Overview
- Instants, which launched Wednesday, lets users send live photos taken with Instagram’s camera that vanish after one view or expire after 24 hours unopened.
- The camera opens with Friends selected by default and a single tap on the shutter sends at once, leading to many unintended shares and cluttered inboxes.
- Instagram offers an Undo prompt right after sending and an archive where you can delete an unopened Instant to retract it.
- Users who want out can go to Settings → Content Preferences to hide Instants from the inbox, or they can switch off Instants notifications and temporarily mute the inbox stack.
- Screenshots and screen recordings are blocked while viewing, and existing safety tools including Block, Mute, Restrict and teen supervision apply to Instants.