Instagram’s new “Instants” feature combines elements from Snapchat and BeReal

Instagram announced on Wednesday that it is launching “Instants” globally, a new feature for sharing original and disappearing photos after testing it with select users. This feature allows users to share disappearing photos with their close friends or common followers which can be viewed only once and remain available for 24 hours.

The app borrows ideas from social media platforms like Snapchat, Locket, and BeReal, focusing on original and ephemeral content.

Unlike Instagram, which is all about curated, polished content, Instants are designed for quick, realistic snapshots. With the Instants feature, you can take a photo using the Instagram app camera and you are not allowed to edit the photo. The format doesn’t allow uploads from the camera, and although you can add text to your Instant Moments, you can’t edit them any further. The idea behind this format is to share real moments as they happen, Mita said in a blog post.

It’s worth noting that Meta is also testing the Instants format as a standalone app in select regions, including Spain and Italy.

You can capture a moment by clicking on the set of thumbnails in the bottom right corner of your Instagram inbox. After you share your instant message, recipients can react with emoji, reply, and send an instant message. Meta notes say recipients can’t screenshot or record instant moments you’ve shared.

Instagram stores your shared Instant posts in a private archive that you can see for up to one year. You can also compile IMs from your archive into a summary and post them to Instagram Stories.

If you accidentally share a Moment, you can tap the Undo button and delete a Moment from your archive to unsend it to friends who haven’t opened it yet.

If you don’t want to receive instant messages, you can tap and hold on a pile of instant messages in your inbox and swipe right to stop receiving them temporarily. You can also choose to block or mute specific people.

Although Instagram started as a way for friends to share moments with each other, the platform gradually became filled with impactful content and ads. With Instants, the company is looking to return to more casual, private interactions centered around sharing photos among circles of friends.

However, Instagram may be a bit late to capitalize on the trend of low-pressure native photo sharing, since BeReal is no longer as popular as it once was, and many users already use Instagram Stories for quick, casual updates and may not see the need for a separate app and feature to do so.