Instagram launched Instants globally on May 13, 2026. The feature lets you share unedited photos that disappear after the recipient views them once — a format that borrows heavily from Snapchat and BeReal[citation:1][citation:19].

Unlike Stories, which stay on your profile for 24 hours and can be replayed indefinitely, Instants are view-once. Unlike your Feed, they can't be curated, filtered, or uploaded from your camera roll. You snap a photo in the moment and send it.

Where to find Instants

Instants live inside your Instagram direct messages, not on your main profile. To access them[citation:4][citation:13]:

  • Open the Instagram app and tap the messenger icon (or swipe to your DMs).
  • Look for the mini stack of photos in the bottom right corner.
  • Tap it to open the Instants camera.

Instagram is also testing a standalone Instants app in select countries, including Spain and Italy. Photos shared on the standalone app appear for friends on Instagram, and vice versa[citation:1][citation:13].

Who can see your Instants

You can send Instants to two audiences[citation:4][citation:10]:

  • Close Friends — a private list you curate yourself.
  • Mutual followers — people who follow you and you follow back.

You choose the audience each time you send. Instants don't appear on your profile or in your Stories (unless you choose to reshare them later).

What makes Instants different from Stories

  • View-once: Recipients can only open an Instant once. After they see it, it's gone for them[citation:4][citation:13].
  • No editing: You can't add filters, text overlays, or stickers. You snap and send[citation:1][citation:7].
  • No uploads: You can't pick a photo from your camera roll. Instants must be taken in the moment[citation:19].
  • No screenshots: Instagram blocks screenshots and screen recordings[citation:1][citation:16].
  • 24-hour expiry: Unopened Instants disappear after 24 hours[citation:1].

What happens after you send

Recipients can react with an emoji or send a reply, which lands in your DMs. You can also undo a send immediately after posting it, as long as the recipient hasn't opened it yet[citation:1][citation:13].

Your sent Instants are saved in a private archive that only you can see. You can keep them there for up to one year, or compile a collection into a recap to share to your Stories[citation:1][citation:4].

Why Instagram made Instants

Adam Mosseri has said Instagram noticed people using Instants to share "much more casual, much more authentic moments about their day." He added that while sharing personal moments with friends is core to Instagram, "a lot of people don't really share a lot to their profile grids anymore"[citation:1].

What to do with this

Instants is for casual, in-the-moment photos — not for your brand or your best work. Use it with Close Friends for the stuff you'd send in a group chat. If you accidentally send something, hit undo before they open it. And remember: you can't screenshot what others send you.

Next: read how Instagram First Draft auto-edits your Reels, or go back to the posting guide.