We tend to frequent sites like Instagram and X pretty frequently, whether it’s to make contacts or just pass the time. Social media has become somewhat integrated into our daily lives. With over 2 billion people enjoying Instagram, the former, a Meta product, has long been the market leader in image-based social networking.
Having said that, it’s fascinating to note that even while Instagram continues to be popular, its developers continue to add new features whenever they see fit. We’ll attempt to highlight seven such recent additions that every Instagram user should be aware of before using the program.
What Are The Latest Special Instagram Features You Should Know?
While Threads, a Twitter and Koo rival, is getting all the attention, we’ll concentrate more on Instagram, the company’s core offering. There have been a number of incremental updates recently that introduce special Instagram tools and features that make using the app a little bit more enjoyable.
These control capabilities are really helpful, especially with new Instagram features appearing every few weeks. As part of the first significant upgrade, three new tools are being made available. The three options are Quiet Mode, Multi-Select for Content You Don’t Care About, and Hidden Words to Recommendations. You may use these tools to regulate your app time and avoid the awful doomscrolling that affects us all.
1. Paid Verification
Instagram has made it simpler to become verified, giving users the choice to do so by paying Rs 699 on both Android and iOS. When compared to prices in other areas, this is a little bit less expensive. You must present a government-issued ID proof to authenticate your identity; after you have, a blue checkmark will appear on your account.
Since people identify the verified tag with fame and success, it will be much simpler for aspiring influencers and users as a whole to find connections and contacts as a result.
2. Reels Templates for Simpler Content Creation
This is a useful feature for aspiring content creators, as Instagram makes editing reels easier for the user. It accomplishes this by incorporating Templates of Reels pre-loaded into the program by other developers. All you have to do is upload your desired content, with factors like scheduling pre-determined to make content creation much easier.
To access this function, simply swipe up from the Gallery that appears on Instagram. Then, select a template with an audio of your choice by clicking on the Templates tab.
3. Longer Instagram Stories
If you’ve ever shared a story with a lengthy video or reel that is longer than 15 seconds, you may have found it annoying because the app frequently cuts the video or reel after just 15 seconds, requiring people to visit the original post to see what you were trying to share.
Now that Instagram has extended the time limit for publishing videos on stories to 60 seconds, this problem will no longer exist. As a result, any video that is 60 seconds or shorter will appear on your story properly without being divided into multiples of 15. This lessens the frustration visitors have while attempting to view a humorous reel or an edit that you intend to offer.
4. Quiet Mode
Users of Quiet Mode can choose a specific day or week during which they do not want to receive notifications. If you choose the same, your phone will automatically reply to any texts you get to make sure the other person does not perceive it as something else.
As a result, you’ll be able to spend less time using the app overall. As soon as Quiet Mode is turned off, the program will also display a summary of the alerts that were received during the selected time.
The user can choose to hide specific words from recommendations in the following functionality if they don’t like them. From the prior paradigm, when one could only conceal DMs or comments on posts, this is a welcome improvement. You can now conceal a certain topic, and content related to that topic won’t appear in your feed.
Additionally, users have the option to remove or hide numerous posts at once from their for-you page. Now it will be much simpler to delete content you do not like.
5. Group Profiles
Group Profiles, a new Instagram feature, is one of its distinguishing aspects. Users can cooperate on a bigger scale while posting on a single page. This allows friends or partners to post together without having to tag each other or switch to different pages. Collaborations will benefit from this.
Once you’ve created a group profile, go to the top of the page and select the Plus (+) button. A drop-down menu of content kinds will appear, from which you can select whether to share a story, a reel, or a post. Worry not, as this will have no effect on your personal profile, as the group post or narrative will be limited to the group profile only.
You may tag other users, add a location, and even make your own captions, just like on your own IG page. You are welcome to do the same.
6. GIF Replies for Post Commenting
Have you ever wanted to leave a comment on a GIF that exactly reflects what you’re trying to say on an Instagram post by a friend? Instagram has recently made this easier by introducing a new function that allows users to send GIFs as answers while commenting on a post.
It’s very similar to the GIF option that appears when you try to comment to someone’s Instagram Story. The functionality makes advantage of Giphy and the numerous GIFs in its library. This feature is accessible by tapping the comment button beneath a post. The GIF button will appear; simply select a GIF and press the send button.
While this may not appear to be a major deal, it makes conversations more enjoyable for users and allows you to elaborate on your point without having to tediously type down your ideas or emotions.
7. Multiple Links Support
Have you ever attempted to provide links to your numerous other profiles or websites and encountered a problem with Instagram’s Bio options? You may have previously resorted to options such as LinkTree, but not any longer. Instagram has updated its app to allow you to share multiple links from your profile.
Simply tap on the Edit Profile option in the Profile area, browse to the Add External Link option, and then drag and drop the web links to the sites or profiles you want to show others. Please keep in mind that it is an order-based system, so the links will appear in the order you placed them on your profile.