Instagram Updates 2025. Rolling out gradually to everyone

Instagram keeps us on our toes, doesn’t it? Most of these updates seem like a step forward, but I can’t say I’m thrilled about the moved highlights or the profile name shuffle—they’re not really doing it for me.

What about you? Which updates do you like, and which ones aren’t your thing?

And if you want to be the first to hear about changes like this, join my Insta channel so you never miss a thing.

THE GRID IS NO LONGER SQUARE

Posts are now displayed in a taller, rectangular format.

PRO TIP

Here are the Instagram dimensions you need to know:

PROFILE NAMES HAVE MOVED

Your name now sits above your follower count.

Highlights Are Changing

Highlights will soon move to a separate tab, similar to Reels. You’ll have the option to:

Keep them visible on your main grid.
Or remove them to the new Highlights tab instead.

Reorganizing Your Instagram Grid

You can now reorder your grid. This gives you full control over how your profile appears to visitors—no more stressing over posting order!

Longer Reels Are Here

Reels can now be up to 3 minutes long.

Mosseri confirmed on Threads that longer Reels will now be recommended more in the feed.

Instagram’s New ‘Friends’ Tab

You’ll now see which Reels your friends liked or commented on. Profile bubbles will show who engaged with a Reel. Tap them to view the Reels they interacted with.

Mosseri says it’s about boosting engagement, but some worry about privacy. What do you think?

The new Edits app

Rumours are swirling: Reels edited in Instagram’s upcoming app might get more exposure.

Tip: Keep an eye out for early access and test it as soon as it’s live.

Instagram has decided to switch things up again with overall insights

Here’s what’s changed:

First, the insights used to show accounts reached—counting each unique account only once.
Then, they switched it to views, which counted every time someone saw your post, even if it was the same person multiple times.
Now, as of today, they’ve gone back to accounts reached.

So, if your numbers suddenly look lower, it’s because they’re showing unique accounts reached again, instead of total views. For example, if one person saw your post five times, that used to count as five views. Now, it’s just one account reached.

It’s not your content—this is just Instagram being Instagram! Let me know if this clears things up or if you’ve spotted anything else that feels off.

Meta confirms it will keep fact-checkers outside the US ‘for now’

Meta’s decided to keep its fact-checking teams outside the U.S. for now, but there’s talk they might switch to a community notes system (a bit like what Elon Musk uses on X) later on. They’d initially brought in these teams to calm worries about misinformation on their platforms.

For now, Meta’s head of global business says nothing changes beyond the U.S.—they’ll keep relying on those international fact-checkers while the new system rolls out in America. That said, expanding it worldwide could get complicated, especially in places like Europe where regulations like the Digital Services Act put tight rules on controlling misleading info.

If you want a heads-up the moment changes like these roll out, I’d love to keep you in the loop on my Instagram channel. It’s where I share everything as soon as I find out.