Instagram tests new feature to resurface missed Story highlights from friends

Instagram is experimenting with a new feature that aims to resurface great stories from your friends that you may have overlooked. This can be extremely valuable for those who feel like they’re missing out on relevant updates amid the constant influx of Reels and sponsored posts. “Stories” are photos or clips that disappear after 24 hours. Users can also save these stories as “Highlights” on their profile to view indefinitely. Think of it as a curated collection of moments they want to remain accessible outside of the 24-hour window.

Now, with this new beta feature, Instagram hopes to bring those highlights back into people’s sights that they may have missed. They’ll appear at the end of the Stories tray – this is the bar at the top of your stream where you can see stories from people you follow.

Meta, the parent company of Instagram, Clarify that the feature is currently being tested with a small group of users. They underscored their ongoing commitment to strengthening social connections through stories.

Social media expert Ahmed Ghanem was the first to notice the change, stressing that in the ever-evolving landscape of the Instagram app, it’s easy to lose track of updates from friends.