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How to use Threads on desktop in Windows, Mac, Linux, and ChromeOS
No need to wait for the official Threads desktop client!
Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably heard of Threads by now. Meta’s latest social media app is unapologetically a Twitter (or X) competitor, and it's deeply interconnected with Instagram to create an amalgamation of the two. However, access to Threads was only possible through its official iOS and Android apps when it launched. There was no proper web interface at the beginning, although you could directly go to a user's profile.
You could soon be unable to chat with your Facebook friends on Instagram
The cross-platform chat feature is reportedly going away, having been rolled out with much fanfare less than three years ago.
Meta is reportedly all set to end the cross-app messaging support between Instagram and Facebook Messenger. The feature was rolled out back in 2020 with much fanfare when Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri announced the cross-platform messaging feature, making it easier for Instagram users to message their Facebook friends, and vice-versa. However, that feature is now seemingly going away after less than three years.
Instagram's experiencing an outage leaving parts of the app broken
It's not just you, plenty of other people are experiencing problems with the app and website.
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If you've been using Instagram over the past hour, you might have noticed that things aren't quite working how they should. While the app isn't entirely down, it looks like parts of the service haven't and currently aren't loading as expected. And the parts that are working are dreadfully slow to refresh, currently running at a snail's pace.
Instagram expands important age verification tools to more countries
Instagram's taking more steps to ensure that its platform is safe for young adults, expanding its age verification tool to new territories.
Back in June 2022, Instagram launched a new age verification tool that would create more transparency on the platform. Fast-forward to March 2023, the firm is now rolling out the feature to more countries like Australia, Canada, Europe, Mexico, Japan, and South Korea.
Instagram will shut down its live shopping experience in March
It looks like Instagram is returning to its roots, trimming away features that detract from the app's experience.
Instagram is going back to its roots, putting content first in an attempt to hold on to its existing users and at the same time, attract new ones. We've seen the company make numerous changes over the past year, like removing the shopping tab from the home screen, and now, the company is doing away with its live shopping service. In an announcement on its help center support page, the company shared that live shopping would be discontinued starting on March 16, 2023. After this point, users will no longer be able to tag products in live streams.
Meta's Accounts Center gives users a new settings hub for Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger
Today, Meta announced a new update that will give users access to one hub to control some settings for Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram.
Today, Meta announced a new and easy way to access some of the settings for its most popular apps like Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram. Going forward, those that use these apps will be able to access some settings for all apps from one location called the Meta Accounts Center. The Meta Accounts Center can be found in each app, but will give users control of settings in Meta's other apps as well.
Instagram's new Quiet Mode gives users a better way to disconnect and focus
Instagram is introducing more new tools that will help users create space away from the app when needed.
Instagram has evolved its platform over the past year, putting more focus on its creators and also ehnancing the safety of its users through a variety of different tools. Now, the platform is introducing a new Quiet Mode that will let users better manage time spent with the app, along with new ways to filter content, to make the browsing experience even better.
Instagram puts content creation front and center by ditching the Shop tab
In an effort to put creation tools front and center in its app, Instagram will remove the Shop tab starting next month.
Instagram is putting focus back on creation with its upcoming app update, removing the Shop tab from its home menu, giving more presence to the options that allows users to post images and video, along with the Reels tab. The news comes from Instagram's Help Center, which sheds light on the change. While the Shop tab will stick around for the month of January, it will be removed starting next month.
Instagram makes regaining access to hacked accounts easy with new recovery tools
Instagram is beefing up its platform, using new tools that will combat malicious accounts. It also has new recovery tools for hacked accounts.
While Instagram has the usual security features like two-factor authentication, it aims further by even offering a complimentary security check of your account. Today, it announced a new set of security features and even an account recovery hub that will help beef up the security on the platform.
Instagram introduces its BeReal competitor, adds features to strengthen communication and collaboration
Instagram's latest update adds new features that will improve collaboration and communication. It also added a mode similar to BeReal.
Instagram has worked on transparency over the past year and at the same time, has introduced a number of new features that benefit creators and their audiences. Instagram is capping off the year by introducing features meant to create better collaboration, as well as conversations with features like Notes, Candid Stories, Group Profiles, and Collaborative Collections.
Instagram will now tell artists the reasons no one is seeing their content
Instagram creators can now see whether their content is adhering to community guidelines so that it can be recommended to more users.
Instagram has made a staggering amount of changes this year, with some being good, and others, well, causing outrage. But, for the most part, the platform has become a safer space for all, especially those that are younger, while at the same time expanding features for creators and the audience.
[Update: Resolved]Instagram is currently down and some accounts are suspended
Instagram has acknowledged issues with its service, but some are seeing their accounts suspended without reason.
Update (11/01/2022): Instagram has resolved the bug that suspended several accounts without reason. Affected users should have access to their accounts again.
Meta is rolling out a new feature to help users see less irrelevant content on their Facebook feed. While Meta claims that the new feature lets you customize your feed, it doesn't actually let you make any substantial changes. Instead, you can use it to train Facebook's algorithms to show less irrelevant content on your feed.In a blog post on the matter, Meta reveals that Facebook users will start seeing new 'Show more' and 'Show less' buttons underneath posts on their feed. Selecting the 'Show more' button will "temporarily increase the ranking score for that post and posts like it." On the other hand, selecting 'Show less' will decrease its ranking score. Facebook's algorithms will use this feedback to improve the kind of posts you see on your feed.
Instagram has been hard at work testing a host of new features this month. In the last few weeks alone, the image-sharing platform has introduced the ability to share YouTube Music to Instagram Stories and tested a new monetization tool for creators, a repost feature, and an updated UI with no Shop tab. In addition, the platform is working on a 'Nudity protection' feature that will automatically cover objectionable photos in chats. While some of these features are yet to reach users, Instagram has now started testing another new feature that lets you add notes in DMs.
Instagram is always evolving, for better or for worse, and it looks like in its most recent test, the platform is making changes to the navigation bar, removing the Shop tab for some users. Users that can see the change have reported that the Shop tab has now been replaced by a Notifications tab.
Instagram is testing a new feature that will automatically cover up unsolicited nudes in your DMs. The feature, aptly named Nudity protection, is currently in development, but it should roll out to users in the coming weeks.First spotted by app developer and reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi, Instagram's Nudity protection feature will use on-device technology to cover up "photos that may contain nudity in chats." A screenshot of the in-development feature confirms that Instagram will not have access to the photos. Furthermore, the screenshot reveals that objectionable images will remain covered unless the user chooses to view them.
Instagram is internally testing "Gifts," a new monetization tool for its creators
Instagram is internally testing a new tipping feature called "Gifts" that will allow users to donate money to their favorite creators.
Sometimes, you just want to give your favorite creator a little more than just a view or a like, and some platforms have created a way for you to do that through a tip or donate system. While there were early reports about Instagram working on such a feature, Meta has now officially confirmed that it is working on such a project.
You can now share YouTube Music to your Instagram Stories
After a recent update to YouTube Music, users will now be able to share their favorite music directly to Instragram.
If you've been dying to share your YouTube Music hits and playlists with people that follow you on Instagram, your time has finally arrived, as the feature is now rolling out to users with the latest update of YouTube Music for Android.
Instagram will soon begin testing a new repost feature
Instagram is set to test a new feature that will allow users to repost content from there feed and share it with friends.
By now, it's no surprise when a company "borrows" features from another platform to make it its own. We have seen it time and time again, and every time it just gets more and more blatant. With that said, Instagram is working on a new feature that will allow users to repost Reels or Instagram content and share it directly on their own feed. Meta was able to confirm the feature, stating that it will begin testing it with a small group of users soon.
Instagram will begin testing a potentially powerful content filtering tool
Instagram will soon begin testing a feature that will allow users to filter out content using words, emoji, and even phrases.
Instagram has been busy as of late, adding lots of new features to its platform. While the company currently does have a way to customize what ends up on the Explore page, it doesn't have a precise way to refine the images and videos that pop up daily. Thankfully, the firm has announced that it is testing a couple of new ways to hopefully allow users to improve the content on the Explore page in the future.