2022 Instagram Updates and Features That You Might Have Missed |
Regular updates and new Instagram features ensure that no moments are left hanging. From current stories to news, images, videos and lives, Instagram is definitely a one-stop shop for getting all the information from around the world. It goes without saying that with the rise of the Reels format, the entire Instagram app has received a boost like no other. By allowing Instagram users to represent themselves in unique and different ways, as well as creating waves with new trends, it has revolutionized the way we perceive the photo sharing app.
By making things even more creative but keeping the user-friendly aspect intact, Instagram's features and updates have silently impacted our social media experience in ways that are hard to explain. It's no wonder that big companies, media and celebrities around the world keep coming back to their Instagram accounts to reach their audience directly.
The COVID-19 pandemic has also affected the launch of new Instagram features and how the public might react to them. Instagram Story has become a powerful way to spread information, as it brings Instagram users directly to their audience. Likewise, in recent years, the platform has been adding metrics to Instagram analytics, helping content creators measure audience engagement and traffic.
Several Instagram updates and features also aim to keep teens safe and monitor the content they see. By announcing these updates and changes for both iOS and Android, Meta is constantly looking to make the experience anything but mundane. So next time you get a notification to update the app, go ahead and install it and never miss capturing that Insta-worthy moment in the most perfect way for your Insta family.
- Notes to fam
- Repost feature
- Not Interested and Snooze
- Dual
- Recreate reels with Reels Template
- Instagram rolls back TikTok-like features
- Shop in-chat
- AR closed captions for reels and videos
- Create your marketplace
- In aid of hearing
- New logo and typography
- Parental supervision
- Moderate your lives
- Enhanced tags for creators
- Reel in your stories
- End of IGTV app and In-Stream video ads
- Like the story
- Plan ‘Your activity’
- Scheduled lives
- Insta-nt subscriptions
- Remixed videos
- Order of the feed
Check out some recent Instagram updates in case you missed them.
1) Notes to fam
In early 2022, Instagram was experimenting with a new endangered content format called Notes. The feature became widely available in September. Just as the name suggests, it allows creators to share notes with their "close friends" and those who follow them.
Instead of appearing as a notification, the notes appear in a separate panel above the chats. This is done solely to highlight any important and personal messages that the sender does not want to miss in the chat threads. Plus, it reaches out to all "close friends" at the same time. Unlike Twitter's note feature, Instagram's is more like a sticky note. It only allows 60 characters and falls off the wall, as if it disappears, after 24 hours or if a new note is shared within the period.
2) Repost feature
The social media company confirmed to TechCrunch that it is considering introducing a Feed sharing option.
A Meta spokesperson via email. and added: "We plan to test it soon with a small number of people."
Although the feature is not currently public, social media consultant Matt Navarra, who first spotted the feature during internal testing, has posted screenshots showing the Repost tab on user profiles along with other options, such as post and reel tabs. . Currently, users can only share others' posts on Instagram via third-party apps. Once Instagram has introduced its own sharing function, it will not be necessary to install third-party apps to perform this function.
3) Not Interested and Snooze
In an effort to reshape the user experience, Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, highlighted two "hidden gems" that offer more control over the platform.
"We are all different, which means that for each person the best version of Instagram is different," Mosseri said in a video post on social media on August 10. Commenting on how Following and Favorites, two fonts launched in March 2022, changed the user experience, Mosseri said the platform has features that will help further narrow down what users see in their fonts. .
He said users can select a feature called Not Interested to stop seeing recommendations they aren't interested in. "You can tap on the three dots at the top right of that post and click Not Interested and we'll do our best not to show you similar content in the future," he said.
The Instagram boss added that the other feature, Snooze, allows users not to see recommendations for up to a month. By selecting the Follow function, users can view the posts from each account they follow in chronological order. There are no recommendations in the feed. The Favorites feed only displays posts from accounts marked as "Favorites" in the feed.
4) Dual
Dual is a new format for creating Reels. Both the front and rear cameras of a phone can be used at the same time to create a coil. The function can be selected after switching to the displayed list by clicking on the "plus" sign. To record a Dual Reel video you need to select the camera icon marked "Dual" and then the Reel icon in the center. Once activated, the rear camera takes up most of the screen. The front camera records the person recording the video and the window appears as a box in the upper right corner of the screen.
5) Recreate reels with Reels Template
Instagram has updated Reels with new features to allow users to recreate videos more efficiently and make them more fun.
For reels with better timing, Instagram has introduced Reel Templates, which simplifies the process of adding an audio clip to your videos or photos. To use this feature, go to the Reels tab by clicking on the camera icon in the top right corner and browse the templates. Choose the one you like and the new feature will automatically adjust the chosen audio and trim the length of the video to fit the template. The best thing about this feature is that once you create a reel with more than three clips, the Instagram app will treat your reel as a template. Conversely, if you see a reel with three or more clips that you want to recreate, Template lets you use the camera feature in the reel app. Now go ahead and create new creative Instagram Reels with just one click.
6) Instagram rolls back TikTok-like features
After some new features were rolled out to some Instagram accounts, the photo and video sharing platform suffered the backlash from influencers and celebrities, including the Kardashians and US TV personality Chrissy Teigen.
New Instagram features included full-screen video feeds focusing primarily on reels and overwhelming account post recommendations that users weren't following. After criticism for trying to mimic TikTok, the social media platform announced that it will reduce or discontinue these test features. Instagram boss Adam Mosseri shared a video on July 26, 2022, in which he said that Instagram will move to a more video-oriented future while "continuing to support photos".
Speaking to the Platformer newsletter, Mosseri said: "I'm glad I took a risk: if we don't fail from time to time, we don't think big enough or bold enough." He added: “But we absolutely have to take a big step back and reorganize. [When] we've learned a lot, we come back with some sort of new idea or iteration. So we will work on this. "
However, no further information has been shared about when the features will be reintroduced or what changes will be made to the new ones.
7) Shop in-chat
Instagram will no longer be just a photo sharing app as it is making its way into the e-commerce space. As part of the new features, Meta announced on July 18 that users will be able to make payments directly from the Instagram app. While users will need to message businesses online from their Instagram accounts to shop, they can also complete orders and ask questions via the app. They can also make relevant customizations to orders and shop online via the chat feature of their Instagram accounts. By making shopping on Instagram easier, this update also allows shoppers to track their orders. With this new functionality, Meta wants to further expand the reach of its Meta Pay electronic payment service.
8) AR closed captions for reels and videos
After introducing captions for videos in March, a new Instagram feature has been added. The new feature automatically activates automatically generated subtitles. This is intended to make the app more inclusive for the deaf and hard of hearing, as well as making watching videos a smoother experience for those who prefer them without audio.
The same is also available for the rollers. However, if you want to disable it, simply go to "Advanced Settings" and turn off subtitles. This will disable subtitles for all future videos. Do you want to reactivate them? Tap the overflow menu and select "Manage subtitles" and change it accordingly. The app also introduced stylized AR subtitles to make its reels fun and engaging. Turn your dialogues into fun subtitles. You can choose from three styles available in the effects gallery: text message chat (bubble captions), mouth puke (soft captions) and those that give a comic effect (comic captions). You can add effects before or after recording your video on Instagram camera.
9) Create your marketplace
One of Instagram's newest features is beneficial to all influencers and branded content creators. Meta's photo and video sharing app is testing a new feature, the Creator Marketplace, which will enable seamless collaboration between brands and creators. Imagine it is something like entering a market and finding what interests you and getting noticed.
You can indicate your likes and interests and ensure that you receive more branded opportunities, which will be the most suitable for you and your audience. Not just that. The feature also includes a dedicated folder where creators will receive all project messages and opportunities in a seemingly organized way. Those messages, which will meet eligibility standards, will now go to the folder at the top of the Main tab instead of "Requests".
There is more. Brands will be able to send you designs and you can browse them to choose the best, all within the Instagram app. Instagram is also working to roll out a feature soon to make payments easier and smoother. In this way, creators will be able to receive payments within the Instagram application and monitor payments from the "Tools" section of a professional dashboard.
10) In Aid of hearing
Today, the world of social media is expanding its horizons to create an inclusive environment. To help deaf or hard of hearing Instagram users, the app has implemented a new and very important feature that will bring you all Instagram video experiences. With the help of this Instagram feature, all feed videos will have the ability to add auto-generated subtitles in 17 languages.
There is also an option to disable it. This March 1, an announcement is presented as a welcome change that makes the social media platform accessible to all. A similar functionality exists for Instagram Stories that have a title tag. It also helps Instagram stay on par with TikTok, which introduced the feature in spring 2021. Instagram's new features have made automatic captions a preprogrammed feature, which can be changed to suit your preferences.
11) New logo and typography
To revamp its visual representation and create more inclusive and engaging experiences for its users, Instagram announced a number of changes to its colors, fonts, logos and other branding elements.
According to the Instagram blog, the gradient has been reinvented with "bright colors to make it look light and alive and to signal moments of discovery". Instagram Sans, a new typeface has been added keeping in mind the "heritage of the brand and also includes more global dashes".
The redesign has more content and "celebrates creativity, simplicity and personal expression." Instagram used an innovative 3D modeling process to make the gradient more vibrant and alive. The new Sans typeface will be included in Stories and Reels with the aim of making it accessible to all creators and community members globally. Instagram has partnered with language experts from different countries to make the font available in global alphabets such as Arabic, Thai, and Japanese. Interestingly, the typeface was inspired by Instagram's Instagram logo and branding.
12) Parental supervision
On March 16, Meta announced new parental control and tracking elements for Instagram and Quest VR to monitor children using their social media apps.
Although this monitoring requires the consent of users, i.e. teenagers, parents will be able to keep track of the accounts followed by their children and set time limits.
The goal is to eventually allow parents to monitor their children's activities on Meta services from a single central location. Instagram's tracking tools have been activated in the United States and will be rolled out globally in the coming months.
What can be a better way to interact with your followers, audience and viewers than directly from the Instagram app?
Now, to make the experience more professional and organized, a new Instagram feature allows the host to designate a moderator for Live. The moderator will be able to report comments, remove viewers from the stream, and disable comments for a specific viewer.
This new feature will help Instagram catch up with YouTube and Twitch, where hosting a live has become quite common. This is also a much needed feature as trolls and nasty comments tend to proliferate during live sessions. It is extremely easy to add a moderator.
Just tap the three dots in the comment bar during a live broadcast and the host can choose a moderator from a list of suggested accounts from there. You can also use the search bar to search for a specific account.
12) Enhanced tags for creators
There has never been a time when there has been such a huge increase in collaborations and creators coming together to carry the culture forward. Therefore, recognizing and recognizing creators for their original work and ideas has never been as important and pronounced as it is today. On March 7, Instagram rolled out improved tags to make it easier for creators to get credits for their work.
New features like this help budding creators get noticed and discovered by the ever-growing community.
To top it off, this Instagram feature is extremely easy to add. Just open the Instagram app and tap (+) in the top right corner to create a post. After adding images or videos, complete all creative edits and hit Next. You can write a caption and once tap "Tag people". Select "Add".
13) Reel in your stories
It won't be an exaggeration if we say that reels dominate our social media feed. Carousel of images, video, or a combination of both with background synchronized audio, the reels really set the trend and make you want to take the spin instantly.
Did you know that you can create reels from your Instagram Stories? And it's just a click away. Just click on a story highlight and click "Create" in the lower left corner. Then you can easily add audio and sync images accordingly to create the coolest reels from your treasured memories.
This isn't just limited to featured images. Users can remove and add other images from the camera roll for a more personal touch.
14) End of IGTV app and In-Stream video ads
The reels have completely changed the way we look at Instagram and there are no two ways to do it. Creators and influencers have embraced Reels in a way that Instagram is unimaginable today without them. Almost every day a new trend emerges and short videos allow users to join, share reviews and spread the word.
Building on this line and harnessing the power of the reel, Instagram announced the closure of its In-Stream video ads and standalone IGTV app on February 28. Creators who have monetized their content through In-Stream Video Ads, also known as IGTV Ads, will receive a temporary monthly payment based on recent revenue.
The effort to simplify the video experience has been on the radar for a long time. In 2021, the platform grouped all video feeds and IGTV videos into one general Instagram video that can be viewed in the main app. This opened a corridor for you to easily create, find and explore content in the Instagram app itself.
The upcoming changes and updates will focus on monetizing the reels that will have advertisements and help generate revenue. Instagram said, "We think this makes it easier for people to have all of these features and skills in the main app, and we're excited to continue simplifying and improving videos in the main Instagram app in the coming months."
15) Like the story
In February 2022, Instagram released an update that allowed users to like Stories without sending a DM. This implies that you can "like" a shared image or video as a story and it will not appear in the user's DM list.
The Like notification will appear in the list of your viewers below the story itself. Right where you see the list of people who have seen your story. This was announced by Instagram boss Adam Mosseri via a Twitter video as a move to keep his Instagram account in order.
16) 3D avatars
The Metaverse is a difficult concept to ignore nowadays and, taking an example, Instagram has introduced 3D avatars that can appear in stories and direct messages. The news was announced on January 31 on Twitter.
For a more inclusive and better representation of different users, Meta has also introduced a number of new avatar features, including new facial shapes and expressions, skin tones and assistive devices. It is only available to users in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, although work is underway to roll out this new feature globally.
Meta also indicates that avatars will become available on Facebook and Messenger in the coming months.
17) Plan ‘Your activity’
On February 8, Instagram announced that it had started rolling out this new feature to everyone. Aiming to make the Insta experience smoother and less cluttered, the feature allows Instagram users to view and manage all of their activities in one place. "People will now be able to bulk manage (delete, archive) their content (posts, stories, IGTV and Reels) and their interactions (comments, likes, reactions to story stickers, etc.)", yes reads in an official instagram statement.
It also goes a step further and allows users to search for past comments, likes and replies to particular date range stories. Find the "Your Business" option in the menu in the upper right corner of your profile.
18) Scheduled lives
Instagram is a growing hub for young creators and influencers who have captured the very essence of viewer engagement. To maximize this, Instagram, in January 2022, introduced a new feature to not only plan lives, but also to create stories and feeds from them.
Scheduled Lives will also appear as badges on creators' profiles, under their bio. Interested followers and visitors can simply click on the badges to sign up for live reminders.
19) Insta-nt subscriptions
It looks like Instagram has opened Pandora's box with the launch of the Insta Lives subscription. Investments are now based solely on content rather than reach or number of followers. The feature brings three different types of content.
The first is Subscriber-Specific Live which allows creators to stream only to their subscribers. It allows unique audiences to see content and encourages subscribers to subscribe and receive exclusive content. Second, subscribers will receive news sent only to them.
A yellow ring indicates to subscribers that the content is for viewing only. Finally, the followers themselves get a purple badge that sets them apart from the creative DMs and comments. Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri announced on January 19 that his goal is to select creators in the United States, but the company is working to make it available worldwide.
20) Remixed videos
2021 saw an extremely popular feature that kept us all busy during the COVID-19 lockdown. To allow creators and users to jump on the new trend bandwagon and share their responses, a new feature was implemented that allowed them to remix the reels already posted on Instagram.
The application platform announced on January 21, 2022 and has ensured that this will not affect previously published videos.
21) Order of the feed
Moving in a direction to give users more autonomy and allow them to decide how they want posts to appear in their feed, Instagram is testing ways to introduce new changes to the feed. 2022 began with Mosseri introducing three new options: Home, Favorites and Following to redesign the Insta feed.
Home will keep everything unchanged and let the algorithm make the decision to suggest posts it thinks the user might be interested in. The Favorites option will display the posts from the accounts the user has added to favorites and Follow will simply display a chronological list of the accounts the user is following.
These changes follow Mosseri's testimony with the Senate Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product and Data Safety in early December, which questioned how the app manipulates and suggests posts in a user's feed.