Instagram unveils real-time Instants feature
Wednesday, May 13, 2026 at 11:38PM 
Credit: Instagram
Instagram launched Instants, a new real-time photo-sharing feature and standalone companion app designed for spontaneous sharing with Close Friends and mutual followers. Available globally starting today, Instants allows users to snap unedited, real-time photos directly from their Instagram inbox or a dedicated app. To ensure authenticity, photos cannot be uploaded from a phone's gallery and will disappear immediately after being viewed, or within 24 hours if left unopened.
To enhance user control, the feature includes a built-in anti-screenshot block, an Undo button to quickly retract accidental sends, and a private one-year archive. Users can compile their archived Instants into a Recap to share on their main Instagram Stories, while a Snooze option allows users to temporarily pause incoming photos with a simple swipe gesture.
On the safety side, Instants automatically integrates with Instagram's existing safety tools and Teen Accounts protections. For teenage users, time spent on the Instants app counts toward their daily Instagram limits, and access is restricted during Sleep Mode between 10 pm and 7 am. Parents of supervised teens will also be automatically notified if their teen downloads the standalone Instants app. The standalone app on Android and iOS is currently rolling out in select countries.
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