Instagram Rolls Out ‘Instant’: Disappearing Photo Sharing Feature Similar To Snapchat—Check All Features And Eligible Devices

Meta owned a popular social media platform, Instagram has a history of adopting popular features from rivals. Starting from Short-form videos which was first popularised by TikTok was adapted by Instagram which is now widely known as Reels. Similarly, the story format was introduced by Snapchat in 2013 before Instagram brought its own version in 2016, and made it mainstream, and the app appears to be copying the core feature of Snapchat with just a slight difference. The platform is reportedly rolling out a new image-sharing feature called “Instant.” It will allow users to share disappearing photos with others, which can be viewed once and will remain available for 24 hours. 

Snapchat vs Instant: Key difference

The 24-hour timeline is one of the primary differences compared to Snapchat, which doesn’t follow a strict viewing limit like this. To keep things more unfiltered, the feature only allows users to capture a photo in a single tap, with no editing options. Users also can’t upload images from their camera rolls which means all content must be captured and shared through the in-app camera. However, users can add text to their “instants” these unedited pictured can’t be modified any further. 

The company has been teasing this new feature for some time in select regions. The app is currently available in Spain and Italy, and can be used on both iOS and Android OS. The company claims that users can choose to use “Instants” either within the primary app or can download a dedicated app through play store or app store. 

Other apps with same features

Apart from Snapchat, similar features were already introduced by other social media platforms such as Locket and BeReal prior to Instagram, both the applications focus on authentic and ephemeral content. 

Instagram updates apart Instants

Alongside texting new features such as “Instants”. The app is also refining its core experience with smaller but useful updates. The platform recently rolled out the ability to edit comments after posting, giving users a 15-minute window to fix mistakes or update their thoughts without deleting the entire comment. Once edited, a label is added for transparency. This brings the app closer to other Meta platforms such as WhatsApp, which already supports message editing. 

The company also recently introduced the Teen Accounts in India, offering stricter content filters, safer interactions, and more control for parents. 

How Does Instagram comment editing Works 

As per the social media platform, users are now allowed to edit their comments within 15 minutes of posting them. During this time frame, users can make multiple edits in the comment which gives users flexibility to correct typos or rephrase their thoughts without deleting the comment.    

Once a user edits his or her comment, a label will indicate that changes have been made. However, the platform does not provide access to the original version of the comment. This makes the feature differ from other platforms such as iMessage where users can view the edit history. After the 15-minute window is closed, comments become fixed and can no longer be edited.  

Many other platforms alter offer comment or message editing features similar to Instagram. For example, Facebook allows users to edit comments and posts even after publishing, often with an edit history visible. YouTube and Reddit also let users modify comments, typically marking them as edited. Whereas X offers limited editing for posts within a short time window, particularly for paid users. Compared to these, Instagram’s approach is more restricted, with a 15-minute window and no access to previous versions. 

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