Instagram Rolls Out Instants Feature and Standalone App for Disappearing Photos

The company began rolling out Instants globally on Wednesday, offering users a new way to share disappearing photos that can be viewed only once and remain available for 24 hours. The feature is accessible through the direct messaging tab in the main Instagram app by tapping a mini photo stack icon in the bottom right corner.

A standalone Instants app is also now available in the United States and other select countries after first launching in Italy and Spain in April. Users capture photos exclusively with the in-app camera and cannot upload from their device library or apply edits beyond adding text.

The photos are shared only with close friends or mutual followers and cannot be screenshotted or recorded. Recipients can react with emojis or reply directly in the messaging thread. The company stated that the format is intended to provide a more casual, low-pressure way to connect with friends.

Instants are stored in a private archive accessible to the sender for up to one year. Senders can compile them into a recap and post it to their Instagram Stories. An undo button allows deletion of an Instant from the archive before recipients open it.

Users who do not want to receive Instants can swipe to pause them temporarily or choose to block or mute specific people. The standalone app requires only an Instagram account and provides immediate access to the camera. Content shared through the app appears for friends on Instagram and vice versa.

The company had been testing Instants with select users before the global launch. It previously released the standalone app in Europe last month. The format combines elements from Snapchat's disappearing messages, BeReal's focus on authentic unedited snapshots, and Locket's emphasis on close-circle sharing.

It contrasts with the more curated and polished nature of standard Instagram posts. The company has expanded its portfolio of social apps in recent years, including Threads and an AI-focused app. The Instants rollout continues that pattern of experimenting with specialized experiences.

>"Instants you share on the separate app will show up for friends on Instagram and vice versa. " It includes a homescreen widget option, a feature that has proven popular with younger users on similar newer social apps. Some coverage noted that the ephemeral and private nature of the format may encourage more personal or adult-oriented sharing among close friends, though the same community guidelines against nudity apply as on the main Instagram app.