Meta has announced that after previous testing, it is globally launching a new Instagram feature called Instants. It allows users to share photos with close friends or mutual followers that disappear after 24 hours and can be viewed only once by each recipient.
The new feature draws inspiration from other social platforms such as Snapchat, Locket, and especially BeReal. The goal is to encourage the sharing of authentic and ephemeral real-life moments, rather than carefully edited and stylized content. Photos for Instants are taken exclusively through the in-app camera and cannot be uploaded from the phone's gallery. The only permitted edit is adding text.
According to Meta, the purpose of the format is to share real moments as they happen. Users can access the feature by tapping the photo stack icon in the bottom right corner of their inbox. Recipients can react to a received “Instant” using emojis, reply to it, or send their own back. According to the creators, the application does not allow screenshots or screen recording when viewing these photos.
Sent Instants are saved in a private archive, accessible to the user for one year. From this archive, it is later possible to compile a recap and publish it as a classic post to Instagram Stories. If a user sends an image by mistake, they can use the “undo” button or delete it from the archive, which also retracts the message from recipients who have not yet opened it.
Meta is also testing Instants as a standalone app in selected regions, specifically in Spain and Italy. With this move, the company is trying to respond to the trend where Instagram has become a platform oversaturated with influencer content and advertising, and wants to return to more personal sharing within a close circle of friends.
However, the feature faces criticism that it comes too late. The popularity of the BeReal network, which built its success on authenticity, is already declining. Many users have also grown accustomed to using Stories for quick and informal moments and may not see a use for Instants. Some users also complain about confusing functionality, where a photo is sent automatically immediately after pressing the shutter, which has led to accidental sending of sensitive images.