicate with them.
Instagram users can now tag people in their stories
This change is especially helpful for social media managers coordinating a new marketing campaign as they can now tag their collaborators in IG stories even:
As you can see, the new ‘Mention’ button pops up at the bottom of the published story, after which you can search for and tag any user you wish.
Instagram started showing the post view count in the app
While hiding the like counts on Reels, Instagram is showcasing different metrics for its posts, namely post views:
This image showcases the new feature in action: users can now see how many times their post has been shown in the feeds of other users, which is a direct indicator as to the post’s reach.
Instagram Reels are getting viewing improvements
Instagram continues building upon its most successful type of content: Reels. The latest change includes a ‘View full-screen’ and a number of ‘Saves’ features:
Both content creators and consumers will benefit from these features, as creators will know how many times their Reels have been saved, whereas viewers will be able to see them in full screen.
Mosseri recommends uploading high-quality videos to Instagram
The higher the quality of the video, the better the video will look like after Instagram processes it on your profile, according to Mosseri:
However, while you should stick at around 1080p (at least 720p) and at least 30 fps for your videos, you should also ensure your content is top-notch as viewers care more about what they see on Instagram.
Instagram DMs will have a schedule option soon
This one is very important to social media managers planning a content and marketing strategy since they need to have everything in place ahead of time.
Namely, Instagram users will soon be able to schedule even their DMs:
You can imagine the impact of this change on anyone who is planning an Instagram campaign. They can compose and pre-send engagement messages to their followers or reveal a piece of information at a pre-set date.
Instagram’s broadcast channels get insights
Broadcast channels are very useful for influencers and brands as they can deliver your content to all your followers at once. Now, they are getting some attention as they will allow users to track performance metrics:
You will be able to track everything from your messaging activity to setting up performance goals, which will help you grow your community.
Instagram will allow users to create communities when sharing posts
To facilitate the exchange of ideas and the bonding over common content, Instagram will soon allow users to send posts to around 50 other users, according to leakers:
After doing that, users will effectively create a micro-community/group chat centered around the post in question.
The Instagram Reel creation flow gets an upgrade
Do you receive photos in DMs that you want to use for your Reels? Now, instead of having to download them first, you can create your Reels directly with the press of a button:
This change undoubtedly streamlines the tasks of social media managers who must stay on top of their brand’s image.
Instagram new features: November 2024
Instagram no longer moves the posts you are reading
Users have been facing this annoying issue for a long time now, which Mosseri just said has been fixed:
Namely, users used to open Instagram and the content they would be reading would just disappear, which was the result of Instagram loading more recent content.
Now, Instagram is still adding new content, but it requires manual input from the user (a scroll) to insert it in the Feed.
Instagram users will be able to reset their content recommendations
We all know that our Instagram content algorithm can be greatly affected by even viewing a couple of different posts than what we usually see.
To address this issue, Mosseri just said that his team are testing ways to offer users the option to reset these content recommendations:
Therefore, if you find your Explore, Reels, and Feed channels being affected by the odd video your friend has sent, you will be able to get a fresh start and personalize your recommendations from scratch.
Mosseri clarifies the use of Instagram broadcast channels
In a recent AMA, Mosseri clarified the nature of broadcast channels on Instagram:
Apparently, the best way to use them is to reach your most passionate followers, so you have to design your content for this type of users.
Additionally, he says that you should name the channel and promote it on your other social media pages.
Instagram AI stickers coming soon
In line with other AI additions, Instagram will also let users create AI stickers of themselves:
Unlike the current AI stickers, this new feature will simply generate AI stickers of the images you upload, instead of using text-based prompts to generate stickers for you.
Instagram insights added to post previews
Social media leakers have just posted about a new post insights change coming to Instagram:
Namely, users will be able to quickly access any post’s insights by long-pressing on the post directly from their Grid.
Instagram is working on a UI overhaul
One of Instagram’s biggest goals for the new year is to overhaul the UI experience:
The first task is to integrate the ‘Story Highlights’ into the main grid section of users’ profiles.
That said, Mosseri confirmed that they are testing out different ideas on the best way to achieve this goal.
New Instagram filter available
In addition to a recent DM filter on Instagram for Story replies, Instagram is also introducing one for ‘People you follow’
This will surely help brand managers filter out certain direct messages. For instance, imagine organizing a UGC contest that only allows your followers to participate. With the filter, you can quickly determine which user is eligible for that.
Instagram is suggesting account to follow in the Story tray
In an effort to grow its userbase and help other users find accounts they might be interested in, Instagram will start pushing suggested accounts in the Story tray:
These new stories will be similar in content to what the user is already following so they may appeal to them.
Instagram DMs got three new chat themes
In a continuous effort to offer additional customizability to its users, Instagram has just added three new DM chat themes:
Known as Butterbear, Gothic charms, and Graph paper, these new chat teams will surely add a dash of whimsy to the existing collection of chat themes.
Instagram may allow scheduling collaborative posts
According to a recent Reel published by Mosseri, Instagram may be working on allowing its users to schedule collaborative posts:
As you can imagine, this addition would be welcome by social media managers as they can collaborate with other brands much easier in the future, and plan future marketing campaigns.
Instagram doesn’t downrank sponsored content
Mosseri has debunked the rumor that Instagram is downranking content that has been marked as sponsored:
In his recent Reel, he said that creators can keep on making sponsored posts without the fear of having their content pushed down the feed of other users.
Instagram will show you the common groups with other users
As leaked recently, Instagram is currently working on the option to show the groups you have with other users in your mutual chat section:
As you can see, this new “Shared groups” button is placed on top of the chat settings and once pressed reveals all your common groups.
You will be able to create an AI profile picture on Instagram
Recent leaks showcased a new option when changing your Instagram profile image—creating an AI-made one:
As you can see, you only need to press the corresponding button when updating your current image.
Instagram will add an advanced crop feature to Stories
As always, Instagram keeps on trying out new and interesting changes to its platform to keep its active and young userbase interested in the platform. This latest change is an advanced crop tool that will allow you to add various shapes to your Story images:
After placing your image, you can now select your crop template and then zoom in and out of your image to get a final cropped result. In the example above, the user used the ‘Star’ crop option.
Instagram is working on letting users add media to a carousel after sharing
According to social media leakers, Instagram is working on a much-expected update: the ability to add media after you share a carousel:
This is something that users have requested for years, and it’s good to see that Instagram is finally making this change.
Instagram new features: October 2024
Instagram is trying out Reels performance tips
To help out influencers and social media managers, Instagram is testing new helpful notes in live Reels, which provide an insight on why a certain piece of content is performing well on the platform:
You can see the contextual insights added to the Reel above describing the most important factors why this exact Reel is standing out on Instagram.
Once you tap on the prompt, you’ll get further insight and an option to create your own reel or save the current reel.
Instagram adds additional notification filters on Android
Instagram is always improving its Android experience, and that is still true with the latest notification change:
As you can see, now you can filter your notifications based on several categories: tags and mentions, comments, and follows.
Also, you can swap between verified accounts and/or those you follow.
New message filter in Instagram DM requests
To help you better organize your DM inbox, Instagram has added a new message filter for your Story replies:
Now, when you get to your ‘Message requests’ section, you’ll see a new section for all the DM requests sent to you via your Stories.
Instagram has added ‘Notes’ prompts
It’s nothing new that Instagram keeps on developing its fan-favorite ‘Notes’ feature, with the latest change being a ‘Notes prompt’ that is meant to encourage your friends to join in the fun:
As you can see, you’ll be able to see who added to your prompt, what they said, and how many responses you got.
Meta collaborates with Hollywood to develop its next-gen text-to-video tool
In an attempt to give the tech world a state-of-the-art AI generative tool that would produce videos from text prompts, Meta has chosen to team up with Hollywood experts and filmmakers.
The tool, which was revealed a couple of weeks ago, is said to help users create high-definition short video clips.
Known as Meta Movie Gen, this tool is also said to enable creation of personalized videos, audio creation, and precision video editing, and you can learn more in Meta’s promo YouTube video here.
You can now add a song to an Instagram note from its song page
Did you recently like a song you heard on Instagram and visited its official page? Well, now you can directly add it to your notes to share it with your followers:
You get this option once you click on the airplane icon, as you can see from the image above.
Instagram’s and Spotify’s integration grows stronger
To drive new users to Spotify, Instagram has added a small Spotify icon titled ‘Add’ to its song pages:
Once clicked, users will directly save said song to their Spotify playlist, without having to open Spotify and search for the song.
FAQs about Instagram latest updates
How often does Instagram get a new feature?
Instagram rolls out new features frequently, often monthly or even weekly. Updates depend on the platform’s roadmap and testing cycles. Major feature releases typically align with broader platform goals or trends.
When do I get new features on Instagram?
New features are released in phases and may take time to reach your account. Availability depends on your region, app version, and account type. Ensure your app is updated and monitor Instagram’s announcements for rollout timelines.
How do I download every new Instagram feature?
To access new features, update your app regularly through the App Store or Google Play Store. You can also join Instagram’s beta program to test features early. Features may appear automatically once released to your account.
