Instagram evolves constantly in an effort to meet the wants and needs of its user base.

These changes and innovations are applied constantly, so tracking them is imperative for creators, brands, and marketers. Missing even one can cost reach, engagement, and revenue. You can also keep your latest posts visible with an Instagram feed widget on your own site.

To help you with that, I’m tracking new Instagram features all the time and will be adding them to this blog post throughout 2026. I’ll also include updates to Instagram Edits as they are related.

Furthermore, all Instagram new features will be logged chronologically, so you can scan fast and then dive deep if you want to check out illustrations and learn more.

On Instagram, early adopters usually win, so keep reading below.

Wondering how to have the latest Instagram features before everyone else?

Here are a few best practices you can adopt:

• Keep the app fully updated: feature rollouts often depend on the latest app version;
• Opt into beta features when available: early access usually goes to beta testers first;
• Use Instagram professionally: business and creator accounts receive new tools earlier;
• Follow official Meta and Instagram channels: product updates are often hinted at before release;
• Monitor feature rollouts across regions: some Instagram new features appear country by country;
• Track updates externally with tools like EmbedSocial: our platform includes social listening features that can help you spot new formats, content types, and engagement shifts faster.

As you can see, staying updated is a system, not luck.

Check out our previous editions:

Instagram New Features Every Marketer Should Know: 2025 Edition

New Instagram Features & Updates [2020 – 2024]

Instagram has added a new Meta AI song creator inside DMs, letting users type a few words or lyrics, pick a music style, and have Meta AI turn it into a song they can send to friends directly in the conversation.

Instagram is testing a canvas editor for Carousels inside Edits, letting creators build and edit carousels using a mix of images and videos with tools like layouts, cutouts, text, and backgrounds. Edits has focused on Reels so far, but as Lindsey Gamble notes, the overlap in core components makes Carousel support a logical next step, and could help Instagram pull more creators into the app.

Instagram is testing a new Threads sticker for Stories, letting users quickly share a post (saved, liked, or one of their own) straight to a Story, alongside existing sticker options like Location, Mention, Music, and Polls.

Instagram now lets creators boost live videos as ads directly from the in-app livestream composer, extending the existing boost option already available for posts, Stories, and Reels. Instagram recommends scheduling the boost at least two hours before going live to reduce ad delivery delays.

The promotion runs only while the creator is broadcasting, showcasing the in-progress livestream to active users to grow the audience in real time, a faster alternative to building the same campaign through Meta Ads Manager.

Meta has rolled out the Edits assistant to all US users of the Edits app, an AI creative partner built on a creator’s own Instagram data rather than generic advice. It can analyze performance metrics (follows, views, retention, likes, shares), spot patterns across a creator’s history, and surface trending audio matched to their niche.

Edits lead Brett Westervelt said the tool is designed to “do the digging” rather than the creative work itself. One tester discovered his non-food content outperformed his cooking videos, while another found mixing 7-second reels among longer ones boosted performance. It’s free with a daily prompt limit, with expanded usage coming via Meta One subscription.

Edits now lets creators choose which clips and overlays are reusable when building a template, deciding exactly what others can pull into their own Reels. Creators are automatically credited as the original template maker, with their username shown on any Reel that reuses their clips.

Meta and Shopify have announced a partnership enabling Muse agents to check out via Shop Pay on any Shopify store, letting the AI agent search products and even negotiate prices on a user’s behalf. Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke said the deal will “enable agentic checkout… offering people an easy and delightful way to shop and check out with Muse.”

Amazon, meanwhile, has asked to be removed from Meta’s Muse agent list entirely, citing its rules against automated shopping tools, likely protecting the upsell opportunities it gets from users browsing its site directly. The split highlights a bigger tension: AI agents shopping on a user’s behalf could squeeze out the “convenience” factor that’s kept people loyal to large retailers, while forcing smaller platforms and manufacturers to compete purely on price and AI-readable listings.

Edits is rolling out Kits, letting creators save their colors, text styles, caption styles, and audio choices together in one preset. Kits can be named and reused across projects, making it easier to keep a consistent visual style without resetting preferences each time.

Edits now lets users reorder their editing toolbar by dragging tools like Audio, Text, Voice, Links, Captions, Filters, Adjust, Effects, Overlay, Sound FX, Cutout, and Sticker into whatever order they prefer, with a “Reset to default” option available.

As shared by Adam Mosseri, Instagram is rolling out the ability to add posts you’re tagged in to your own profile grid. It’s a small change, but it gives creators more control over how their profile represents them.

Instagram Edits is testing a “Welcome to Edits” feature designed to help new users get oriented with the app’s key tools.

As you can see, the walkthrough highlights core features step by step, such as licensed music access, text styling tools, tap-to-find tool discovery, transitions, and sharing/save options, as users move through a sample project.

Instagram Edits will soon let users create and edit carousel posts. The editor will include everything from mixing images, videos, or both directly in the app.

The update adds a “Carousel” option alongside the existing Camera and Gallery options when starting a new project, expanding Edits beyond single-video creation into a broader post-creation tool.

Edits is rolling out a “Vibe” section in its music search, letting users browse tracks by mood: Happy, Chill, Playful, Sports, and more, instead of hunting through a flat song library, on top of the existing Recent search history.

Instagram has launched First Draft, a new tool that turns a selected batch of clips into a rough Reel edit with one tap, automatically trimming pauses and silences from talking-head footage to get creators past the technical setup faster. Everything it does is reversible, so creators can reorder, remove, or adjust before moving on; it’s currently iOS only.

The tool is built for how people already create: multi-clip montages, talking-head videos, day-in-the-life content. It can be accessed either from the Reels gallery (select clips → tap “First draft”) or directly from the Instagram camera after filming.

Instagram appears to be testing song lyrics of the song attached to your profile.

Users will be able to access the lyrics by tapping on the profile song and then listen along with the text. Small, but nifty quality of life feature.

Instagram is testing a “Next post” prompt that appears while scrolling through a post’s comments, letting users swipe directly into the next post in their feed without backing out of the comment section first.

Instagram has laid out its monetization eligibility requirements across three follower tiers.

To be eligible, users must be 18 or older, have a professional account (business or creator), create and share original content, and be able to monetize. Brand partnerships are available regardless of follower count. Accounts with 1K+ followers unlock affiliate programs, Creator Marketplace, bonuses for photo and carousel posts, gifts, and invitation-only bonuses for Reels. Accounts with 10K+ followers also add creator subscriptions and badges.

Meta is testing a Reply to Keywords option in Instagram ad setup tools, letting advertisers choose up to five keywords that automatically trigger a private message when someone comments them on a promoted post. It’s a simple way to nurture leads. An ad could prompt “comment WINNING for more info” and have Instagram handle the DM follow-up automatically.

Similar functionality already exists through Meta’s inbox automation and Business Agent tools, but this connects it directly to ad setup. The option is currently Instagram-only, not yet available for Facebook ads.

Instagram’s creators account published tips on writing captions that drive engagement: hook readers in the first 1-2 lines since that’s all that’s visible before “more,” tell a story or add real value, end with a clear call-to-action, and weave in descriptive keywords naturally since Instagram’s search reads caption text.

The guide also recommends using line breaks and emojis to keep longer captions scannable, and notes that carousel posts can have a unique caption per slide via the “Multiple captions” option in the advanced caption screen.

Instagram is renaming the AI creator label to “AI-generated profile” to make it clearer when a profile features an AI-generated person rather than a human, and will limit the reach of unlabeled profiles that feature one. Creators who previously added the old label will be prompted to confirm it still applies or remove it; those who simply use AI tools in their creative process don’t need to add anything.

Unlabeled profiles that Instagram detects will be notified and can check Account Status to see if they’ve lost recommendation eligibility, with two ways back: adding the label, or appealing if they believe the detection was wrong.

Instagram is reportedly developing a “Theme Song” feature for chats that could let users pick a song to represent a conversation. It’s still early in development and not yet functional, so how it will actually work remains unclear.

Instagram has a new ad option that lets businesses run ads without posting them to their profile. Advertisers can upload fresh photos or videos and use them purely for a campaign, keeping the profile feed separate from paid creative.

Instagram is testing a new iOS feature called “Catch Up,” which gives users a quick recap of Stories they may have missed while away from the app.

Edits has rolled out a batch of workflow updates, most notably Folders for organizing projects via drag-and-drop, and a new Extend tool (US only) that turns any photo into a moving clip using an AI prompt.

The update also adds the ability to bookmark and save favorite text and caption styles directly from the canvas, cutting down on repetitive setup for creators who reuse the same look across projects.

Meta has bundled several business tools into one update, led by Meta Business Agent, which can answer customer questions around the clock, loop in team members at the right moment, and help close sales. Alongside it, Grid Reordering lets businesses drag and drop their profile grid into the order they want, controllable from a long-press menu or the “Edit profile” screen.

Meta also introduced Meta One, a subscription bundling access across eligible Meta technologies, adding verification and profile protection, an enhanced link-in-bio, and improved reach and AI-powered growth tools for subscribers.

Meta is encouraging businesses to treat WhatsApp as a direct extension of their Instagram presence, highlighting how ads that click to a WhatsApp chat help build trust with customers already active on a platform with over 3 billion users. The setup: boost a post with “More messages” as the goal, then choose WhatsApp as the messaging app.

Meta also recommends adjusting ad targeting based on where a customer sits in the funnel, and using WhatsApp conversations to create upsell and cross-sell opportunities once the initial chat is underway.

Instagram has rolled out Muse Image, its most advanced image generation model yet, letting advertisers upgrade ad creative directly from existing assets. The tool follows instructions closely, edits with precision, composes from multiple reference images, and can even produce static images from video creative.

Key use cases include generating new backgrounds around product shots, building full lifestyle image variations inspired by existing ads, and producing multiple on-brand ad variations faster than manual creation would allow.

As shared by Adam Mosseri, Instagram has updated its wordmark for the first time in 10 years, giving it a cleaner, more modern look that leans on references to the original logo while keeping the simplicity and craft that’s defined the brand since the start.

Instagram has added three new benefits for Instagram+ subscribers: exclusive custom fonts for Stories, custom fonts for Direct Messages, and Message Preview, which lets users read a message without triggering the “seen” notification for the sender.

Edits is testing a Folders feature in beta that lets users organize their projects into folders for faster access and a cleaner workspace, accessible via the “Organise” option in a project’s menu.

Instagram is rolling out a Bonuses program that lets eligible creators earn money directly from photo and carousel posts, expanding monetization beyond video formats. Payouts are made twice a month based on how well the content performs.

Instagram head Adam Mosseri has again recommended that accounts with larger audiences be the ones to publish Collab Posts and invite smaller accounts as collaborators. While the post distributes to both audiences, the initial push comes from whoever publishes it, meaning the account with reach should lead.

Notably, this isn’t new guidance; Mosseri said something similar back in 2024, suggesting the ranking system still favors the original poster over the invited collaborator.

Instagram is updating the Mention sticker to support tagging multiple accounts in a single sticker, along with expanded color customization options for how the sticker displays.

It’s a straightforward but useful fix for creators who regularly tag collaborators, sponsors, or multiple accounts in one Story, cutting down on sticker clutter.

Instagram is testing the ability to apply voice effects to voice notes before sending them, with options including Chipmunk, Demon, Pirate, Alien, Robot, Autotune, Whisper, Stadium, Underwater, Wobble, Fishbowl, Grandpa, Grandma, and Princess.

It’s a playful addition to a format that’s largely stayed utilitarian, and could push voice notes toward more casual, entertainment-driven use rather than just quick messaging.

Edits has rolled out several workflow upgrades at once.

Projects can now be exported directly to Instagram Stories from iOS, and audio can be found by vibe or mood (chill, bossy) or by interest (fashion, travel) instead of scrolling through a generic library.

On the editing side, adjustment layers now apply a single effect across an entire timeline at once, and audio tools have been consolidated into one centralized spot, making it faster to find and apply the tool you need.

As shared by Adam Mosseri, Instagram now lets users swap the audio on already-published feed posts and carousels. No need to delete and re-upload. The option lives under the three-dot menu on any post; tap edit, then swap the audio.

It’s a small but overdue fix for a longstanding creator pain point, letting people correct or update a track without losing the post’s existing engagement.

Instagram is reportedly testing timestamps for Story views, letting users see the exact time someone viewed their Story rather than just a list of viewers. Based on this leaked preview, the feature would live in the existing “Who viewed this story” panel, adding a precise time (e.g., “10s ago”) next to each viewer.

Instagram Stories now has 30 new AI-powered effects built on Meta’s Muse Image model, transformable in a single tap. The rollout is US-only to start. Presets include Disposable (film camera feel), Night Flash (high-contrast analog flash look), Editorial (magazine-feature styling), and IG Charms (turning your profile into a Y2K keychain).

Beyond the presets, users can type a custom prompt, like “put me on a rooftop at sunset” or “make this look like a watercolor painting,” and Meta AI reads the photo’s lighting, composition, and subject to keep the edit feeling natural rather than generic.

Edits keeps expanding its toolkit. Users can now import their own fonts from their device and apply them across text and captions, generate lyrics from selected music and style them like any other caption, and search video effects by keyword (“blur,” “fade”) instead of scrolling to find them.

Instagram is promoting messaging ads as an underused revenue channel, positioning DMs as a direct line to closing sales rather than just a support inbox.

The framework: pick a video or carousel showcasing the product, write a caption with a clear value prop and reason to DM, set “Send message” as the CTA, choose the destination inbox (Instagram or WhatsApp), set a budget, and load 2+ conversation starters to speed up buyer questions.

The rest of the flow covers post-sale follow-through, confirming orders and sharing payment details in the same thread, plus a tip to track performance through Meta Business Suite. Instagram also notes that closing sales via DM (not just messages) helps unlock more advanced tools over time.

As shared by Adam Mosseri, Instagram has rolled out a new first-party image generation model, letting users transform photos using built-in presets or fully custom prompts.

He demoed it with a few examples: turning a photo into a 1990s film-flash aesthetic, exaggerating an outfit into an oversized puffer style, generating a cloisonné-style enamel pin flatlay from someone’s bio and interests, and warping a shot into an inverted “tiny planet” 360 projection.

The range of demos signals this is meant as a flexible creative tool rather than a single-effect filter, closer to a general-purpose image editor built into the app.

As shared by Adam Mosseri, Instagram is rolling out AI translation support for five more languages, Japanese, Korean, French, German, and Italian, with users now able to translate both voice dubbing and on-screen captions within the same Reel, rather than choosing one or the other.

Facebook is getting its own language expansion alongside this update, adding Bahasa, Indonesian, Arabic, French, Vietnamese, and Thai to its AI translation tools. More languages are planned for both apps going forward.

Edits is rolling out another useful batch of creation tools, this time focused on captions, templates, and audio.

The biggest addition is bilingual captions, which can automatically translate captions into a second language and help creators reach audiences beyond their main market.

Meta is also upgrading templates with overlay support and the ability to lock specific clips, so reused templates hold their structure more cleanly.

On top of that, Edits is adding more seasonal sound effects, giving creators extra ways to match their videos to current moods and moments.

Instagram is expanding Meta AI’s role inside the app by letting users ask Meta AI about any post, photo or Reel. The feature analyzes the content and generates a quick summary, making it easier to understand what a post is about without leaving the viewing screen.

Instagram is rolling out video recording in the instant DM camera, expanding it beyond photo-only capture. That means users can now quickly record and send videos straight from the messaging camera, making casual sharing inside DMs faster and more flexible.

Instagram has rolled out a new carousel upgrade that lets users give each slide its own caption. Instead of one caption carrying the whole post, creators can now add fresh context to every swipe with a single toggle.

This is a genuinely useful update for educational posts, storytelling carousels, and product explainers, because it gives creators more room to guide viewers slide by slide without cramming everything into one caption.

Edits is rolling out another big batch of creator tools:

• The new audience insights give creators a better view of who follows them and when those users are most active. Meta is also adding PDF exports, which makes it easier to share audience data with brands or collaborators.
• Edits now lets users compare up to three Reels side by side, so it is easier to see what is working. That should make performance review much faster for creators testing different formats or hooks.
• Opacity blending is also rolling out, giving users more control over how text, stickers, and captions sit inside a video. It is a small tool, but it opens up cleaner layering and more polished edits.
• Meta is also adding Restyle, which lets users transform the look of a video with a simple prompt. It pushes Edits further into AI-assisted creation instead of just manual editing.
• Finally, iOS users can now export videos up to 15 minutes long from Edits. That gives creators more room for longer tutorials, explainers, and extended video projects.

Instagram is again showing carousel posts with music inside the Reels tab. Adam Mosseri says adding music to a carousel makes it eligible for Reels distribution, not just the main feed.

That gives carousels another reach boost, especially for accounts trying to get in front of non-followers. It is a simple publishing tweak, but one that can make a real difference in distribution.

Instagram is rolling out photo comments, letting users reply to posts with images from their camera roll instead of just text, emojis, or GIFs. It is a small feature on paper, but it changes the tone of comment sections by making conversations more visual and a lot more expressive.

For creators and brands, that also means posts could spark a different kind of interaction, with users now able to respond using screenshots, memes, reaction images, or product photos. In practice, it gives Instagram comments a bit more personality and pushes the platform further toward richer in-app engagement.

Instagram is rolling out Meta AI-powered post summaries to more users and adding a new action menu icon on posts to make those summaries easier to access. The goal is to let users get AI-generated context about a post directly from the post itself.

Instagram is introducing a new Original Content page that shows how many times a piece of content has been reused when the ‘Allow Reuse’ option is turned on. Similar to the Audio page, it highlights the original creator and surfaces the posts made from that original content.

Instagram is introducing a new Link Page feature for Meta Verified subscribers, giving them a dedicated page that displays the links attached to their profile in one place. It works like a built-in link-in-bio page and can be shared across platforms to make discovery easier.

Meta is bringing Edits to desktop, expanding its video editing app beyond mobile and making it easier to fit into a wider creator workflow.

That is a practical move for creators and social teams who want more space, more flexibility, and a smoother way to manage projects across devices.

At the same time, Meta is testing a new AI production assistant inside Edits, designed to suggest video ideas, surface performance-based tips, and eventually help with editing tasks. It is another sign that Meta wants Edits to become more than a simple editing app, pushing it toward a fuller creation hub built around both production and insights.

Instagram just expanded its ‘Your Algorithm’ topic controls to the main feed, giving users another way to tell the app what they actually want to see.

Mosseri confirmed the launch saying the feature already rolled out to Reels and Explore, and now it reaches one of Instagram’s most important surfaces as well.

Users can review the topics Instagram thinks they care about, then adjust that list to steer recommendations in a more direct way.

Adam Mosseri has framed the move as part of a bigger push to give people more agency over an experience that has become increasingly shaped by AI-driven recommendations.

Instagram is expanding access to post-view ads in Reels, which place a promotion right after an organic Reel finishes. The format includes a countdown on the original Reel, a skip option, and a return to the original clip if the viewer skips the ad.

The placement only appears after eligible Reels longer than 60 seconds, and it plugs directly into Instagram’s existing Reels ad tools in Campaign Manager.

It is another clear sign that Meta keeps building more ad inventory around Reels as short-form video stays central to its ad business.

Instagram has rolled out a new ‘Reorder your grid’ feature that lets users move posts around their profile grid however they want.

Instead of being stuck with chronological order beyond pinned posts, users can now tap, drag, and drop content into a new position to better highlight their work or refresh how their profile looks.

It is a simple change, but a meaningful one for creators, brands, and anyone who treats their profile as a visual storefront. After years of people asking for more control over how their grid appears, Instagram is finally handing it over.

Instagram is rolling out two practical business updates at once: boosts can now be powered by a product catalog, and carousel posts can be reordered after publishing.

The catalog option is designed to match products to interested viewers automatically, cutting down the extra creative work needed to turn a post into a shoppable ad.

At the same time, Instagram is adding post-publish carousel reordering, so users can drag content into a new sequence without deleting and reposting.

There’s a new wave of Edits updates for June 2026:

Edits is adding Reels search inside the Inspiration tab, so users can look up specific topics and find more relevant ideas faster.

Edits is also adding 15 new in-and-out animation effects on iOS, giving creators more ways to build smoother motion between scenes and elements.

Another update is Project Versions, which lets users create multiple versions of the same project and test different creative directions without cluttering the main projects grid.

Edits is further adding item-to-item alignment, which helps users snap and line up elements more precisely inside a project.

Finally, Edits is introducing a Beta tab, a dedicated space where users can try early features before full launch and send feedback directly from the app.

Instagram is testing a new Highlights flow that lets users share content straight to Highlights without posting it to Stories first.

The option is framed as a cleaner way to save favorite moments to a profile while skipping the extra Story step.

That is a smart update for creators and brands that use Highlights as a permanent profile showcase, not just a Story archive.

It makes Highlights feel more like a standalone publishing surface instead of a leftover feature attached to Stories.

Instagram is testing a new ‘Audience Connections’ section inside the Professional Dashboard, designed to give creators a clearer view of who is engaging with them.

This new feature highlights top engaged followers, new followers, and users whose engagement has dropped over time, which turns audience data into something much more actionable for creators trying to understand who is actually paying attention.

Instagram’s chief says that the thing that matters most is your engagement rates, which will explain why a certain post got its reach. Namely, how many people engaged with that post by liking, sending, etc.

Moreover, you should also look at connected and unconnected reach, i.e., what’s the reach distribution between the number of followers who saw your post vs. people who saw but do not follow you.

Instagram is testing a new profile feature that lets users add up to five interests to their profile, giving visitors a quicker read on what they are into and potentially making it easier to connect over shared topics.

The feature also appears tied to recommendation signals, which lines up with Instagram’s broader push to let people shape what the algorithm shows them through tools like ‘Your Algorithm’.

Mosseri just got on his Instagram vlog to announce that Instagram Plus is now officially available, with a bunch of new features.

For instance, users can extend their stories, they can see how many times their stories have been seen, they can search through their viewers, and they can preview other people’s stories without appearing in their viewers’ lists.

He says there’s no obligation to subscribe to this tier, but it’s there now for those who find these features helpful.

Edits appears to be rolling out another small batch of creator-focused updates. Users can now import their own audio files, save them to their library, and reuse them later.

Threads is also adding a loudness-matching tool, which automatically balances volume levels across clips and voiceovers so projects sound more consistent without manual tweaking.

On top of that, Edits is getting 200 more sound effects and a new way to search saved fonts faster, so the overall direction is clear enough: less fiddling around, more speed when editing.

Edits appears to be testing a new Meta AI captioning tool that can automatically detect spoken text in a video and place each caption segment at the right point on the timeline. Users would then be able to edit and style those captions, with an option to apply the same design across all generated text:

Instagram appears to be rolling out its screenshot-prevention feature to Stories. The prompt suggests some Story media may become view-only once, with screenshots blocked for added privacy.

That would line up with Meta’s broader push to limit screenshots of sensitive content, after already adding screenshot and screen-recording protection for disappearing images in DMs.

Instagram has added the teleprompter feature to its main in-app camera for Reels, bringing over one of the more useful tools from Edits.

Adam Mosseri says creators can now load a scrolling script while recording, making it easier to stay on message without doing endless retakes.

It is a pretty straightforward creator upgrade, but a smart one. Instead of forcing users into a separate editing workflow first, Instagram is moving a practical recording tool directly into the main app.

Instagram appears to be testing a small games hub inside Avatar Stickers. The feature seems to let users discover games, connect with friends, and unlock extra avatar stickers through in-app play.

The feature fits Meta’s broader push to make avatars more interactive instead of just decorative.

Instagram appears to be testing a new ‘Suggested products’ feature for Reels that would help viewers discover items shown in creators’ videos. Creators may get a toggle that allows Instagram to find and recommend products related to the content in a Reel.

If this rolls out more broadly, it would be another step toward turning Reels into a stronger shopping surface.

Instagram appears to be testing a new control that would let users remove reposts of their posts when those posts are shared by someone else.

The option shows up in a repost menu with actions like ‘Delete repost’ and ‘Mute reposts’, which suggests creators may be getting more control over how their content circulates.

Instagram appears to be testing a new ‘Before/After’ sticker for Stories edited with Meta AI. The idea seems simple: let users compare the original version of an image with the AI-edited result inside the same Story.

This makes Meta AI edits more visible and easier to share, especially as it keeps adding AI tools into Stories and creative workflows.

Instagram has launched Instants, a new feature for sharing quick, unedited moments with friends in real time.

It now lives inside the Instagram DM inbox, and Meta has also launched a standalone app, with the goal of making casual sharing feel faster and more natural.

The pitch is simple enough: no polished posts, no heavy editing, just snap and send.

Meta says hands-free ‘Instants’ sharing with Meta glasses is also coming in June, which makes it pretty clear this is meant to be a lightweight, always-ready layer of private sharing rather than another public posting format.

Instagram appears to be testing a new DM customisation feature that would let users change the font style inside chats.

Based on a leaked preview, the option includes several typefaces, such as Instagram Sans, Serif, Monospace, Handwriting, and Bubble, which suggests Meta is adding another layer of personalisation to its messaging experience.

Instagram appears to be testing another batch of iOS-only changes, this time focused on making Stories, Reels, and profile customization a bit more flexible.

The common thread is obvious enough: quicker creation, more visual control, and more ways to make Instagram feel less templated, especially as Meta keeps expanding its broader creator tooling around Instagram and Edits.

First, Instagram is testing a new Story composer on iOS that can be triggered by long-pressing on a photo, which looks like a shortcut for jumping into a more flexible layout and sticker workflow without going through the usual slower sequence of taps.

Second, Instagram is also testing a new pill-shaped music box for Reels on iOS, which displays the album cover, track name, and song length in a cleaner, compact label, making audio selection look more polished and easier to read while recording.

Third, another iOS test adds a new ‘Turn on collab editing’ option, which suggests Instagram may be exploring a more collaborative editing workflow for posts or Reels instead of keeping everything locked to a single creator after publishing. This builds on the existing Instagram collab post feature.

Fourth, on the Stories side, Instagram is also experimenting with a refreshed sticker and layout experience, including more visible creative options such as Photostrip, which will make Stories feel more modular and interactive.

And finally, Instagram appears to be testing custom fonts for profile descriptions on iOS, which would give users a new way to style their bio directly inside the app, instead of relying on third-party font generators, as it is still the internet’s wild west.

As expected, Edits is not stopping with update releases. The newest one adds duration controls, live photos, and more.

On top of that, we got over 200 more sound effects, which now make up for a huge library. It’s going to be a hassle sifting through all of them now.

It’s very hard to underestimate the importance of this update, especially for creative professionals who are curating the perfect grids.

Instagram is close to finishing the update to rearrange your IG grids.

The option is available when editing your IG profile and will be based on a drag-and-drop system, wherein you drag posts around for the best fit.

This might be one of the biggest improvements to Instagram in a while: the option to add separate descriptions for individual photos/videos in an IG carousel.

After uploading your photos/videos for your carousel, you’ll be prompted to either choose the single caption or the multiple captions option. After that, you will be able to frame each photo inside its own description.

I imagine this would be great for guides and other types of tutorial-based content. You can add separate steps under each different visual.

This AI tool will automatically detect the best parts of your video and trim away the fat, i.e., filler content that does not add anything to them.

As you can see, it’s a multi-step process during which the tool will analyze your clips, identify the highlights, and trim the clips to keep the best parts.

This is just a cosmetic change that clearly identifies the function of “Hidden requests”, i.e., to hide away potentially unwanted messages you don’t want to interact with.

Users will now be prompted to mark messages as spam when deleting message requests, after which, any future requests will be placed in the Spam folder.

Users will now get two separate contact lists in their DMs: real people and AI agents. As you can see, you will see Meta AI and Support AI in one section and your contacts in another.

Two new agentic AI tools are coming to Meta’s platforms, one of which will run tasks on behalf of users, such as shopping and browsing, while the other is for now called ‘Hatch’.

This news comes straight from The Information, and there’s not much known about them other than they will be activated conversationally. But they sound like agents that will run in the background, ensuring users get tasks done on a regular basis.

You will be affected by this change only if you’re handling an account on Instagram that regularly posts AI content. Per this author, this is a much-needed change as it facilitates transparency and helps users immediately notice AI content:

You can read more about this feature in the official IG post on the Creators page, where devs explain the reasoning and implementation of the feature.

Note that the “AI Creator” tag will appear underneath user profile photos.

As per Mosseri’s latest vlog entry, original creators will soon enjoy additional guardrails in terms of protecting their work. Meaning, they won’t have to compete with aggregator accounts that “steal” their content without proper attribution.

IG’s chief further explains that this policy will apply to every type of IG content, including Reels, photos, and carousels. To help original creators, IG will stop recommending accounts that re-share their content. Additional information will be available under ‘Account Status’.

This should be no news by now, but Edits is continually improving its experience for users in an effort to become the best video editing app for mobile.

There were two rounds of updates in the last week only. The first one deals with

• Saving your favorite effects and adjustments
• Customizing the look of your text outline and line height
• Generating a clip inside Edits (a huge change!!!)
• Access to beta changes under Settings

The second set of changes includes:

• Updated Edits insights, such as engagement rates
• Transcription controls for captions
• AI-assisted photo and video blending option (looks very cool!!!)

If you live in the U.S. and a few other countries, you can try them out right now!

This much-awaited change will stop users from deleting Stories they disliked just to reupload them immediately after that. Now, you can simply edit your story.

That said, the original version will be deleted, and any user interactions it received will be reset, including likes, reactions, and comments.

Do you talk a lot to friends, clients, or relatives, and have a busy DM inbox? Well, you’ll be able to summarize your conversations using Meta AI:

As you can see, if you have a lot of unread messages, a new pop-up will prompt you to summarize them, thus giving you a brief overview of what was said.

Instagram has finalized updating its Insights section to be more in line with how it’s done on Edits. Now users can quickly find what they need front and center:

There’s a new tabbed layout that separates the creator’s engagement and audience metrics, plus a general ‘Overview’ section with a quick summary.

The revamped Instagram Insights section will look just like it does on Edits. Namely, users will get larger summary pills that cover KPIs like views, reach, visits, follows, etc…:

As you can see, now there are three separate tabs: overview, engagement, and audience, all of which provide essential information regarding your IG performance.

Adding onto the recent update that allows users to tag products in their Reels, Instagram has started encouraging adult creators with at least 1,000 followers to sign up to share affiliate products:

Note: These affiliate programs will only be available for professional profiles that follow Meta’s Partner and Content Monetization Policies.

The new banner system is pill-shaped and placed underneath the profile description:

That aside, users can now quickly add a new banner by tapping ‘+Add’ without having to go to ‘Edit profile’. The type of banners they can add include links to other Meta social media platforms, a featured song, and links to Meta AI agents.

To provide additional context for certain Reels on Instagram, Meta has implemented an AI-powered search function at the end of descriptions:

This way, users can quickly find any content related to the Reel they’ve just seen to learn more about the topic.

Meta is rolling out a fresh set of Edits updates focused on giving users more control over text, captions, colors, and project organization.

The new tools include a dedicated tab to save favorite fonts and text styles, find-and-replace for caption transcripts, more flexible text highlighting, advanced color wheels and curves for finer visual adjustments, and better project management with pinned projects, plus a 7-day recovery window for deleted ones.

Instagram has added the ‘Your Algorithm’ controls to the Explore tab as well, as reported by Adam Mosseri. Earlier this year, Instagram officially rolled out the feature for Reels, letting users adjust topic preferences and refine what content gets recommended to them.

If this expansion goes wider, it would give users more direct control over what shows up in Explore as well, which makes sense given ‘Explore’ is basically Instagram’s discovery engine.

Instagram has added a new way for creators to tag products in Reels by using affiliate links, which could make product discovery and attribution much more direct:

This matters because it gives creators another path to monetize without relying only on formal brand deals. For Meta, it is one more step toward turning Reels into a cleaner shopping and affiliate channel.

Instagram is reportedly testing a dedicated Stories tab, which would give Stories their own clearer space inside the app instead of keeping everything bundled into the main interface.

After it goes live, it could give Stories a bit more breathing room and potentially encourage more browsing. It also suggests Meta is still looking for ways to make the format feel more distinct, instead of treating it as just another layer on top of Feed and Reels.

Adam Mosseri has clarified that re-sharing a feed post to Stories does not reduce the reach of the original post in the feed.

That is useful because this myth has been floating around for ages. According to Mosseri’s explanation, sharing to Stories is not some hidden penalty switch, so creators can stop treating it like algorithmic sabotage.

Adam Mosseri has also addressed the possibility of Instagram adding Story scheduling and the ability to save Stories as drafts.

Nothing is confirmed yet, but the fact that he is discussing it publicly suggests it is at least on Meta’s radar. And frankly, both features feel overdue, especially for creators and social teams managing content at scale.

Instagram is reportedly working on a feature that would let users cross-post Story Highlights to Facebook, extending Meta’s cross-platform publishing push:

That would make sense for creators and brands already treating Instagram and Facebook as a connected content ecosystem. Less duplicate work, more recycled visibility. exactly the sort of efficiency Meta loves to package as convenience.

Instagram is reportedly building a new messaging flow that would let brands reach creators through a separate inbox inside DMs:

This could help on both sides: creators would get a clearer space for partnership outreach, while brands would have a more structured way to make contact without disappearing into the normal DM abyss. Which, to be fair, is where many pitches currently go to die.

Instagram has launched a new ‘Approve Content Creators’ feature that will help brands find and approve creators more directly.

This sounds like Meta tightening the infrastructure around creator partnerships and branded content. The goal seems obvious enough: make discovery, vetting, and collaboration easier without forcing brands to manage everything off-platform.

Instagram is adding the option to schedule trial Reels ahead of time, giving creators more flexibility when testing content before a broader rollout.

As shown in this Instagram post, Adam Mosseri said the feature came from user feedback and is meant to make trial Reels easier to plan in advance. Small change, useful one.

Instagram is testing a new subscription package called Instagram Plus, which bundles several extra Story tools into one paid tier.

Based on this report and the screenshot shared, the package includes multiple Story audiences, rewatch insights, viewer-list search, Story previews, longer Story expiration, super hearts, and a Spotlight option for Stories. In plain English: Meta is trying to put more creator controls behind a subscription paywall.

Instagram has increased the default selected duration for songs added to Stories, moving from 15 seconds to 20 seconds.

According to this Threads post, the update gives users a bit more room when building music-led Stories. Five extra seconds is not revolutionary, but on Instagram, that is practically a feature launch.

Instagram appears to be promoting Reels created with Edits directly inside the main Reels feed.

As seen in this Threads post, clips made with templates in Instagram Edits can now be surfaced with a visible ‘Use template’ prompt. Meta clearly wants people creating inside its own tools, not wandering off to CapCut like it is still 2024.

Instagram has changed the placement of Story ad labels, now showing the ‘Ad’ tag in the bottom-left corner.

As shown in this Threads post, the update tweaks how sponsored Stories are disclosed on-screen. Minor interface change, but one brands and social teams will want to notice.

Instagram is adding a built-in teleprompter to Reels, giving creators a new way to record scripted videos without juggling extra tools.

Based on this Threads post, the teleprompter now appears directly in the Reels creation menu alongside features like audio, effects, and green screen. Very on-brand for 2026: fewer excuses for rambling on camera.

Instagram is testing music suggestions for Stories based on a user’s listening preferences and activity.

As shown in this Threads post, users may now see a suggested audio track when creating a Story. It is a small discovery tweak, but it could make adding music faster and a bit more personalised.

Instagram is finally giving users more control over carousel posts, as you can now reorder your photos and videos even after the post has already gone live.

As shown in this Instagram update post, the feature lets you long-press and drag items into a new order without deleting and re-uploading the whole carousel. That means creators can tweak the flow of a post while keeping the engagement they’ve already built.

There is one catch, though: while you can reorder and remove existing items, you still can’t add new media after publishing. Still, for anyone who has ever posted a carousel and immediately regretted the order, this is a tidy little fix.

Meta is rolling out another batch of Edits features, this time focused on text styling, motion control, templates, and linking.

As shown in this Edits update post, users can now create custom font looks with AI styling, fine-tune transforms with built-in keyframe support, build more complex templates with motion and speed controls, and find reels or accounts faster through improved linking search.

Instagram appears to be testing automatic offline downloads for Reels, which could let users save a set number of videos for later viewing without an internet connection.

Based on this leaked preview, the feature includes options like Wi-Fi-only downloads, download limits, and a dedicated downloads section, which suggests Meta is treating this as a proper offline viewing tool rather than a one-off save option.

Instagram is reportedly testing a new templates filter inside the Edits app’s Ideas tab, which would make browsing ready-made formats much quicker.

According to this early look at the feature, the update would help users jump straight into available templates instead of manually sifting through broader idea suggestions.

Instagram is testing a rotate-screen prompt for Stories, hinting at a more flexible viewing experience for content that works better in landscape.

Based on this leaked example, viewers may be prompted to rotate their phone while watching certain Stories, which could open the door for wider-format creative.

Like clockwork, we’re getting a slew of new Edits updates:

To start with, we’re getting a bunch of new cinematic video and sound effects, and camera updates such as adjustable retouch and a cleaner green screen capture.

However, this is the big one: masks on the main video track: you can apply various masks and keyframe animations directly on the main video track.

Also, how about some precision trimming so you match those rhythm changes of your song just right? You can skip frame by frame just by long-pressing.

There’s so much AI content going around nowadays that Instagram felt compelled to start informing its users when they come in contact with it.

Now, profiles that primarily post AI-generated content will carry the AI label:

Furthermore, Instagram claims that such a label won’t affect the creators’ reach.

When resharing IG Reels on your Story, you can now trim them to showcase the exact moment you are interested in:

As you can see, you just move the handlebars to select the exact clip you want.

This has been a long time coming: IG users can finally edit the comments they leave on posts:

Previously, they had to delete the comment and leave it again if they wanted to change anything. Now, they just have to tap “Edit” underneath the comment and make the changes.

It looked kind of outdated, to be honest, so Meta has updated the ‘Saved Posts’ section on Instagram, so you can organize them better:

Now you get different tabs for the type of content you save, and your collections have a smaller thumbnail, which is hidden under a ‘See all’ button.

Previously, when tapping a Reel, users would mute it. That said, muting has been preserved, and a new icon pops up after pausing the Reel that allows you to do just that:

This update brings Instagram in line with other short-video platforms like YouTube and TikTok, which is great for videos like tutorials.

In a recent post on its Instagram for Business account, the company sought to explain the Advantage+ AI-enhanced features of its ad system:

Firstly, brands can choose from various ad placements recommended to you by Meta, which determines the best feed for your specific ad.

Then, you get to target the exact people that you expect to convert. You can either manually select them or trust Meta Advantage+ to select them for you.

Finally, you can use Metas’s various creative features to personalize your content for your target audience.

I am tired of saying this, but Edits is great! And it’s getting better constantly!

The latest round of Edits updates released during March Week 2 includes: Freeze Frame, personalized sound effects, and voiceover teleprompter:

The first one has the most potential here, as it allows you to enhance your transitions by focusing on a specific moment in your video.

Noticed by social media researchers, this button should change songs added to Instagram reels. However, we’ll wait for the release to see if that’s the case:

If you are short on time processing your Edits creations, you can toggle on the “Optimize for faster editing” option:

When set, it slightly reduces the output’s final quality but improves the editing performance greatly. I think it’s a nice compromise.

If you’re watching IG Reels or enjoying scrolling through the Feed, now you can have a more relaxed experience by hiding all activity bubbles on the app:

When toggled on, this feature hides all likes, reposts, and comments that pop up as bubbles.

Edits is swinging hard month after month in its journey to become the best video editing app for mobile and to surpass CapCut.

March brings us: more effects, updated ideas tab, and more:

First, there are about 11 new effects, bringing the total to A LOT. However, these new ones are object/people-specific, as they use AI to make their object pop. Plus, overlays got some cool new effects.

The ‘Ideas’ tab is getting a small revamp as well, and the captions now can be highlighted automatically (based on words).

For a long time on Instagram, we had standard friends and so-called “Close friends”, i.e., those people that we wanted to see only our private content.

Well, now, Instagram is also testing an even more exclusive group setting called “Secret friends”. The expectations are that it will work just as “Close friends”, but will be there for an even smaller group of people:

Think about a close friend or a girlfriend/boyfriend that you want to see your latest posts. That’s what “Secret Friends” would be about.

Instagram Notes have become the most popular feature on the platform, as users are moving away from the main feed and into the DM section. I mean, the younger base likes interacting in a more private setting.

Well, now they can even add GIFs to their notes (in addition to music and location). It’s a minor change, yet makes the experience more fun:

The latest round of IG for business updates includes weekly Edits ideas and persistent ad data after deleting ads.

The first update allows you to save or skip related ideas:

The second one now keeps your ad data even after deleting the ad:

Every public IG account now has access to basic creative tools and insights designed to help them grow their following and creative process.

Here’s an overview of the requirements to unlock these tools:

These tools will be located under “Account Type and Tools” in settings, where you can also read the requirements needed to unlock additional tools.

Basically, to create engaging content that improves your reach, you have to:

• Create more relatable content, as that’s more shareable
• Create conversation starters
• Make every second count (especially the first 3)
• Ensure you can relay your message even if muted

On top of that, you should focus on authentic interactions, video quality, trending audio, interacting with users, and learning from your insights.

The new Instagram Plus perk is called Story Spotlight:

What happens when you click is that you bump your story to the front of other users’ queues so they won’t miss it. You can do this only once a week.

Browsing Edits’ Inspiration tab, trying to find a video you can use as a template? Now you can:

Just tap the ‘Templates’ section under the inspiration tab and choose whatever you like.

There’s now a more fluid and immersive post description and comment section on Instagram, which has been unified instead of being separate:

As you can see, once you tap to read more of the post description, a ribbon pops up that shows you the full description with the comments underneath.

This is a cool change (even though not groundbreaking): Instagram will allow users to add their interests to their Instagram profile in a separate section:

That way, users won’t be forced to waste their character limit on listing everything they like or want to do in life.

This is yet another fun feature Instagram is working on: sending multiple media files (photos and videos) in Instagram DMs in the form of an autogenerated Reel:

As you can see from the screenshot, you only have to select your media and tap ‘Create reel’, after which IG will generate it and send it out.

Needless to say, Edits keeps on improving, and will be doing so continuously. This time around, we’re getting the option to speed up video clips up to 100x, Korean fonts, and a bunch of Valentine’s Day stuff:

If you’ve ever had to navigate away from Instagram before replying to a comment thread, you won’t have to:

Users will get help from Meta AI in comments, as they can directly mention @meta and ask any question they want.

You will be able to use someone else’s likeness on Instagram very soon. The team is working on a face-swap feature:

However, to do so, users will have to get the permission of the user in question via a built-in process on Instagram.

Not sure if you’ve heard about Short Dramas. They are this new trendy format of short episodic content for social media.

Well, Instagram is working on exactly that, and is planning to add this new format under its own section in the main feed:

Perhaps the biggest addition to Threads, and the only important one that was missing, as compared to CapCut, was “Templates”.

This change makes video creation a breeze since users can simply peruse the library of templates added by others, choose one they like, and then simply drop in the videos they would like to use.

That way, they won’t have to start from scratch. Plus, they can further customize these templates to make them even more unique.

Has it ever happened to you to forget a previous conversation you had with a friend on Instagram, and now you have to look for the context?

Well, Instagram is working on Kai, an AI bot that can catch you up on anything you missed and find whatever you need from your chat:

I know this has been an annoying restriction for a lot of users. Imagine not being able to change your IG carousels after posting. You won’t have to any longer since you’ll be able to easily reorder your carousel photos later:

This is a good opportunity for brands and businesses on Instagram since they may appear in users’ default feeds based on their interests:

As you can see above, just by scrolling, you can encounter this business carousel strip, which will allow you to immediately follow specific brands.

Edits is improving day after day, as Instagram is looking to make it a more attractive option than CapCut.

The latest round of changes brings us: an easy copy-and-paste method, new timeline settings, and applying changes from the main track:

The first update helps transfer over fonts and clips between projects, the second one allows you to toggle on/off guides, frames, snapping, etc., and the last one copies over your main track edits to your other clips.

While not a huge update, it’s still a nice feature for curating your Instagram experience. Once you remove yourself from your friends’ Close Friends lists, you won’t be able to see their special stories any longer:

As reported by Mosseri recently, Instagram has plans to further enhance the user experience by adding AI-powered features.

These would include various creator tools, better content discoverability, easier friend connections, and an improved content search.

As noticed recently by social media researchers, Instagram has added a new filter to its DMs, 10K followers:

This way, brands and companies receiving messages can quickly find potential collaboration opportunities with prominent influencers in their niche.

In an effort to streamline the UX of Instagram, devs are continuously optimizing the look and functionality. The latest addition is a new tab with a playlist-like icon, which may indicate a new playlist tab:

Per Instagram’s official announcement, delivered by Adam Mosseri, every English-speaking Instagram user has just gotten access to the ‘Your Algo’ controls, which let you customize your IG algorithm.

To access it, just head on over to the ‘Reels’ tab and tap the controls button in the top-right corner, and then you can select and deselect topics in which you are interested:

Meta keeps improving Edits with a slew of new updates this January 2026, including account links, weekly ideas, new video effects, takes on storyboards, and a detailed insights tab:

Firstly, links will make your videos interactive as they will open your account in an overlay once you export your video through Edits.

Then, you can also find inspiration in 10 fresh video ideas every week, which you can save, edit, or skip, and you will be able to add multiple takes to your storyboard.

Finally, you will get access to advanced insights, such as Reel views, likes, comments, reposts, shares, and saves. Plus, you can see a summary of all the comments you received:

In addition to essential upgrades, Meta is always adding some whimsical features, with the latest one being AI voice filters.

The way it works is you get to choose a voice filter (and describe it) when sending AI messages.

When posting a multi-photo story on Instagram, users can either choose a layout or a separate carousel format.

That said, there’s a new feature in the works: AI Transition, which will probably do what it says, i.e., make smooth transitions between the photos you add in your Stories:

Mosseri just came out with important information regarding the usage of third-party video editing apps: creating and editing videos outside of Instagram and Edits does not necessarily affect their reach.

That said, if these videos retain their watermarks, they might see diminished reach.

There’s a new Instagram subscription tier in the works that will come with new perks, such as creating unlimited audience lists, checking out who among your followers doesn’t follow you back, and sneaking a peek at IG Stories without revealing yourself.

Meta AI is making its way into Edits with a new Tag effect that automatically identifies the persons in your video clips, and tags them correspondingly:

This will certainly save manual labor when it comes to talking head videos in a group, since you can just let Meta AI handle all of it.