What’s new on Instagram in 2025? A lot more than you think

It’s already halfway through 2025, and Instagram has added a bunch of new features to help people share more, connect better and have fun on the app.

Whether you’re posting summer holiday memories, getting ready for the festive season, or just sharing everyday moments, these updates are all about making Instagram feel more personal, creative and useful.

Reels just got longer and quicker

You can now make Reels up to three minutes long, which is great for things like travel diaries, longer videos or even full dance routines.

And if you’re just watching, there’s a helpful new feature: you can now speed up Reels to 2x by tapping on the screen. Perfect when you want to skip ahead or get through something quickly, especially tutorials or recipe videos.

New ways to show your style

Instagram has also introduced a new font, inspired by singer Rosalía’s handwriting. It’s available in Stories and Reels, but only until the end of July. So if you like to make your posts look a little different, now’s the time to try it.

If you love sharing music, there’s good news. You can now share songs from Spotify directly to your Notes and Stories. Your friends will even be able to hear a short preview of the song without leaving Instagram.

Share more with friends

Instagram has launched something called Blend, a feature where you and a friend can create a shared Reels feed. It shows videos based on both of your interests, making it a fun way to discover new content together, even if you’re far apart.

Your profile grid also looks a bit different now. Posts appear in a 3:4 vertical format, which gives your photos and videos more space and makes your page look cleaner. You can even adjust how each post shows up in your grid, helping your profile feel more put-together.

Plus, Instagram has added new Insights to show how your Reels are performing, including how quickly people are engaging with your videos. It also gives helpful tips on how to improve.

Messaging just got smarter

Instagram’s DMs have been upgraded, too. You can now:

- Get instant translations in 99 languages

- Share music previews in chats

- Schedule messages ahead of time

- Pin important messages so they don’t get lost

- Invite friends to group chats with a QR code

So, whether you use Instagram to post, scroll, chat or share music, these new updates are here to make everything smoother and more fun.

If you haven’t checked them out yet, now’s a good time to try.

Sci/Tech