Staying on top of all the social media news from the past 48 hours can feel like a full-time job. Luckily for you, it’s actually my full-time job. So here’s a round-up of all the latest Instagram updates announced this weekend–and for the latest on the TikTok Ban, check out this post.
In a bold and somewhat controversial move, Instagram is moving away from its iconic square grid in favor of a 3:4 vertical grid. Adam Mosseri explained the change: “The vast majority of what is uploaded to Instagram today is vertical. It’s either 4:3 in a photo or 9:16 in a video, and cropping it down to square is pretty brutal.” Hot take? We’re with him on this one. More space to showcase your content is always a good thing. (And yes, we’re working on updating our Social Planner!)
While the Vertical Grid update might spark debates, this one’s an easy win. Instagram now lets users crop post thumbnails, zoom in, or resize posts to fit the grid without cropping (though it’ll add a white border).
For all my indecisive planners out there, this one’s for you. Instagram will soon allow you to reorder your grid, letting you curate your profile exactly how you want. Keep in mind this takes your feed out of chronological order, but it’s a game-changer for those wanting a perfectly curated look.
Another possibly controversial update: Highlights will move to a “Highlights” tab within your grid instead of living under your bio. We’re still waiting to see exactly how this will look, but it’s likely you’ll need to resize highlight covers to 3:4 to match the new grid format.
Instagram is giving you even more control over your profile with the ability to post directly to your grid without also sharing the post to your feed. This feature will be perfect for updating your pinned posts without overwhelming your followers with back-to-back updates.
Instagram profiles are getting a makeover. Your profile is now left-aligned, your name has moved to the top, and your bio sits directly below your profile picture. The Threads link has been relocated to the bottom of your profile.
A long overdue change, Instagram now allows Reels to be up to three minutes long. Mosseri explained “Historically, it’s only been 90 seconds, and that’s because we’ve wanted to focus Instagram on short-form video, not on long-form video. But we’ve heard a lot of feedback from a lot of you creators out there that 90 seconds is just too short, so we’re hoping that upping that limit to three minutes will help you tell the stories that you really want to tell.”
This deserves its own post (and it'll get one, just give us a moment!) but here’s the TL;DR: Instagram is launching its own CapCut competitor called Edits. Set to debut in February, this free app is specifically designed for creators who prefer editing videos on their phones. It’ll feature powerful editing tools (including a high res camera), a Trending Audio tab, and a space to store drafts and ideas. We’re definitely excited about this one!
Alright, that's it… for now! Let us know if we missed anything, and we'll see ya for the next announcement. (Which, at this rate, is coming any minute now.) Be sure to follow us on Instagram and sign up for our weekly newsletter to get all the latest news and updates!
