Instagram Releases Instants, a Default-to-Friends Disappearing Photo Feature, to All Users

Instagram globally released a new feature called Instants yesterday designed for sharing authentic, disappearing photos. Tapping the mini photo stack in the bottom-right corner of the Instagram inbox opens the Instants section. The first-time Instants introduction informs users that Instants disappear, there is no viewers list, and reactions and replies are private.

Tapping the shutter button in Instants automatically sends the captured photo to everyone on the user’s Friends list unless the toggle is manually switched to “Close Friends” beforehand. By default, tapping the shutter button sends the photo to the user's Friends list; users can switch to Close Friends before capturing or use the undo option afterward.

Meta offers an “undo” option once an Instant photo has been sent.

An “Undo” option appears beneath the shutter button immediately after an Instant is sent. Users can go to their archive by selecting the four-box icon at the top right of the Instants camera and delete an Instant to unsend it to friends who haven’t opened it yet. Instagram is owned by Meta.

Selecting “Hide Instants in Inbox” removes the Instants feature from the user’s inbox and prevents seeing any Instants sent by others. Users can temporarily pause receiving Instants by long-pressing the inbox icon and swiping, or permanently hide the feature via settings. The article detailing the rollout was written by Aisha Malik, a consumer news reporter at TechCrunch.

The article was published on or before 2026-05-14 and references the global release occurring the previous day.