Instagram never stands still and 2025 is bringing exciting changes to your favorite social platform. Whether you’re a creator, business owner, or casual user, these fresh features are reshaping how we connect and create.
We’ll keep this guide current with monthly updates throughout 2025, ensuring you stay ahead of the game and know about everything that’s evolving on Instagram.
Ready to explore what’s new?
- January 2025
- February 2025 – Coming soon
January
Vertical grid
Kicking off 2025 with one of Instagram’s biggest changes to date – the vertical grid. Love it or hate it, the new format is here to stay and honestly, we’re excited about a fresh new change on our favorite social media platform. Make sure you check out the Preview Blog to see more tips about adjusting to this new style and how you can utilize Preview to plan your best vertical grid yet.
Adjust preview
Coming along with the new vertical grid is the ability to adjust the thumbnail preview of your older posts! Just tap the three dots on a post, select Adjust Preview, and choose between fit or fill. If your image doesn’t fill the new 4:3 format, you can add a black or white background to keep your feed looking clean and cohesive.
New layout and colors
Instagram is updating profile layouts! Your name and bio will now appear centered, giving profiles a fresh, streamlined look. Plus, the action buttons (like “Follow” or “Message”) are getting a bold color makeover for better visibility.
AI comments
Instagram now lets Meta AI take the reins on commenting! Once you find a post you want to comment on, simply click the “magic wand” button and watch as AI crafts engaging, on-point responses. It’s a smart and easy way to boost interaction with your community and keep your comments fresh.
Post quietly to grid
You can now post quietly to your Instagram grid and bypass the feed. Just toggle on “Post quietly to profile” when uploading and your post will appear on your grid without notifying followers in their feeds. Perfect for curating your aesthetic or sharing personal moments without the pressure of instant engagement.
Business chats transparency
Instagram is enhancing transparency in business communications by introducing a “Business Chat” label at the top of DM conversations with companies. Additionally, a new “Business chats and your privacy” shortcut provides insights into how your information is utilized during these interactions.
DM translations
Instagram now lets you translate DMs instantly and connecting with people worldwide just got way easier! No need to copy and paste—just tap to translate messages right inside your chat.
New insights updates for Reels
Since Instagram changed how you track Reels performance with Views becoming the main metric, you’ll now also see View Rate and Watch Over Time, as well as other personalized insights. This new information will help you understand how people engage with your content, how often your posts are seen and how long viewers stick around!
AI info
Instagram now adds an “AI info” label to photos sent in DMs that have been created using AI. This helps users easily spot AI-generated content, keeping things transparent to ensure everyone knows what’s real and what’s AI-made!
3 minute Reels
Instagram is rolling out 3 minute Reels, giving creators even more time to showcase their content! Whether you’re telling a longer story or diving deeper into a topic, this update lets you engage your audience without feeling rushed – perfect for more detailed or creative videos.
Preview of next slide in carousel
Instagram’s latest update brings a handy feature for carousel posts – a preview of the next slide! This small change makes it easier for your community to swipe through and encourages more engagement with your content.
Edits app
Instagram has launched a new video editing app, Edits, to make content creation even easier! It offers powerful tools to edit your videos with more precision and creativity, helping you take your posts to the next level – perfect for creators or casual users looking for a seamless editing experience.
Reorder grid
Instagram is testing a profile grid editing feature to let you rearrange your grid posts. This gives you more control over how your content is displayed, making it easier to curate your grid and highlight specific images, especially after the vertical grid update. Currently, this is being tested with a select group of users, so keep an eye out to see if this new feature lands in your account.
Tip: Use Preview to plan and rearrange your Instagram posts before publishing, so you can see exactly how your feed will look – you’ll always have a cohesive, aesthetic feed that you love!
Dislike comments
Instagram is testing a dislike button for comments, showing up as a downward arrow similar to Reddit’s downvote feature. We’ll have to wait and see more about this feature when it comes to our accounts, but it’s definitely a unique new option!
Community notes
Meta is testing Community Notes on Instagram and Facebook, allowing users to write notes on posts they believe are misleading. These notes will be shown to others if they receive consensus from a group of contributors and your note will be anonymous if shared. This feature aims to combat misinformation through crowdsourced insights, although its effectiveness is still being evaluated.
Friends’ liked Reels
Instagram is rolling out Reels Friends Like, which shows you which of your friends have liked a specific Reel. Their profile pictures will appear in the top right corner of the video, making it easier to see what your friends are engaging with – a new fun way to spark conversations and connect over a shared love of content.
AI story images
You can now easily generate and share AI-created images directly in Stories! By selecting the “AI Images” option, you can either choose from a collection of AI-generated images or ask Meta AI to create a custom image based on your own unique prompt and description.
New Reels share button
Instagram is introducing a new Share Reel button that looks like a link icon rather than the “paper airplane” we’ve become used to. This makes it easier to share Reels by providing a simple, recognizable way to send them directly.
Reels insight and analysis
Instagram is giving users insights into why certain Reels are getting more attention with personalized stats like “Most views were longer than 3 seconds” or “69% of viewers watched for over 3 seconds.” You’ll also be able to view a section of “Why This Reel Stands Out” with extra info, tips, and options to create or save the Reel.
That’s all for now!
That’s a wrap! Have any other updates or see any new features? Let us know and we’ll keep our list updated. Check back soon for more as features roll out!
