If you open Instagram and notice that your friends’ photos and videos look bigger than before, don’t be alarmed. You have just been selected as a guinea pig for the updated design of the app.
Meta’s proprietary platform is testing a “full screen” layout that extends the duration of your feed content. As shown in the image above, the description and comment sections will overlap at the top of the attached photos and videos. Anyone who has spent enough time on their For You feed will recognize that the new look of Instagram is similar to that of TikTok.
The CEO of Instagram announced this change next month, and his introductory tweet received quick and almost universal criticism. Some detractors noted that Instagram’s TikTok design seemed to change the look of photos after uploading, while others said the new channel was “ugly.”
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However, Instagram’s full-screen adjustment continues as planned. Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg introduced the new design in a couple of Instagram stories. With the language he used for the ad, he tried to reassure Instagram amateur photographers that his creative options are still valued. “We want to make it easier to discover content and connect with friends,” Zuckerberg wrote. “Photos are still a big part of Instagram, and we’re working on ways to improve the way they look in a full-screen feed.”
Zuckerberg’s mentions of discovery and connection make sense given Meta’s current priorities. The other major platform of the company has also announced a plan to change its design and promote these two values. In the case of Facebook, this transition will involve algorithmic changes and a meeting between the main Facebook application and the Messenger platform. The two platforms share the same goal: they both try to compete with TikTok, which continues to outperform both Facebook and Instagram in terms of app downloads and viewing time.
The new look of Instagram will also make the app’s posts more prominent. Test users will see that Instagram’s “Messages” icon has been highlighted in the navigation bar at the top of the screen.
A Meta spokesman told The Verge that only a “limited number of people” will be able to test the new design at this time. As Instagram distributes this update more widely, it may need to be redesigned if you want to keep up with TikTok. The popular app recently launched a “clear mode” that allows users to browse without distractions.