Changes
415 times Instagram's guidance changed, newest first. Each shows what was said before, and what replaced it.
2026
CarouselsOct 2026
Carousel creation tools expanded beyond adding text and stickers to include precise layouts and elements that span multiple slides in Edits.
Before
New Creative Tools“New creator tools this week. Our job is to give creators the flexibility to tell their stories online, and so today we got a couple new features to announce. One is improved text tools, so new fonts, animations, and effects to help you be more expressive on Instagram, and the second is we're finally bringing not only text but also stickers to photos and carousels.”
After
New to Edits: An editor for your carousels“Carousels have evolved beyond a linear sequence of photos and videos. Our editor lets you add photos, videos and text to your projects. Use a layout, create stickers with the cutout tool, and use filters or adjustments.”
ReachSep 2026
The newer advice extends the warning against reposting identical content to successful reels and adds that repeats will not be seen as original content.
Before
Should you delete and repost if something flopped? The short answer is no.“One question I get a lot is: if you post something and it doesn't do well, should you delete it and then post it again? And the answer is no, you shouldn't. Because if you do, it'll probably do just like the first post did because it's the same piece of content.”
After
A few ways to get more mileage out of a post that worked, without just reposting it.“One question I get a lot is: if I have a piece of content or a reel that does well on Instagram and I want to get more out of that idea, how do I go about doing that as a creator?”
Original contentSep 2026
Instagram clarified that reposting your own identical reel will not be treated as original content and will probably receive less reach, even though you created it.
Before
Rewarding original creators on Instagram“Original content is work that you wholly created or reflects your unique perspective. Here are some examples: - Photos or videos you took — your photography and edits are reflective of your creative vision. - Content you designed — whether it's a photo series, a how-to guide, or a visual story, if it’s something you personally created, it's your original content.”
After
A few ways to get more mileage out of a post that worked, without just reposting it.“One question I get a lot is: if I have a piece of content or a reel that does well on Instagram and I want to get more out of that idea, how do I go about doing that as a creator?”
Parental supervisionSep 2026
Supervision adds insights into teens’ school participation, including notifications when they join or leave a school.
Before
New Supervision Tools“New Supervision Tools Today, we’re introducing new supervision tools on Instagram and the launch of our Family Center – a new, central place for parents/guardians to be more involved in their teens’ online experience. Let me know what additional features you’d like to see”
After
Expanding Instagram’s School Partnership Program to Help Teens Stay Informed“Keeping teens safe online is paramount and we want to assure educators and parents that we’re building these features with the proper protections in place so teens can explore their interests and express their creativity in a safe, age-appropriate space.”
Photo taggingSep 2026
Users can now add photos and videos they are tagged in to their main profile grid, rather than displaying them only in the tagged section.
Before
Introducing Instagram Photos of You“Photos are memories of the people, places and moments that mean the most to us. We have always sought to give you simple and expressive ways to bring the stories behind your photos to life. Your captions and hashtags capture the “what?””
After
Starting to roll out today, you can now add posts you’re tagged in to your grid.“Small update: You can now add any photo or video that you're tagged to to your profile grid. So you can go to your profile and then to your tag tab, and if you long press any photo or video that you're tagged in, there'll be an option which is add to grid.”
A/B testingAug 2026
Instagram also keeps a small holdout group without a launched change to compare outcomes, extending testing beyond the initial small-group trial before rolling it out to everyone.
Before
Testing “Take a Break” “This week I want to talk about a new feature that we're starting to test on Instagram. But before I go and do what that feature is, why do we test things in the first place?”
After
synthetic content trend full pod with @mosseri out now on apple + spotify watch on patreon“But then how people end up using it is ultimately something that we can't really predict. When you press the red button, I assume that's how it works to send out a new product. Yeah, just like fuck it, fuck it, we will do it, send it.”
FeedJul 2026
Users can now replace audio on already-published feed posts and carousels without deleting and reposting them.
Before
Trying something new this week for Creator Spotlight, and making a reel where I highlight some amazing content from at @pangea, a guy named Johannes who’s an amazing photo and video creator out of Germany.“For this week's creator spotlight, when I highlight a creator named Johannes at a Germany, he's a photographer and a video creator. Does some amazing stuff. He's got a great aesthetic. Here he's got a carousel with photos, but he's adding music.”
After
This one’s been a long time coming. You can now replace the audio on your published feed posts and carousels, no need to delete and re-upload.“This one’s been a long time coming. You can now replace the audio on your published feed posts and carousels, no need to delete and re-upload. Tap the three dots, hit edit, and swap your audio.”
CarouselsJul 2026
Carousel audio can now be replaced after publishing without deleting and re-uploading the post.
Before
New Ways to Create With Music and Collaborate With Friends on Instagram“Today, we’re excited to introduce new, fun ways to share with friends and interact with creators through music, photos and reels on Instagram. Whether you’re sharing a collection of summer memories with friends or moments from your camera roll, you can now add music to your photo carousels.”
After
This one’s been a long time coming. You can now replace the audio on your published feed posts and carousels, no need to delete and re-upload.“This one’s been a long time coming. You can now replace the audio on your published feed posts and carousels, no need to delete and re-upload. Tap the three dots, hit edit, and swap your audio.”
MusicJul 2026
Music support expanded to let creators replace audio on already-published feed posts and carousels without deleting and re-uploading them.
Before
Collabs + Music Updates“Collabs + Music Updates A fun, few updates this week: - Multiple Collaborators - Music in Carousels What other finally features should we be thinking about?”
After
This one’s been a long time coming. You can now replace the audio on your published feed posts and carousels, no need to delete and re-upload.“This one’s been a long time coming. You can now replace the audio on your published feed posts and carousels, no need to delete and re-upload. Tap the three dots, hit edit, and swap your audio.”
Teen safetyJul 2026
Instagram extended the stricter Limited Content setting to Meta AI conversations, making the AI decline a broader range of prompts when parents select it.
Before
Parents already juggle a lot to help their teens navigate the internet safely, and I know many are now wondering how AI fits in.“Talk to a lot of parents about their teens who use Instagram, and one concern I've been hearing more and more recently is about teens talking to AIs—not just on Instagram but across the entire industry and online.”
After
Alerting Parents if Teens Show Signs of Distress in Conversations With Meta AI“Teen Accounts are automatically placed into a 13+ content setting, which also applies to conversations with Meta AI. In this default 13+ setting, Meta AI is designed to give age-appropriate responses and not comply with sensitive prompts.”
Parental supervisionJul 2026
Parental suicide and self-harm alerts expanded beyond repeated searches to include concerning conversations with Meta AI.
Before
New Alerts to Let Parents Know if Their Teen May Need Support“Next week, parents and teens enrolled in supervision will be notified that Instagram will start sending these new alerts to parents, based on their teens’ search activity. Attempted searches that would prompt the alert include phrases promoting suicide or self-harm, phrases that suggest a teen wants to harm themselves, and terms like ‘suicide’ or ‘self-harm’.”
After
Alerting Parents if Teens Show Signs of Distress in Conversations With Meta AI“parent. While that means we may sometimes notify parents when there may not be real cause for concern, we feel this is the right starting point, and we’ll continue to monitor to help make sure we’re in the right place.”
ReelsJul 2026
Reels translation added Japanese, Korean, French, German, and Italian, plus the ability to translate voice and on-screen captions together.
Before
One of the most common questions I get is does scheduling a reel hurt your reach?“One of the most common questions I get is: "If you schedule a reel, will you get less distribution?" And the answer is categorically no. You will not get any less distribution. We treat it just the same as any other reel.”
After
We’re expanding translations to more languages on Instagram – added Japanese, Korean, French, German, and Italian.“We’re expanding translations to more languages on Instagram – added Japanese, Korean, French, German, and Italian. You can also now translate both your voice and any on-screen captions in the same reel together, which should make things a lot easier.”
Reels translationsJul 2026
AI translation expanded from nine to 14 languages by adding Japanese, Korean, French, German, and Italian, and Mosseri also specified that added captions are translated.
Before
We launched translations a few months ago and have a total of nine languages available.“You can look and sound like you speak as many as nine different languages on Instagram at this point. Now I first posted about AI translations way back in August. And the way it works is when you upload a reel, you have an option to turn on translations.”
After
We’re expanding translations to more languages on Instagram – added Japanese, Korean, French, German, and Italian.“We're launching support for five more languages with AI translations starting today. So for those of you who don't know, when you post a reel on Instagram, you can turn on translations, and now we support 14 different languages.”
Reels translationsJul 2026
Translation support increased from nine to 14 languages, adding Japanese, Korean, French, German, and Italian.
Before
We launched translations a few months ago and have a total of nine languages available.“We launched translations a few months ago and have a total of nine languages available. If you haven’t yet tried it out, go to “More options” and toggle “Translate reel” on before posting to help make your content more accessible to people around the world.”
After
We’re expanding translations to more languages on Instagram – added Japanese, Korean, French, German, and Italian.“We're launching support for five more languages with AI translations starting today. So for those of you who don't know, when you post a reel on Instagram, you can turn on translations, and now we support 14 different languages.”
Reels translationsJul 2026
Instagram expanded translation beyond nine languages by adding Japanese, Korean, French, German, and Italian.
Before
One of the most common questions I get is does scheduling a reel hurt your reach?“One of the most common questions I get is: "If you schedule a reel, will you get less distribution?" And the answer is categorically no. You will not get any less distribution. We treat it just the same as any other reel.”
After
We’re expanding translations to more languages on Instagram – added Japanese, Korean, French, German, and Italian.“We’re expanding translations to more languages on Instagram – added Japanese, Korean, French, German, and Italian. You can also now translate both your voice and any on-screen captions in the same reel together, which should make things a lot easier.”
Reels translationsJul 2026
Translation expanded from voices to translating both voices and on-screen captions together in the same reel.
Before
Expanding Translations to More Languages to Help You Reach Bigger Audiences on Reels“Translating your reels is as simple as a tap of a button. To get started, before publishing your reel, toggle the “Translate voices with Meta AI” setting on. Tap the “translation settings” link to add lip syncing and select which languages you want your reels to be translated into.”
After
We’re expanding translations to more languages on Instagram – added Japanese, Korean, French, German, and Italian.“We’re expanding translations to more languages on Instagram – added Japanese, Korean, French, German, and Italian. You can also now translate both your voice and any on-screen captions in the same reel together, which should make things a lot easier.”
StoriesJul 2026
Instagram expanded Stories’ AI effects with over 30 Muse Image-powered effects and a redesigned effects browser, available in the US.
Before
Restyle your Instagram Stories using Meta AI to Take Your Creativity Further“Whether you want to simply remove an unwanted detail from your story, include a playful element, change the vibe using a whimsical effect, or start a trend with your friends with Add Yours stickers, now you can.”
After
New Effects in Stories from Meta AI“- Instagram is adding over 30 new effects in Stories powered by Muse Image, the first AI image generation model from Meta Superintelligence Labs. - There is also a redesigned effects browser experience that makes it easy to preview effects before you try them on your photos.”
EffectsJul 2026
Instagram expanded AI photo editing in the US with over 30 new effects and the ability to create custom effects by typing a prompt.
Before
If you haven’t already, check out restyle in the stories creation flow.“If you haven’t already, check out restyle in the stories creation flow. You can take a relatively ho hum photo like this one and have some fun with it.”
After
New Effects in Stories from Meta AI“In the US, we’ve added over 30 new effects that use the latest image generation capabilities from Meta AI. Meta AI has been developed to uniquely understand Instagram videos and photos and can interpret your photo's scene — the lighting, composition, and subject — to make nuanced edits that feel natural and true to you.”
Saved postsJul 2026
Collaborative collections move from being described as a test to being recommended as a way to share saved posts with a friend.
Before
New Sharing Features on Instagram: Notes, Group Profiles and More“Group Profile, that content will only be shared to group members instead of your followers, and will be posted on the Group Profile instead of your own. To create a new group profile, tap the + and select Group Profiles.”
After
Check out collaborative collections, a great way to share your saves with a friend.“Check out collaborative collections, a great way to share your saves with a friend.”
User feedbackJun 2026
Instagram is exploring home-screen access and real-time “more of this, less of that” feedback, extending the earlier controls accessed through Settings or post menus.
Before
How AI Influences What You See on Facebook and Instagram“By using the tools available, you have the ability to shape your experiences on our apps so you see more of the content you want to see, and less of the content you don’t. To make this easier, we’ve created centralized places on Facebook and Instagram where you can customize controls that influence the content you see on each app.”
After
We’re working on making Your Algorithm feel more present and useful across Instagram.“We’re working on making Your Algorithm feel more present and useful across Instagram. I wanted to share a few ideas we’re exploring. Some of this is testing now, some is coming soon, some might not work.”
Posting frequencyJun 2026
The suggestion to follow a successful post within a day or two is refined to say that half a day can be enough and that successive posts do not interfere with each other in ranking.
Before
AMA: if I have a video that does really well, should I post again right away?“If you have a video that does really well, don't feel like you have to post again right away. It certainly don't force it, but in general, in general, it would be good to post relatively soon in the next day or two if you want to capitalize on that momentum because you got a lot of people who are now expressing interest in your content and they're more likely to see whatever you post next.”
After
You don’t need to wait for your last post to peak to post something else.“The question is if you make a post and it's doing really well, should you wait for that post to peak before you post the next thing, or is it just find a post the next thing right away?”
Posting frequencyJun 2026
The broad reassurance not to worry about posting too frequently gains a caveat that bombarding followers can reduce engagement and reach.
Before
One big misconception I see about Instagram is that you lose followers if you post too often.“Quick myth busting video. A lot of people think that if you post too much, people will unfollow you more, and that's actually not the case. And we just looked into this recently. Now yes, it is true that sometimes when you post, people remind that they follow you and they might unfollow you because people are always curating their following list.”
After
You don’t need to wait for your last post to peak to post something else.“The question is if you make a post and it's doing really well, should you wait for that post to peak before you post the next thing, or is it just find a post the next thing right away?”
ReelsJun 2026
Instagram for TV expanded beyond its initial Fire TV test, adding Google TV availability and phone-to-TV Reels casting alongside new Stories and horizontal-video experiences.
Before
Today we’re kicking off a test of Instagram for TV in the US, starting with Amazon Fire TV devices.“Today we’re kicking off a test of Instagram for TV in the US, starting with Amazon Fire TV devices. We’re bringing Reels from your favorite creators to the big screen so you can watch content together.”
After
Instagram for TV Gets Bigger, With New Ways to Watch Together“We've heard from our community that Instagram for TV is often a shared experience. Friends and family watch together, pass the remote, and swap recommendations in real time. That's why the features we're testing today are designed to make discovering, sharing, and enjoying Instagram easier with the people around you.”
Teen safetyJun 2026
The updated teen content settings began rolling out globally across Instagram, Facebook and Messenger.
Before
AI Breakthroughs, Our Most Advanced Glasses, and More: Meta’s 2025 Highlights“We want teens to have safe, age-appropriate experiences on our apps, so we’re constantly gathering feedback from parents and experts to improve our features and deliver better experiences. Building on the success of Teen Accounts, we added new protections and unveiled updated content settings, inspired by movie ratings for ages 13+.”
After
Strengthening Teen Accounts with New Safety Updates on Instagram and Facebook“Inspired by movie ratings criteria and parent feedback, this setting is designed to help teens see age-appropriate content by default, was introduced in India recently. Now, the settings to Teen Accounts are rolling out globally across Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger.”
Teen safetyJun 2026
The updated age-appropriate content settings advance from an initial rollout in four countries to a global rollout on Instagram.
Before
Instagram Teen Accounts Will Be Inspired by 13+ Movie Ratings Criteria and Parent Feedback“These are significant updates, and we want to take the time to get it right. The updated content settings will start rolling out gradually to Teen Accounts in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada today and will be fully rolled out by the end of the year.”
After
Strengthening Teen Accounts with New Safety Updates on Instagram and Facebook“Inspired by movie ratings criteria and parent feedback, this setting is designed to help teens see age-appropriate content by default, was introduced in India recently. Now, the settings to Teen Accounts are rolling out globally across Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger.”
Parental supervisionJun 2026
Repeated suicide or self-harm search alerts expanded from the initial US, UK, Australia, and Canada rollout to the EU, Brazil, and India.
Before
New Alerts to Let Parents Know if Their Teen May Need Support“Next week, parents and teens enrolled in supervision will be notified that Instagram will start sending these new alerts to parents, based on their teens’ search activity. Attempted searches that would prompt the alert include phrases promoting suicide or self-harm, phrases that suggest a teen wants to harm themselves, and terms like ‘suicide’ or ‘self-harm’.”
After
Strengthening Teen Accounts with New Safety Updates on Instagram and Facebook“Instagram will be notifying parents using supervision if their teen repeatedly tries to search for terms related to suicide or self-harm within a short period of time. This is the latest protection for Teen Accounts and Instagram’s parental supervision features.”
Personalized recommendationsJun 2026
Your Algorithm expanded beyond the Reels tab to the main feed, with interest controls now described as available across Instagram's major surfaces.
Before
We’re expanding Your Algo to all English speakers globally today.“We’re expanding Your Algo to all English speakers globally today. If you haven’t seen this yet, you can tune your algorithm in the Reels tab by adding and removing topics based on your interests. Since it’s the start of the year, for a limited time you can also tell your algo the top three interests you want to see more of in 2026.”
After
Today we're bringing Your Algorithm to the main feed — you can now see the topics we think you're interested in, and change them, across all the major parts of Instagram.“Today we're bringing Your Algorithm to the main feed — you can now see the topics we think you're interested in, and change them, across all the major parts of Instagram. Some thoughts on agency, algorithms, and where this is all going in the slides”
Content recommendationsJun 2026
Your Algorithm becomes available in the main feed, which the earlier statement said was not yet supported.
Before
A few features of Instagram that you might not know about, but might appreciate.“A few maybe underappreciated features of Instagram to help you shape the experience a little bit more. The first is your algorithm, which you can get to both on your reels tab and on the search tab.”
After
Today we're bringing Your Algorithm to the main feed — you can now see the topics we think you're interested in, and change them, across all the major parts of Instagram.“Today we're bringing Your Algorithm to the main feed — you can now see the topics we think you're interested in, and change them, across all the major parts of Instagram. Some thoughts on agency, algorithms, and where this is all going in the slides”
User interestsJun 2026
Your Algorithm launched in the main Feed, making the previously announced interest controls available there.
Before
New Supervision Tools Give Parents Insights Into Their Teen’s Algorithm and More“Last December, Instagram launched Your Algorithm, a tool that lets you customize your algorithm to see more or less about certain topics. This feature is available on Reels and Explore in English-speaking countries, and will soon come to your main Feed.”
After
Today we're bringing Your Algorithm to the main feed — you can now see the topics we think you're interested in, and change them, across all the major parts of Instagram.“Today we're bringing Your Algorithm to the main feed — you can now see the topics we think you're interested in, and change them, across all the major parts of Instagram. Some thoughts on agency, algorithms, and where this is all going in the slides”
Teen safetyJun 2026
Instead of describing teens as automatically receiving the most restrictive content setting, Instagram now identifies a default 13+ setting and a stricter Limited Content option.
Before
Introducing Teen Accounts in India on Instagram“The Teen Account protections are specifically designed to tackle key concerns parents have, such as who their teens interact with online, the type of content they are exposed to, and how they manage their time on the platform.”
After
New 13+ Content Settings for Teen Accounts Expanding Globally on Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger“To help make sure our new content settings are working to deliver the positive, age-appropriate experience we want for Teen Accounts, we asked Alice (formerly ActiveFence) to evaluate our Teen Account settings and perform sophisticated, adversarial stress-testing.”