8 Useful New Features Coming to Instagram

Instagram has transitioned from a mere photo-sharing app to a feature-packed social platform for users and content creators. To furtherimprove the user experienceand add more ways to deliver quality content, the Facebook-owned giant has beenadding many new featureslately. However, there are an array of features that are currently in the pipeline for Instagram and are yet to make their way to the public. And thanks to leaks and rumors, we have managed to curate a list of the 8 most useful new features coming to Instagram in this article.

8 New Features Coming to Instagram (September 2021)

1. Interest-based Search

First up, interest search is a feature that was teased by Instagram chief Adam Mosseri recently. Mosseri mentioned andshowcased the interest search featurein a recent announcement explaininghow Instagram Search works.How Search Works 🔎In this video I cover…– How we rank search– How to show up on search– How we keep search safe– What’s new for searchIf you’d like to dig in further check out our new blog post:https://t.co/aJmnNEqbKZpic.twitter.com/n0uc7rG0Nn— Adam Mosseri 😷 (@mosseri)August 25, 2021

How Search Works 🔎In this video I cover…– How we rank search– How to show up on search– How we keep search safe– What’s new for searchIf you’d like to dig in further check out our new blog post:https://t.co/aJmnNEqbKZpic.twitter.com/n0uc7rG0Nn— Adam Mosseri 😷 (@mosseri)August 25, 2021

Interest search is an extension of the search feature of Instagram, which the company recently explained in a blog post. It lets users search for particular interests or topics rather than pages or accounts. Currently, if you search for a topic on Instagram, the app shows accounts or pages related to it. However, with interest search, Instagram will first show posts, accounts, pages, or any other info available on the topic and give dedicated search options.

Now, coming to availability, Mosseri says that interest-based search is only available in certain regions at the moment and supports only a handful of languages. However, he adds that the company is planning to release the feature for global users as soon as possible.

2. Sell NFT Collectibles

Apart from improving the search functionality, Instagram is also reportedly planning to add a feature that willlet users sell NFTson the platform. Now, if you don’t know what NFTs are, these are non-fungible tokens (NFTs) based on blockchain that signifies the ownership of a digital item or collectible.

The feature was initiallydiscoveredby reverse app engineer Alessandro Paluzzi and will reportedly be called Collectibles. It will essentially let users post a digital item for sale on Instagram. The listed NFT items will include a ‘Collectible’ label, and you will be able to bid on them. Paluzzi shared the onboarding screen for the upcoming feature anda short screen recordingto show how it will work.

As for availability, Instagram has not yet officially announced the Collectibles feature. So, it might be sometime before the social platform introduces it for all users.

3. Like Button for Stories

Instagram is also working on a like button for Stories. Currently, if you view someone’s story on the platform, you will find the share button at the bottom right corner.

However,as perAlessandro Paluzzi, the company is aiming to replace the share button with a heart button that will let users like someone’s story with a tap. Moreover, users will be able totap the button multiple times to increase their like counts, as per arecent tweetby Paluzzi. Now, coming to availability, we have no information on that yet. So, stay tuned to know more about it in the coming days.

4. Add Music to Feed Posts

Other than the ability to like Stories on its platform, Paluzzi recently discovered that Instagram is also working to enable adding music for regular feed posts as well. Currently, when users upload pictures and videos on Instagram, the app only lets them tag other users and add locations. You can alsocollaborate with other users on Instagram feed posts.

However, according to the recent discovery, Instagram is testing a new “Add Music” button on the upload page. It will essentially let users add their favorite music to an image or a video before sharing them on their timeline.

Although the feature wasdiscovered recently, Instagram might roll it out for global users soon. We will update you once the platform gets this cool new feature.

5. Instagram Fan Club

Apart from adding more interactive elements to its app, Instagram has plans to introduce a new ‘Fan Club’ feature, especially for content creators. It will let Instagram influencerscreate an exclusive subscription-based community, much likeTwitter Super Followsor OnlyFans.

The feature wasdiscoveredby Paluzzi and will let creators share stories, posts and conduct live sessions exclusively for Fan Club members. Paluzzi has shared screenshots of themembership settings page, theapproximate earnings screen, and more on his Twitter.

As for the availability of the Fan Club feature on Instagram, there is no information on that yet. However, given the fact that Instagram has completed developing all the necessary features and onboarding screens, chances are it might arrive in the coming weeks.

6. Set 24-Hour Status

Asreportedback in August, Instagram is working to add theability to set a 24-hour statuson its platform. The ephemeral status will be visible to followers who follow you back for the set limit, after which it will get automatically deleted.

The 24-hour status feature is currently available on Instagram’s dedicated messaging app Threads. And now, there is a high chance that the company will bring it over to the main app.

7. Account Health Report

Instagram is also working to add a new Account Heath section for users to get a clear picture of their account status. It shows all your past digressions, the posts of users that have been taken down, and provides information on what to do in such cases. Moreover, with this new feature, users will also be able to easilyrequest Instagram to review their poststhat may have been taken down mistakenly.

The feature was firstdiscovered by Paluzzia couple of months back. And since then, the reverse engineer has shared various screenshots showcasing the account health page, the FAQs related to removed posts, and more.

8. In-Chat Message Search

Other than these, Instagram is also aiming to add search functionality to chats on its platform. It will essentially allow users to search for specific messages inside a chat window to easily find conversations that happened earlier.

The feature was first spotted back in August. Asper Paluzzi, the in-chat search bar appears when users scroll up in a chat window. They can then start typing relevant words in the text field to jump to earlier conversations.

New Features to Improve the Instagram Experience

So these are some of the most interesting and useful features that Instagram is currently working on. Although some of these features were discovered a few months back, Instagram has not added any of them to its public version as of now. However, chances are Instagram might start rolling out some of these features for users globally sooner rather than later. So, which of the Instagram features are you most excited about? Is it the Instagram Fan Club or the ability to add music to feed posts? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Dwaipayan Sengupta

A geek at heart, you’ll find me fidgeting with an iOS device or sitting in front of the laptop, scouring the internet to find interesting technological innovations. In my free time, you’d find me playing Valorant or listening to Pink Floyd.

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