Instagram launches Instants, a new disappearing photo app to rival Snapchat and BeReal

Instagram has launched Instants, a new disappearing photo feature and standalone app to compete directly with Snapchat and other private photo sharing services like BeReal and Locket. It is available inside the main Instagram app from the Direct Message inbox, as well as through a dedicated Instants app for iOS and Android.

Instants photos disappear after friends view them, but are saved to a private archive for up to one year. Users can later turn those archived photos into a recap and share it as Instagram Stories. The format is intentionally limited: photos must be taken directly with the camera, with no camera roll uploads, filters, or editing tools, and captions are the only customization option.

Users can send Instants to close friends or mutual contacts, with an undo button offering a brief chance to retract a photo before delivery. Instants also carries over Instagram’s existing safety and privacy features, including blocking, muting, parental controls, supervised account time limits, screenshot restrictions, overnight access limits for teens, and parent notifications when the dedicated app is downloaded.