Instagram unveiled a new feature. Here's how you can use it (and why you'll want to)

How often have you seen a post on your Instagram feed and had the perfect inside joke or comment, but you didn’t want to share it publicly with the entire world? Instagram’s newest feature targets that issue and makes it easier for you to communicate with friends. 

Since Notes was added to Instagram in 2022, users have been able to share quick text prompts with their followers without needing to post a photo on the grid or their story. Now the Notes feature is being expanded to let users comment on other people’s posts. 

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As seen in the photo at the top of the article, users will now see an ‘Add note’ option on Reels and Feed posts. When users click on the option, they will be given the opportunity to share a note or text comment that will only be shared with followers that they follow back or people who have made their Close Friends list. 

Like the traditional Notes feature, there will be a time limit for their visibility. While inbox and profile notes are viewable for up to 24 hours, notes on Feed posts and Reels will be visible for up to three days. Meta says this new capability allows users to share their “hottest takes and unfiltered opinions”. 

The new feature seems like an attempt to bring authenticity to the app by allowing users to express themselves more freely. Users can now make comments without worrying about the repercussions of everyone they know seeing what they say, which is especially useful when commenting on controversial topics like the upcoming election. 

This addition follows updates made to Notes in May, which added prompts, mentions, and likes. After staying relatively similar for the previous two years, the recent updates to Notes suggest Meta plans to make the feature a more integral part of the app. 

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Instagram did not share details on accessing the feature in its announcement. If you want to try it, I suggest updating your Instagram app. If that approach doesn’t work, wait until it is rolled out to you, as all I had to do was open my app and I then received a notification about the new feature.