Instagram without filters: Meta launches secret app with unedited photos
Instagram Instants will allow users to be themselves (photo: Getty Images)
Meta has begun testing a new app called Instants. The new service is focused on authenticity and fast photo sharing, where images cannot be edited or uploaded from a smartphone gallery, according to TechCrunch.
Main feature of Instants
The main feature of Instants is the complete absence of editing tools. Users take a photo with a single tap and can only add text afterward.
The app blocks access to the phone’s gallery: users can only share content captured directly through the built-in camera in the moment.
Photos, which developers call instants, disappear after 24 hours. Moreover, the recipient can view a photo only once. Developers note that this feature makes content “maximally ephemeral and private.”
Return to the Close Friends concept
Unlike the main Instagram app, which has become a platform for bloggers and advertising, Instants focuses on a narrow circle of communication:
- Content can only be shared with mutual followers
- Integration with the Close Friends list is available
- Friend lists are synchronized between the main account and the new app
The company says this approach should reduce social pressure, where users try to create perfect but artificial content for their feed.
Competition and availability
The idea for the service is inspired by popular platforms such as BeReal, Snapchat, and Locket. Instagram is trying to win back users who are looking for simplicity and genuine communication without influencers.
Currently, Instants is available on iOS and Android as part of testing in Spain and Italy. Users can choose whether to use the new functionality as a separate app or as a built-in feature within the standard Instagram.
The timeline for a global release has not yet been disclosed, as Meta is collecting community feedback for final product refinement.
