Instagram just rolled out a bunch of new features. And if you have used Snapchat before, some of it might feel very familiar.
The most notable change is the new location-sharing feature called Instagram Map. This feature is similar to Snapchat’s Snap Map. It lets you share your last active location with friends. But the good thing is that it is turned off by default. You can choose exactly who sees your location: everyone on your list, just close friends, specific people, or no one at all. You can even turn it off when you are at certain places or with certain people.
This is not the first time Instagram has borrowed ideas from Snapchat. Stories, nametags, disappearing messages, and now this.
Another major update is the repost feature. You can now repost Reels and posts from other accounts to your own profile. These reposts will appear in a separate tab and will be visible to your followers. The original creator gets credit, and you can even add your own note when you repost something. This feature was in testing for a while, but now it is available to everyone.
Instagram has also added a new “Friends” tab inside Reels. This shows you public content that your friends have interacted with. If your friend liked or commented on a video, you will see it here. Instagram hopes it will help users discover more content through their friends. But honestly, some people might not like this.
These features are now rolling out globally. If you do not see them yet, just update your app.