Instagram-Inspired App Instants Promises Disappearing Photos, Unlike Permanent Online Content
- Instagram is testing a new standalone app called “Instants” that allows users to share unedited, disappearing photos with friends, the company confirmed to TechCrunch on April 23, 2026.
- Unlike the main Instagram app, which emphasizes curated and polished content, Instants is designed for quick, real-life snapshots with no editing allowed.
- Each image shared via Instants expires after 24 hours and can be viewed only once during that window.
Instagram is testing a new standalone app called “Instants” that allows users to share unedited, disappearing photos with friends, the company confirmed to TechCrunch on April 23, 2026. The app, currently available in Spain and Italy, lets users capture and send photos that can be viewed only once and remain available for 24 hours before disappearing.
Unlike the main Instagram app, which emphasizes curated and polished content, Instants is designed for quick, real-life snapshots with no editing allowed. Users take photos directly in the app using the in-app camera, with no option to upload images from their camera roll or apply filters and effects. While text can be added to the photos, no further modifications are permitted.
Each image shared via Instants expires after 24 hours and can be viewed only once during that window. The app does not include a public feed, explore page, or trending section, focusing instead on private sharing within closed networks such as mutual followers or a user’s Close Friends list. These lists are shared across both the Instagram and Instants apps.
Instagram says the app explores multiple versions to understand user preferences for low-pressure ways to connect. “To give people low-pressure ways to connect with friends, we’re testing an app called Instants to share casual photos and videos in the moment,” a Meta spokesperson said in a statement to TechCrunch. “We’re exploring multiple versions of Instants to see what people like, and will listen to our community.”
The Instants app borrows ideas from platforms like Snapchat, Locket, and BeReal, emphasizing authentic and ephemeral content. It avoids the commercial elements that have grown in the main Instagram app over time, such as ads and influencer-driven content, by offering a minimal experience centered on spontaneity and simplicity.
Available on both iOS and Android, Instants represents Instagram’s effort to revisit its original purpose as a simple way for friends to share photos, countering the platform’s evolution into a multi-format service that includes Reels, Stories, and shopping integrations. Meta has not announced plans for a wider launch beyond Spain and Italy at this time.