Instagram has started testing the new positioning with a limited number of users, in the next few days it will be extended to all profiles. To find the featured stories you need to look for the icon of an incomplete heart.
Anyone who has opened their Instagram profile in recent days may have noticed something strange. The featured stories have disappeared. They are no longer in their usual position under the user biographyMeta in fact decided to marry the highlights and dedicate a new section of the grid. The highlighted stories will be symbolized by the icon of an incomplete heart, already used previously for the Instagram option, positioned between the feed grid and that of the reels.
The featured stories option allows you to save Instagram Storieswhich usually last only 24 hours, for an unlimited period. For years they remained under the bio and were often used as a presentation by users. Now they are conquering a new space which could ultimately make them less visible.
Where featured stories have moved
Instagram has started testing the new positioning with a limited number of usersin the next few days it will be extended to all profiles. “Your featured content has been moved to theirs tab on your profile. They will appear in yours too main grid starting in November” Instagram teased in a blog post.
“Prepare for the change by checking your featured content, so you can also decide if you want it to be shown. You can in fact change your profile to make changes later or remove featured content from your main grid.”
Why Instagram decided to change the position of the highlights
The goal of social media is to make money the main page is cleaner of a profile, freeing up the space gives more prominence to the biography and the main user information. As the CEO of Instagram explained Adam Mosseri: “We’re trying to figure out how to improve the profile on the one hand and get more streamlined content on the other. And one of the ideas we’re exploring is integrating highlights into the grid.”
The risk though is that by moving the highlighted stories in the grid they become less visible. Previously, those who entered the profile often scrolled through the highlights to get an idea of the user, it is no coincidence that many creators uploaded short presentations to the highlighted stories to tell their project. The new position between the feed and the reels could give less prominence to the section.
