Changes
415 times Instagram's guidance changed, newest first. Each shows what was said before, and what replaced it.
2026
Trial ReelsApr 2026
Trial reels became schedulable in advance, addressing the earlier inability to schedule them.
After
Back in November someone asked a question on why you can’t schedule a trial reel.“Back in November, someone asked, "Why can't you schedule a trial reel?" And so we built it, and now you can. If you're not familiar with trials, basically they allow you to share a reel not with your followers but with people who do not follow you yet, and you can see how well it does.”
Product taggingMar 2026
Instagram expanded product tagging beyond the described Feed-post workflow of tagging a brand and selecting a product, adding an “Add products” feature for Reels that supports any product in Meta’s commerce catalog and direct product URLs.
Before
Expanding Product Tagging in Feed to Everyone“When creating a post, use the tagging feature to tag a brand then specify a product. When someone taps on your product tag on your published Feed post, they’ll be able to get detailed information about the product through a product detail page on Instagram and then can purchase the product directly in app or through the brand’s product detail page.”
After
New Ways to Earn: Making Reels Shoppable“Today we're announcing new and improved ways to make your Reels shoppable. With the ability to tag any product in Meta's commerce catalog and even input direct URLs, you can share more of what you love, people can shop your Reels more seamlessly, and you have more ways to earn from your affiliate partnerships.”
ReelsMar 2026
Reels translation expanded from four available languages and five announced additions to support for nine languages.
Before
Instagram Empowers Creators to Go Global with Local Voice Translations and Fonts“We’re excited to announce in the coming months you will soon be able to use Meta AI to translate reels in five new Indian languages, helping you discover more entertaining content from across India and around the world.”
After
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.”
Reels translationsMar 2026
The previously announced expansion to nine translation languages was now described as available.
Before
Instagram Empowers Creators to Go Global with Local Voice Translations and Fonts“We’re excited to announce in the coming months you will soon be able to use Meta AI to translate reels in five new Indian languages, helping you discover more entertaining content from across India and around the world.”
After
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.”
SearchFeb 2026
Instagram added parental alerts when supervised teens repeatedly attempt suicide- or self-harm-related searches, extending protection beyond blocking those searches.
Before
Instagram Teen Accounts Will Be Inspired by 13+ Movie Ratings Criteria and Parent Feedback“We spent several months improving and refining our technology to proactively identify content that goes against our updated guidelines, and we’re using this improved technology across Instagram, including: - Accounts: Teens will no longer be able to follow accounts that we’ve found regularly share age-inappropriate content, or if their name or bio suggests the account is inappropriate for teens.”
After
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’.”
NotificationsJan 2026
The newer guidance calls the nighttime notification control sleep mode and specifies that you can choose the days and times it silences notifications, refining the earlier evening-only description of quiet mode.
Before
New Supervision Tools“One way that we're going to extend them, and this is in response to feedback we've gotten from parents, is giving parents more information about the accounts that follow their teen. And the other way we're going to extend those controls is to let more teens know that they exist in the first place.”
After
There are a lot of ways to control the notifications you get from Instagram.“You have a lot more control over your notifications on Instagram than you might think. If you go to profile settings and the notifications, there are tons of options for you to shape exactly when you hear from us.”
Reels translationsJan 2026
The previously announced expansion to nine translation languages was now described as available rather than coming soon.
Before
Instagram Empowers Creators to Go Global with Local Voice Translations and Fonts“We’re excited to announce in the coming months you will soon be able to use Meta AI to translate reels in five new Indian languages, helping you discover more entertaining content from across India and around the world.”
After
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.”
Reels translationsJan 2026
The number of supported translation languages increased from four to nine.
Before
You can now translate your reels between English, Português, Español, and हिंदी.“You can now translate your reels between English, Português, Español, and हिंदी. It’s been exciting to see how this helps connect people and creators across language barriers. More language to come soon.”
After
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.”
Reels translationsJan 2026
The translation workflow gained advice to schedule reels ahead of time so translations can be ready when the reel goes live.
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 launched translations a few months ago and have a total of nine languages available.“It's a great way to reach people who might not speak the same language as you and increase your reach overall. Now make sure you look out for the setting when you're posting a reel. It's on that last step.”
Personalized recommendationsJan 2026
Your Algorithm expanded from the US to English speakers globally and added a temporary option to select three interests to see more of in 2026.
Before
Excited to introduce Your Algorithm, a new way to see and control what you see in the Reels tab.“Excited to introduce Your Algorithm, a new way to see and control what you see in the Reels tab. We’re using some of our latest AI technology to show you the topics we think you’re interested in - you can tell us what you want to see more or less of and even share a snapshot of your algorithm to Stories so your friends can see.”
After
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.”
ReelsJan 2026
Your Algorithm expanded from its US launch to all English speakers globally and added a temporary option to select three priority interests for 2026.
Before
Excited to introduce Your Algorithm, a new way to see and control what you see in the Reels tab.“Excited to introduce Your Algorithm, a new way to see and control what you see in the Reels tab. We’re using some of our latest AI technology to show you the topics we think you’re interested in - you can tell us what you want to see more or less of and even share a snapshot of your algorithm to Stories so your friends can see.”
After
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.”
Content recommendationsJan 2026
Your Algorithm expands from the US to English speakers globally and temporarily lets users specify their top three interests for 2026.
Before
Excited to introduce Your Algorithm, a new way to see and control what you see in the Reels tab.“Excited to introduce Your Algorithm, a new way to see and control what you see in the Reels tab. We’re using some of our latest AI technology to show you the topics we think you’re interested in - you can tell us what you want to see more or less of and even share a snapshot of your algorithm to Stories so your friends can see.”
After
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.”
User interestsJan 2026
Your Algo expanded from a small test to all English speakers globally, with a temporary option to choose three interests to see more of in 2026.
Before
We’re starting to publicly test the ability to see and control your algorithm to a small percentage of users in the US this week.“This is a way to see and control your algorithm that we're starting to test with a small percentage of users this week. You can see everything we think you're interested in, and you can actually add and remove interests.”
After
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.”
EngagementJan 2026
The newer advice makes reel engagement rates more specific by measuring sends, likes and comments relative to how many people saw the reel.
Before
Quick thought: Engagement rates are more important than follower counts.“Quick thought, the engagement rate on your content is more important than your follower count. Now it's not that your follower count is important, it is important. It'll definitely correlate with reach. The more followers you have, the more reach you're gonna get on average.”
After
Sharing a few tips if you want to post more reels in 2026.“Some advice for those of you who are video creators going into 2026. If you don't create reels, you feel free to skip the rest of this video. Three things: one, check out the edits app specifically the inspiration tab for ideas for content to create and to get a sense for what's trending right now and what's resonating with people.”
2025
Teen safetyDec 2025
Instagram added a movie-rating-inspired default 13+ content setting and a stricter setting parents could choose for their teens.
Before
Partnering Directly With Schools and Teachers to Address Bullying“We recently introduced Instagram Teen Accounts, a new experience for teens, guided by parents. Teen Accounts were designed to give parents peace of mind that their teens are having safe, age-appropriate experiences on Instagram, with built-in protections turned on automatically.”
After
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+.”
ReelsDec 2025
Your Algorithm gained interest sharing to Stories and an access point in Settings, beyond the original test's interest controls.
Before
We’re starting to publicly test the ability to see and control your algorithm to a small percentage of users in the US this week.“This is a way to see and control your algorithm that we're starting to test with a small percentage of users this week. You can see everything we think you're interested in, and you can actually add and remove interests.”
After
Introducing a new way to see and control your algorithm“When you’re watching Reels, look for the icon in the upper right corner (two lines with hearts). Tap it to open Your Algorithm. You can see what topics we think you’re interested in, tell us which topics you want to see more or less of, and your recommendations will adapt.”
ReelsDec 2025
Your Algorithm moved from a small-percentage test to a US launch.
Before
We’re starting to publicly test the ability to see and control your algorithm to a small percentage of users in the US this week.“This is a way to see and control your algorithm that we're starting to test with a small percentage of users this week. You can see everything we think you're interested in, and you can actually add and remove interests.”
After
Excited to introduce Your Algorithm, a new way to see and control what you see in the Reels tab.“Excited to introduce Your Algorithm, a new way to see and control what you see in the Reels tab. We’re using some of our latest AI technology to show you the topics we think you’re interested in - you can tell us what you want to see more or less of and even share a snapshot of your algorithm to Stories so your friends can see.”
ExploreDec 2025
The promised expansion of editable recommendation interests to Explore became available, with preference changes shared across Reels and Explore.
Before
Instagram is now at three billion monthly active users While we’ve evolved over the years, we want to continue to stand for creativity in everything we do.“a page that lets you know what we think you're interested in, and then you can make all the changes you want. You can remove things, add things, and those changes will be reflected at first in the reels tab and then eventually also in Explore and in Feed.”
After
Introducing a new way to see and control your algorithm“In December we announced ‘Your Algorithm,’ a new way to see and control the topics driving your Reels recommendations. Starting today, ‘Your Algorithm’ extends beyond Reels to the Explore surface. Just like on Reels, you can view the topics Instagram thinks you’re into and easily adjust them to see more or less of what you want.”
Personalized recommendationsDec 2025
Your Algorithm moved from a small-user test to a US launch, adding the ability to share an interest snapshot to Stories.
Before
We’re starting to publicly test the ability to see and control your algorithm to a small percentage of users in the US this week.“This is a way to see and control your algorithm that we're starting to test with a small percentage of users this week. You can see everything we think you're interested in, and you can actually add and remove interests.”
After
Excited to introduce Your Algorithm, a new way to see and control what you see in the Reels tab.“Excited to introduce Your Algorithm, a new way to see and control what you see in the Reels tab. We’re using some of our latest AI technology to show you the topics we think you’re interested in - you can tell us what you want to see more or less of and even share a snapshot of your algorithm to Stories so your friends can see.”
Content recommendationsDec 2025
The Reels algorithm-control feature moves from a small-user test to a US launch and adds the ability to share an interest snapshot to Stories.
Before
We’re starting to publicly test the ability to see and control your algorithm to a small percentage of users in the US this week.“This is a way to see and control your algorithm that we're starting to test with a small percentage of users this week. You can see everything we think you're interested in, and you can actually add and remove interests.”
After
Excited to introduce Your Algorithm, a new way to see and control what you see in the Reels tab.“Excited to introduce Your Algorithm, a new way to see and control what you see in the Reels tab. We’re using some of our latest AI technology to show you the topics we think you’re interested in - you can tell us what you want to see more or less of and even share a snapshot of your algorithm to Stories so your friends can see.”
FeedDec 2025
Users can now directly adjust recommendation topics through Your Algorithm, with those preferences applying across Feed, Reels and Explore, rather than only resetting recommendations and letting them relearn from interactions.
Before
We’re testing a way for people to reset the content recommendations they see in Explore, Reels and Feed when they want a fresh start.“We’re testing a way for people to reset the content recommendations they see in Explore, Reels and Feed when they want a fresh start. Once you reset, your recommendations will start to personalize again over time, showing new content based on the content and accounts you interact with.”
After
Introducing a new way to see and control your algorithm“You can access Your Algorithm by navigating to Reels or Explore and tapping the icon in the upper right corner (the two lines with hearts). Your Algorithm is one unified system — so when you tell us what topics you want to see more or less of, your recommendations update everywhere: across Feed, Reels, and Explore.”
ExploreDec 2025
Explore adds explicit topic controls alongside likes and post-level feedback, letting you adjust interests with preferences that carry across both Explore and Reels.
Before
Introducing Video Channels in Instagram Explore“Today, we’ve started rolling out a new look for Explore featuring video channels. As people share more videos than ever before, we’re making it easier to discover the ones you’ll love. To begin, you’ll find a personalized channel called “Videos You Might Like” that collects videos from across Instagram’s global community into a seamless viewing experience.”
After
Introducing a new way to see and control your algorithm“In December we announced ‘Your Algorithm,’ a new way to see and control the topics driving your Reels recommendations. Starting today, ‘Your Algorithm’ extends beyond Reels to the Explore surface. Just like on Reels, you can view the topics Instagram thinks you’re into and easily adjust them to see more or less of what you want.”
ExploreDec 2025
Recommendation controls expanded from rejecting content and filtering words to viewing inferred interests and choosing topics to see more or less of across Feed, Reels, and Explore.
Before
Giving People Control Over Their Time and What They See on Instagram“We want to give people more control over the content they see on Instagram, so we’re introducing new features that allow people to tell us what content they don’t want recommended to them. First, you can now choose to hide multiple pieces of content in Explore that you aren’t interested in at one time.”
After
Introducing a new way to see and control your algorithm“You can access Your Algorithm by navigating to Reels or Explore and tapping the icon in the upper right corner (the two lines with hearts). Your Algorithm is one unified system — so when you tell us what topics you want to see more or less of, your recommendations update everywhere: across Feed, Reels, and Explore.”
Instagram DirectDec 2025
Notes guidance expands from sharing a song to linking what you’re currently listening to on Spotify.
Before
In case you noticed these at the top of your DMs but aren't sure what they are about...“In case you noticed these at the top of your DMs but aren't sure what they are about... notes have quickly become a popular way for people to share thoughts or status updates with their Close Friends or people who follow them back.”
After
In case you don’t know, Notes are those circles at the top of your DMs.“What are those little circles that you see at the top of your inbox? Well, if you're 20 or so, you probably can just stop watching this. You already know. If you are 30-ish, you probably remember Facebook statuses, and if you are 40-year-old or you probably remember AIM statuses.”
Reels translationsNov 2025
Instagram announced that Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Marathi would soon join the four supported translation languages.
Before
Discover Reels From Around the World With Meta AI Translation“Many creators want to reach global audiences, and their feedback helped shape our work on translation features. With Meta AI, creators can now seamlessly translate and dub reels, breaking down language barriers so they can share their work with more viewers worldwide.”
After
Instagram Empowers Creators to Go Global with Local Voice Translations and Fonts“We’re excited to announce in the coming months you will soon be able to use Meta AI to translate reels in five new Indian languages, helping you discover more entertaining content from across India and around the world.”
Reels translationsNov 2025
Instagram announced that Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Marathi would soon join the four supported translation languages.
Before
You can now translate your reels between English, Português, Español, and हिंदी.“You can now translate your reels between English, Português, Español, and हिंदी. It’s been exciting to see how this helps connect people and creators across language barriers. More language to come soon.”
After
Instagram Empowers Creators to Go Global with Local Voice Translations and Fonts“We’re excited to announce in the coming months you will soon be able to use Meta AI to translate reels in five new Indian languages, helping you discover more entertaining content from across India and around the world.”
Collab postsNov 2025Reversed
A Collab can now be initiated after publishing, reversing the earlier statement that collaborators could only be added when first posting.
Before
AMA: “Could you please make it possible for us to add a collaborator tag after posting?” ← good call“This is right, actually. So you when you add someone as a collaborator, you have to do it while you post the post initially. You cannot retroactively add someone as a collaborator. That is really an oversight on our part.”
After
Collabs are a great way to have a post or reel show up to multiple sets of followers.“Collabs are a great way to have a post or reel show up to multiple sets of followers. Pro tip: you can also initiate a collab after you post, which is new.”
Content rankingNov 2025
The promise to give content a chance in recommendations is made more specific: public content seeking broad reach gets an initial minimum audience and earns wider distribution through successive performance tests.
Before
Smaller creators historically haven’t gotten their fair share of reach on Instagram, and we want to change that.“Historically, if I'm honest, I don't think Instagram has been good enough by small creators out there. Now we've got tens of millions of small creators, which is amazing, but in general, I think too much reach goes to the largest creators and not enough goes to little guys.”
After
Adam Mosseri gives insight on how Instagram ranking works!“There are two sides to how ranking works for organic content. There's one side which is for the accounts that follow you. So everyone who's followed you, we're trying to find as many of them as possible who are interested in your post and to show them that content.”
MusicNov 2025
The blanket recommendation to use audio was qualified to recommend music when it fits the creator’s content strategy.
Before
I always recommend using audio on Reels, photos and carousels.“I always recommend using audio on Reels, photos and carousels. It can help with engagement and, with Reels specifically, it means you can show up on audio pages where a lot of people go for inspiration.”
After
Five simple and tactical things you can do to increase your reach on Instagram.“Four, use music, particularly if you're using photos or carousels, but even in reels, if it works with your content strategy. And five, use trials. If you're not comfortable posting a lot to your main grid and to all of your followers on a regular basis, trials is a great way to see if something is working with the people who do not follow you at first, and then you can upgrade anything that you're proud of to your followers and to your profile.”
ReelsOct 2025
Beyond resetting recommendations, Instagram began testing controls to view inferred interests and directly add or remove topics in the Reels tab.
Before
We’re testing a way for people to reset the content recommendations they see in Explore, Reels and Feed when they want a fresh start.“We’re testing a way for people to reset the content recommendations they see in Explore, Reels and Feed when they want a fresh start. Once you reset, your recommendations will start to personalize again over time, showing new content based on the content and accounts you interact with.”
After
We’re starting to publicly test the ability to see and control your algorithm to a small percentage of users in the US this week.“This is a way to see and control your algorithm that we're starting to test with a small percentage of users this week. You can see everything we think you're interested in, and you can actually add and remove interests.”