If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Unfortunately, that motto has never stuck around long in the world of tech.
Even something as subtle as YouTube slightly changing its color can send people into a meltdown.
Now, Instagram is welcoming 2025 with a slew of changes - not all of which you're happy about.
With Instagram overlord Meta already making sweeping changes to how free speech works on the platform, Instagram is now set to make its own divisive tweaks.
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Introduced in December 2017, Story Highlights are effectively 'permanent' stories, and instead of disappearing into the aether after 24 hours, you can save them in their own special section.
Fancy saving your summer holiday '24 stories into their own album? Stick it in Highlights. Want a whole section dedicated to your furry friends? Stick it in Highlights.
It's been a good run for Story Highlights, but their sitting pride of place on our profile could soon be a thing of the past.
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Instagram head Adam Mosseri previously addressed Highlights in an August 2024 Instagram Live AMA, saying: "I'm also interested in if there's some sort of way that we can consolidate your grid, which you can curate, and your Story Highlights, which you can also curate."
“So maybe there's some way you can allow you to customize all of it."
Back in November 2024, social media expert Lindsey Gamble claimed that Story Highlights were being moved into your grid instead of their own dedicated section below your bio. Gamble claimed it was ready to go live, but jump forward to January 2025 and the winds of change are blowing again.
Around November, Mosseri discussed our Highlight fears in another live and explained: “We're trying to figure out a way to improve the profile and try to get more of the content above the fold and simplify it. And one of the ideas we're exploring is integrating highlights into the grid."
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He admitted 'this one is contentious' and said that Instagram 'might not be able to make it work', but it's clearly rattled the community.
The idea is that Story Highlights would be moved from their current position and placed in a tab alongside the likes of Reels and tagged pictures.
As you can imagine, the ever-hard-to-please Instagram community is up in arms over this one.
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One disgruntled user wrote: "Instagram is making the worst mistake getting rid of highlights. Being able to look back at those memories are such a huge part of why I love the app. Don’t do this @instagram."
Another added: "Instagram truly hates its users. There’s no need to change where highlights are. What they really need to change is that algorithm."
Namely, plenty claimed they'll delete over this relatively minor change. Someone else added, "If Instagram removes highlights, I'm so done? I actually won't exist on that app," and a fourth concluded: "Instagram getting rid of highlights as if I didn’t work like a dog to get them so perfect. Just SAY you want us all to delete the app you haters."
Other proposed features for 2025 include 'trial reels' where creators will have their content sent to a random selection of people, the ability to schedule DMs, and even a chance to completely reset your content recommendations.
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Watch out because 2025 is going to be a big one for Instagram.