Instagram has officially announced the launch of a new app called Instants, designed for quick and spontaneous photo sharing with friends.
The new feature relies on a format already familiar to users of platforms like Snapchat and BeReal: temporary images that disappear after being viewed.
According to Instagram, the goal of Instants is to make photo sharing more immediate, informal, and private.
User-submitted images disappear after being opened, but remain archived in the user’s profile history for one year. After that, the user can decide whether to repost the content later to Instagram Stories.
The app also allows friends to react to photos or send private comments, which arrive directly in the user’s message inbox.
In addition to working integrated into Instagram’s messaging system, Instants has also gotten a standalone version, available as a standalone app for Android and iPhone.
According to the company, the idea was born following internal tests and requests from users themselves.
“We’ve been testing Instants for a while now, and one of the things we’ve heard from people is that they wanted a faster, easier way to open the camera,” the company explained in an official statement.
The company has acknowledged that, within the main Instagram app, accessing the camera can be slower than many users would like..
Instants will also have tools similar to those already present on Instagram, including the ability to mute or block users.
Additionally, the app will feature restrictions designed to prevent taking screenshots and recording your phone’s screen while viewing temporary photos.