Instagram confirmed on Thursday, April 24, 2026, that it is testing a new standalone app called “Instants,” designed for sharing disappearing, unedited photos with friends. The app is currently available in Spain and Italy on both iOS and Android.
Instants lets users capture a photo with a single tap using the in-app camera only — no uploads from a camera roll are permitted, and no editing is allowed beyond adding text. Photos, referred to as “instants,” can be viewed only once and remain available for 24 hours. Users can share them with mutual followers or their Close Friends list, which carries over from the main Instagram app.
Instagram notes that Instants can be used either as a standalone app or as a feature within the standard Instagram app, as the company has been testing it as an in-app option in certain regions prior to this announcement. “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 company spokesperson said. “We’re exploring multiple versions of Instants to see what people like, and will listen to our community.”
The move appears aimed at recapturing the casual, friend-focused sharing that characterized Instagram’s early days, before the platform became dominated by ads and influencers. The app draws on concepts seen in platforms such as Snapchat, Locket, and BeReal, which center on authentic and ephemeral content.
Whether Instants gains traction remains an open question. Instagram’s existing Stories feature already serves a similar quick-sharing purpose for many users, and the broader trend of unfiltered photo-sharing apps — exemplified by BeReal — has lost momentum compared to its peak popularity.
Source: TechCrunch