Gaining followers and increasing engagement after a well-edited post or strategic campaign is chef’s kiss-level satisfying.

But what happens if you get shadowbanned? It’s not a total ban, but it’s tragic.

This post will cover what a shadowban means and how to avoid one. Ready to jump in?

What does it mean to get shadowbanned on Instagram?

Your Instagram usage may not be bad enough to receive the permanent ban hammer from Meta, so a shadowban is the soft version.

Users can still operate accounts, but your posts have drastically reduced visibility. The algorithm sees shadowbanned accounts and gives them less priority in feeds. 

All your efforts to build an organic cult following or execute an expensive marketing strategy could be all for nothing, so ensure you aren’t already shadowbanned by checking your analytics.

If you’re in the clear, take note of these essential tips so you stay favored by Instagram’s algorithm.

Stop trying to make those hashtags happen

Banned hashtags exist. Type them into Instagram’s search before committing them to a comment when doing keyword research.

If you don’t see any posts for that hashtag, there’s probably a reason — don’t think you’re setting the trend by being first. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Another hashtag tip — it’s not ideal to be irrelevant, either.

To expand audiences, some users put popular hashtags in their descriptions that don’t apply to the post to get new eyes on the account.

If Instagram catches you trying to be sneaky this way, that’s a red flag for them to shadowban you.

Read the terms and conditions

The community guidelines are the bread and butter of Instagram life.

Any violation could get you instantly shadowbanned, so if you’re concerned you are or will accidentally break the rules, familiarize yourself with them instead. 

They cover everything from how to foster a fanbase of real people — not bots — and post content that makes viewers happy.

The platform strives to be positive and inclusive, and content that acts as a barrier to that goal will be punished. 

Give credit where credit is due

Many creative, innovative, and hard-working people share content on Instagram.

In a world where giving credit is celebrated, it doesn’t benefit anyone to plagiarize or steal writing or art for a few followers or increased engagement. 

The internet effectively scouts for copied content, and users can also submit reports if they see their posts on an account that isn’t theirs.

Repeated reports are a sign your content shouldn’t be in other feeds.

Original information is where it’s at, and it’s more interactive for the account and its followers because it sparks genuine conversations.

Don’t automate your way to the top 

Marketers and internet-savvy people have tried to optimize Instagram since it was born.

You can buy followers, incorporate third-party apps to automate an activity, and join number-hungry engagement pods to create an infinite feedback loop of engagement. 

Spoiler alert — all these strategies can get you shadowbanned.

Anything that signals to the app you’re acting like a bot or a part of groups that exploit users will result in repercussions.

Leave engagement pods, minimize third-party app access, and unfollow and block bots following and interacting with your content.

You don’t want to associate with them, and neither does Instagram.

Remember that content is Instagram royalty

Honestly, the most significant way to stay on Instagram’s good side is to make quality content.

There’s no reason to get followers or be on the platform if nobody cares about your feed.

Posting unique, informative content will keep people interested, regardless of what product you’re promoting. 

There are many avenues to express creative visions, especially since Instagram has expanded its features to include videos, reels, and highlights.

There’s probably still more in the works with future app updates.

Stay out of Instagram’s shadow

For most, avoiding a shadowban won’t require extra effort.

However, you might run into some issues if you’re trying to ramp up engagement fast or make it to the top of every hashtag in a split second.

The magic behind social media platforms is data, and that data can recognize suspicious activity like no other.

Engage authentically and creatively. You’ll be fine if you take time to socialize and express yourself on the platform as it was intended.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• How to change the font on your Instagram profile?
• Who’s the most followed person on Instagram?
• Instagram finally adds better way to get back lost accounts
• What is Vanish Mode on Instagram?

The post 5 tips to avoid getting shadowbanned on Instagram appeared first on KnowTechie.

Instagram is one of the world’s most popular social media networks. The Meta-owned photo-sharing app has more than a billion monthly users.

Many of Instagram’s users are celebrities, social media influencers, and other high-profile people with millions of followers worldwide. 

For famous people, Instagram is a great way to connect with fans and offer a glimpse into their lives. Celebrities also use Instagram to make money, signing lucrative endorsement deals with the world’s biggest brands.

By regularly uploading Instagram posts, adding Stories and conducting live streams, many celebrities have gone on to amass huge social media app followers over the past few years.

But who has the most followers on Instagram?

Who’s the most followed Instagram user?

Short answer: Instagram 

Surprisingly, the most followed Instagram user isn’t a human. It’s a company. And that company happens to be Instagram. Currently, the @Instagram account boasts 580 million followers.

Meanwhile, Portuguese professional footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo, is the most followed human on Instagram.

Since creating his Instagram account in October 2012, the Manchester United player has gone on to attract a whopping 520 million followers globally. 

Just to put this number in perspective, Ronaldo has more followers than the entire US population – which totals over 330 million people. 

READ MORE: Can you see who views your Instagram Stories?

His football club, Manchester United, also has a highly popular Instagram account. Its following count sits at 60.6 million people and is constantly growing. 

Who is the most followed woman on Instagram? 

The most followed woman on Instagram is Kylie Jenner. Best known for starring in Keeping Up With The Kardashians and launching Kylie Cosmetics, she has 375 million Instagram followers.

This also makes her the third most followed human on Instagram. Recently, Kylie made headlines for criticizing Instagram for becoming too much like TikTok.

Who else is the most followed person on Instagram?

The third most followed user on Instagram is another footballer, Lionel Messi. He hails from Argentina, plays for Paris Saint-Germain Football Club, and has 404 million Instagram followers.

In fifth place is American singer and actress Selena Gomez, with 365 million followers. She’s followed by Dwane Johnson (354 million followers) and Ariana Grande (345 million followers).

After that, you have Kim Kardashian (336 million followers), Beyoncé (287 million followers), and Khloe Kardashian (283 million followers). 

In a nutshell 

What all these record-breaking Instagram accounts have in common is that they are owned by individuals who are highly respected in their fields and admired by millions of people around the world.

They also post lots of content on their Instagram profiles, keeping people highly engaged.

As these celebrities continue to do big things, their Instagram followings will no doubt grow at the same time. 

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• How to hide Instagram likes on all posts
• Here’s how to add pronouns to your Instagram profile
• How to block words, phrases, and emojis on Instagram
• Here’s how to block sensitive content on Instagram

The post Who’s the most followed person on Instagram? appeared first on KnowTechie.

Instagram is currently experiencing issues for thousands of its users right now.

According to Downdetector, 6,842 people have reported an outage. That number first started rising at 11:19 AM ET. That number seems to stabilize, but reports continue to roll in on Twitter.

Reports show that feeds are not loading or users are getting kicked from their accounts.

At this point, it’s unclear what’s causing the outage and whether it’s an isolated event. One Twitter user notes, “Is my Instagram down or have I just been hacked?”

On the other hand, reports are dwindling, and whatever outage Instagram is experiencing seems to be subsiding. As of 11:30 AM, the number of reports has fallen to 449.

That’s typically a good sign and means services are slowly being restored.

Naturally, users are venting their frustrations to other social sites like Twitter. Here is what some of them are saying:

As of 11:49 AM EST, it seems Instagram’s services are back up and running. If anything changes, we’ll update the post with any additional details.

We’ll continue to update this as more information is made available.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• What is Vanish Mode on Instagram?
• Instagram finally adds better way to get back lost accounts
• Meta brings Twitter-like Notes feature to Instagram
• How to add pronouns on Instagram

The post Instagram is down for a ton of people right now (updated) appeared first on KnowTechie.

Whether you’re planning a surprise birthday party or telling your friend a secret, there are times when you don’t want your social media messages to stay permanent. Enter Vanish Mode on Instagram.

Snapchat is famed for its self-erasing messages. And at the end of 2020, Instagram followed suit by announcing a similar feature called Vanish Mode. 

If you’re an Instagram user and are conscious about your privacy, it’s definitely worth looking into Vanish Mode.

But what does this function do exactly, and how do you set it up? Read on to find out.

What is Vanish Mode?

Short answer: A mode for making messages disappear on their own 

By activating Vanish Mode on Instagram, you can send messages only visible to the other user for a short time. 

Once someone has read an Instagram message sent via Vanish Mode, it’ll disappear and can’t be viewed again.

So, if you’re discussing a sensitive topic, you don’t have to worry about other people finding out.

And the beauty is that you don’t have to delete messages physically. They literally vanish on their own. 

READ MORE: Who’s the most followed person on Instagram?

You do, however, need to activate Vanish Mode for this to happen. But it’s straightforward, and we’ll give you a quick rundown.

How do you turn on Vanish Mode?

Short answer: Go into your direct messages, click on a message, and swipe up from the bottom of the screen. 

When activating Vanish Mode, the first step is to go into your Instagram messages. To do that, press the chat symbol in the right-hand corner of the Instagram app.

Once you’re in your Instagram inbox, either tap on an ongoing conversation or create a new one.

Either way, you’ll need to be in a message thread to be able to set up and use Vanish Mode.

As soon as you’ve returned to an existing message or created a new chat, go to the bottom of the thread, swipe up, and let go.

This will trigger Vanish Mode. You’ll know that this has worked when your chat darkens and several “Shush” emojis appear on the screen.

The other user will also know that you’re trying to use Vanish Mode, and they’ll have the option to accept or reject.

If they decide to accept, you can both enjoy a super private chat on Instagram.

How do you turn off Vanish Mode on Instagram?

Short answer: Swipe up from the bottom of the screen and release 

There might be a specific reason you wanted to use Vanish Mode. And perhaps you’ll want to deactivate it after sending a self-destructing message.

Luckily, turning off Vanish Mode is quick and easy. Simply return to the bottom of the chat and, once again, swipe up.

READ MORE: Can you see who views your Instagram Stories?

You’ll then see a message stating, “Release to turn off Vanish Mode.” Just follow this instruction, and Vanish Mode will then deactivate.

Why use Vanish Mode?

Instagram’s Vanish Mode is a useful feature for anyone concerned about others spying on their messages.

It puts you in control of your messages and essentially adds an extra layer of privacy to Instagram chats.

What makes Vanish Mode great is that you can turn it on and off anytime. So, you can make your messages disappear or stay for all eternity whenever you want. 

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• How to post on Instagram from a desktop
• How to turn on Instagram captions
• Here’s how to add pronouns to your Instagram profile
• How to block words, phrases, and emojis on Instagram

The post What is Vanish Mode on Instagram? appeared first on KnowTechie.

Revealed in a blog post, the Meta-owned platform states the new option is a “comprehensive destination people can rely on to report and resolve account access issues.”

These issues include forgotten passwords, two-factor issues, and hacked accounts. The service is available to all users at instagram.com/hacked. Access is available on both desktop and mobile.

User support has never been a strong suit of Facebook or Instagram. Account issues have always seemed to be a backburner issue.

This should help change that, but we’ll have to wait and see how well it works in practice.

Essentially, the new support page will provide several prompts for users to fill out. Depending on the issue, Instagram will provide multiple ways to confirm your identity.

One of the most interesting of these is getting your friends involved. Initially tested earlier this year, users can prove their identity by getting two Instagram friends to vouch for them.

This is just one of the many changes Instagram has been implementing recently. The company just unleashed Notes on the world.

There are also plans for more verified accounts and impersonation warnings when receiving follow requests.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• TikTok is now testing a full-screen horizontal mode
• Meta reportedly wants to be the new Twitter
• Twitter shutting down Substack-like Revue platform
• Snapchat now has its own ‘dual-camera’ feature similar to BeReal

The post Instagram finally adds better way to get back lost accounts appeared first on KnowTechie.

The company shared a few ways that it’s looking to expand Instagram in a blog post earlier this week. The most notable feature is one that’s rolling out now called Notes.

Notes are a brand new, text-only feature on Instagram. They allow users to create short, 60-character notes they can share in Direct Messages with a selected group of friends.

To create a Note on Instagram, you start by heading to the top of your inbox. To type out a Note, you can select your mutual followers and other users in your “Close Friends” list.

When you type out your Note, using only text or emojis with 60 characters or less, it appears at the top of your friends’ and followers’ DM inboxes.

They will then have 24 hours to reply to your note, and any replies will come to you as a DM. This adds a new way to start conversations on the platform without sharing a picture or Reel.

While not exactly like Twitter, Instagram Notes are text-only and align much closer with what goes on at Twitter.

Plus, Meta is considering making its own platform around Notes to take advantage of the current chaos at the Elon Musk-run Twitter.

Meta is also testing several more Instagram features, including Candid Stories. This feature is similar to BeReal, in that it prompts users to share candid photos when prompted by the app.

And a new Group Profiles feature is coming soon, giving users a common place to share posts and stories with their close friends.

Notes are rolling out on Instagram now, so update your app to check out the new text-based feature. If you don’t see it right away, hold tight, as these things typically roll out in waves.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• How to tell if someone muted you on Instagram
• TikTok is now testing a full-screen horizontal mode
• Elon Musk says Twitter is phasing out legacy verified checkmarks
• This secret Facebook tool removes your phone number and email

The post Meta brings Twitter-like Notes feature to Instagram appeared first on KnowTechie.

Instagram has joined the list of other social platforms that give users the tools to display their gender identities on their profiles.

Users can pick from a list of pronouns to be displayed on their profile next to their name. In total, a person can include four different pronouns.

Facebook also allows users to display their pronouns, but users are limited to he/his, she/hers, and they/theirs.

Instagram has taken a further step forward, allowing users to choose from a much larger list. Additional choices include ze, ve, as well as others.

How to add pronouns to your Instagram account

In that same section, you can choose whether you want your pronouns available to the public or only available to followers.

Instagram pronouns list

While the company continues to add new pronoun choices, here is a list of what is currently available through our research.

We’ll continue to monitor this and update the post accordingly.

What to do if you don’t have the option

If you don’t see the option for pronouns on Instagram, make sure your app is updated to the latest version.

Typically, however, this shouldn’t be an issue, as the feature has been available for over a year at this point.

Update your pronouns on Instagram in a snap

So there you go. That’s everything you need to know about adding pronouns to your Instagram account.

Remember, you can choose up to four pronouns for your profile, and Instagram seems to be adding new ones occasionally.

If you don’t see your preferred pronouns at this time, make sure to continue checking for updates. You can also submit new pronoun requests directly to Instagram.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• How to mute someone’s profile on Instagram
• How to enable the Tip Jar on Twitter
• How to block people on Facebook
• How to appear offline in Instagram

The post How to add pronouns on Instagram appeared first on KnowTechie.

If you have issues logging into Instagram, don’t worry, you’re not alone. People everywhere are noting that Instagram is down or experiencing issues right now.

According to Downdetector, complaints about Instagram’s outage began at around 1:57 PM EST. However, the number of reports has since plummeted, with 22 reports recorded as of 2:20 PM EST.

There has been no official word from the company regarding the outages. Hopefully, everything will resolve and will be up and running shortly.

Naturally, users have flocked to Twitter and other social sites to see if Instagram is down for them or everyone else.

Any website outage is always prime meme material. That goes double for other social networks.

Instagram’s recent outage appears to have been an isolated incident. The platform is now back up and running, and users can once again access their accounts.

We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates if any further developments arise.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• WhatsApp is now testing view-once text messages
• Crash Bandicoot goes multiplayer in Crash Team Rumble
• Disney+ ad-supported tier releases as ad-free price increases
• How to appear offline on Instagram

The post Instagram is down for many users right now (updated) appeared first on KnowTechie.

Did you know you can change your Activity Status and appear offline on Instagram? Well, yes, you can.

Using the ‘insta offline’ trick on Instagram lets you fly under the radar and avoid unwanted interactions with other users.

The platform includes an Activity Status feature that tracks how long it’s been since you were online and lets your friends know when you’re active on the platform.

As you can imagine, that has the potential to get a little invasive. Fortunately, Instagram only shows this to users you follow or message privately.

But it’s still nice to be able to hide that Activity Status, so you don’t have to worry about everyone knowing what you’re up to at all times.

What does appearing offline on Instagram do?

As we mentioned briefly, appearing offline on Instagram does several different things. And it all revolves around the Activity Status.

First, turning off your Activity Status to appear offline on Instagram will hide your status from other users.

That means nobody can see when you actively browse images and videos on the platform.

Additionally, toggling your Activity Status off will also hide the counter that tells people how long it has been since you were last offline.

So, you can essentially hide every aspect of Instagram’s Activity Status for your profile.

However, doing it also means you can’t see anybody else’s Activity Status.

So if you want to know when others are online, you’ll have to continue to let them know you are online.

Why would you want to appear offline on Instagram?

There are several reasons why you might want to appear offline on Instagram.

Maybe you’ve got that annoying aunt who won’t leave you alone whenever they find out you’re online.

Or maybe there’s someone you’ve connected with in the past that takes advantage of your Activity Status.

Although, it might be a better idea to go ahead and block that person completely.

Whatever your reason for wanting to appear offline on Instagram, the feature can be an incredibly useful tool.

And you can always go back and toggle the feature back on if you want to show your friends you’re online again.

How to go offline on Instagram’s app

Since Instagram is primarily used on mobile devices, this will likely be the most useful section for most people.

First, we’ll look at how to toggle off your Activity Status on the Instagram mobile app for iOS or Android.

The menus might look a little different, depending on what kind of phone you have. But the processes are the same either way.

After toggling off this setting, you will begin to appear offline on Instagram.

And whenever you want to appear online again, just repeat the same steps and toggle Activity Status back on.

Here’s how to toggle Activity Status on Instagram for desktop

Meta originally focused on developing Instagram as a mobile app.

Thankfully, that’s changed as the company has added features to Instagram’s desktop site to make it work more like an app.

And fortunately, you can at least use the website to toggle your Activity Status.

How to appear Invisible on Instagram’s desktop site:

1. Click your profile picture in the top right corner

2. Select Settings

3. Click Privacy and security

4. Toggle the Show activity status box off

That’s all there is to that.

Once you toggle the Activity Status box off from that menu, your online status and history are essentially invisible to everyone.

Remember, you also can’t see other users’ Activity Status if you’ve toggled this option off.

And if you ever change your mind, you can follow the same steps to return and turn your Activity Status back on again.

Use Instagram’s Activity Status to your advantage

Tons of people like to browse Instagram to keep up with friends or their favorite creators.

But you don’t have to let everyone know that you’re online when you’re browsing the platform.

Instagram’s Activity Status lets you choose when you want people to see that you’re online.

Of course, it also means that you won’t be able to see other users’ Activity Status with yours turned off. But that’s a small price for extra privacy on the platform.

You can change your Activity Status on Instagram regularly.

So get familiar with this process and start browsing Instagram on or offline. The choice is always yours.

Are you keeping this feature turned on? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• When did Instagram come out?
• Who’s the most followed person on Instagram?
• Can you see who views your Instagram Stories?
• How to unlink Facebook and Instagram

The post How to appear offline on Instagram appeared first on KnowTechie.

There’s nothing better than getting rid of that negative influence in your life. When blocking a profile seems a little too harsh, Instagram has a feature that will allow you to mute a user’s profile.

This mute feature allows you to hide posts and stories from a particular user without the other things that come with a full-on block, like hiding your own profile from that user or going the advanced route with an email scraper.

Muting is a great way to get rid of those profiles that tend to clog up your feed, without offending someone by hitting them with a block.

However, figuring out how to access this mute functionality on Instagram can be confusing. Luckily, we’ve got you covered.

How to mute someone on Instagram from their profile

If you have a specific person in mind that you want to mute, the best way to do that is directly from their profile. Here’s how:

1. Head to the account you want to mute (you’ll need to be following them already)

3. On the profile page, tap on the Following button

4. A new menu will pop up, select the Mute option

5. Now, in the popup window, toggle Posts and Stories to the ‘on’ position to mute the account

After muting both Posts and Stories, if the user posts something new on Instagram, you will be blissfully unaware and can go on with your day.

As an added bonus, Instagram will not alert them that they were muted, so you can do this guilt-free.

How to mute someone on Instagram from your own feed

If the decision to mute someone is more of a spur-of-the-moment kind of thing, you can also mute profiles directly from your Instagram feed. Here’s how:

1. While looking at your feed, tap the three-point icon of the person’s post

2. Now choose the hide option from the prompt

3. Select ‘Mute <the account name>’ when the following notification appears

4. Then select the Mute Posts or Mute posts and story option

When you refresh your feed, the user will no longer appear in your never-ending list of posts.

How to unmute an account on Instagram

If you’ve decided to give the person you are following another chance, you can also unmute them at any time. To do that, you’ll need to head to their profile. Once you have that open, follow along below:

Now, you will see that person’s posts and Stories again on Instagram. Unless, of course, they become annoying again, and you need to re-mute them.

Why you should mute people on Instagram

On social media, anyone can publish basically anything. As a result, you may not appreciate being overwhelmed by a user flooding your feed with things you aren’t interested in.

Maybe they are just going through a phase, but you don’t want to unfollow them. Or maybe you went out on a date, and now things are awkward, but unfollowing them seems drastic.

It can also be great for businesses that you support but don’t necessarily care about seeing their daily posts. Really, the reasons are endless, and you can mute someone for any reason you see fit.

Muting a profile on Instagram is a breeze

If you do not want to see a person’s Instagram posts and Stories, the muting feature comes in clutch for those instances where you still would prefer to continue following them.

Thankfully, Instagram makes using the feature super straightforward and allows you to mute someone in just a couple of taps.

Now that you’ve cleaned up your feed, enjoy the bliss of a finely-tuned, curated feed.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Here’s how to add pronouns to your Instagram profile
• How to block words, phrases, and emojis on Instagram
• Here’s how to block sensitive content on Instagram
• How to block an email address in Gmail

The post How to mute someone on Instagram (and why you should) appeared first on KnowTechie.

If you spend a lot of time posting on social sites like Instagram, it’s possible some of your followers have you muted. But is there any way to tell if someone has muted you on Instagram?

We have all been there, stuck listening to someone’s incessant jabbering on social media, wishing we could stop the madness.

You may feel it’s too harsh of punishment to outright unfollow or block someone and long for a more humane way to fix the situation.

Instagram heard these calls and created the ability to mute someone. Getting muted on Instagram is a silent event, with no obvious way to figure out if you have been muted or not.

Before we try to figure out if someone muted you, we need to discuss what the mute button actually does.

What happens when you get muted on Instagram

When someone mutes you on Instagram, nothing obvious happens. You can still see their posts and stories, and they can see yours. You can access their page, and you won’t be notified of any changes.

What will happen is the person who muted you will no longer get your content in their feed. If they muted your direct message (DM), they will not be notified of that either.

They can still keep up with your posts, however, just on their own terms.

How to tell if you were muted on Instagram

There is no telltale sign that you have been muted on Instagram. Instagram deliberately made it difficult to tell if you were muted.

There are some indicators to see if you have been muted, but the only true way to know is to confront the person and risk a potential confrontation.

Any one of these by themselves does not outright show that you have been muted. If you notice most or all of these happening to you, then you have most likely been muted.

Sometimes you just have to move on

Finding out someone has muted you on Instagram may sting a bit. No one likes rejection, and finding out you got muted won’t leave you jumping for joy.

Take some time to evaluate why you may have been muted in the first place. Did you do something to offend the person, or maybe you have been extra obnoxious lately?

Maybe you went through a difficult time and were killing their mood, so they temporarily muted you. Whatever the reason, it’s going to be alright.

If you do know why and it’s bothering you, change up your posts. If you aren’t sure why and they aren’t close to you, keep being you. You aren’t going to make everyone happy; just enjoy the follows and move on.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• How to post on Instagram from a desktop
• How to contact Instagram customer support
• Here’s how to add pronouns to your Instagram profile
• How to block words, phrases, and emojis on Instagram

The post How to tell if someone muted you on Instagram appeared first on KnowTechie.

Instagram announced Reels, its answer to short-form video-sharing platform TikTok, in August 2020.

The social media giant describes Reels as “a new way to create and discover short, entertaining videos on Instagram.” 

With Instagram Reels, you can record short videos and edit them using special effects, tracks, and tools.

Short on Time? Jump Ahead

• How long can Instagram Reels be?
• How do you create an Instagram Reel?
• How do you change the length of Instagram Reels?
• Instagram Reels is great for creating short-form videos

Once you’ve created an Instagram Reel, you can post them on your feed for your family and friends to watch. Additionally, you can download Instagram Reels to watch offline.

Or, if you aim to go viral, you can allow anyone to view your Reels by making your Instagram account public. 

As well as being able to record, edit and share your short-form videos, you can watch other people’s clips on a dedicated Reels page.

And if there’s a specific video you’d like to watch, you can search for it via the Explore function.

Either way, the feature is great for both video creators and consumers. But when creating these short-form videos, one question that may be on your mind is how long they can be. Read on to find out.

How long can Instagram Reels be?

Short answer: Up to 90 seconds

When Instagram announced Reels in 2020, it imposed a 15-second time limit. Since then, Instagram has made it possible to create clips of up to 90 seconds.

That’s good news if you think 15 seconds is too restrictive for an Instagram Reel and want more creative freedom with your videos.

How do you create an Instagram Reel?

Short answer: Click the plus icon – then press “Reel”

Creating an Instagram Reel is straightforward. All you need to do is open the Meta-owned app on your smartphone. Then, press the plus icon in the top right-hand corner of the app. 

This will bring you to a page called “New post.”

At the bottom, there’s a bar with options for “Post,” “Story,” “Reel,” and “Live.” You’ll want to press the “Reel” option. To create a Reel, simply hit the record button.

Another way to create one of these short-form videos is by clicking the play button in the center of the main menu bar. This will load a page containing Instagram Reels.

To create your own short-form video from this screen, press the camera icon in the top right-hand corner. From there, you’ll see the screen that allows you to record your new masterpiece.

How do you change the length of Instagram Reels?

Short answer: Click the “length” button

Now that you know how to record Instagram Reels, you’re probably wondering how to change their length. When you go to record a new video, you’ll see a list of tools on the left side of the page.

The third tool down, which has a symbol with a number inside a circle and is labeled “length,” allows you to change the duration of your video. There are options for 15, 30, 60, and 90 seconds – just pick one.

Once you’ve chosen a length, the number inside the circle will change to reflect your decision. You can then create an Instagram Reel that will be that length.

Instagram Reels is great for creating short-form videos

Reels bring lots of fun to the social platform. Whether you want to create a short clip of your dog barking at the delivery driver or a clip of you dancing to a viral trend, you can create all sorts of Instagram Reels.

Of course, they’re also a great source of entertainment. So, don’t be surprised if you spend countless hours of your day watching Instagram Reels.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Who’s the most followed person on Instagram?
• Can you see who views your Instagram Stories?
• How to add 2-step verification to your Uber account
• How to download songs from Spotify and listen to them offline

The post How long can Instagram Reels be? appeared first on KnowTechie.

If you’ve ever taken a screenshot of an Instagram story, you’ve undoubtedly felt a little paranoid about the other person finding out.

There might be a genuine reason why you took the screenshot in the first place. Perhaps someone uploaded a funny meme, and you wanted to pass it on to someone else.

Or maybe someone added a sentimental photo to their story, and you wanted to treasure it as a memory. 

On the other hand, you may be curious as to whether people are screenshotting your stories, photos, and messages.

So, does Instagram notify users when someone screenshots a story or anything else? Read on to find out.

Does Instagram notify when you screenshot a story, post, or Reel?

Short answer: No 

When screenshotting or screen recording someone’s Instagram story, Instagram won’t send a notification to that person.

You can also screenshot Instagram posts and Reels without worrying about the other user being notified. 

So, this is good news if you want to screenshot a story on Instagram without the person knowing.

But it’s bad news if you upload something to your story and want to know when someone takes a screenshot.

READ MORE: What is Vanish Mode on Instagram?

This hasn’t always been the case, though.

Instagram briefly tested a feature in 2018 that would notify users when someone screenshotted their story, but the social media giant abandoned it not long after and hasn’t brought it back since.

Does Instagram ever send notifications for screenshots?

Short answer: Yes, when you screenshot a disappearing photo or video in DMs

Although you’re safe to screenshot stories, posts, and Reels without Instagram notifying the user, the same can’t be said for disappearing photos and videos sent as direct messages.

READ MORE: Who’s the most followed person on Instagram?

If someone sends you a photo or clip that can only be viewed for a short time and you decide to screenshot it, they will see a star symbol next to the item in the message thread.

Additionally, when they go into their direct messages inbox, there’ll be text saying “screenshot taken” underneath your name. 

READ MORE: Can you see who views your Instagram Stories?

However, you can screenshot someone’s direct message without them getting a notification.

They’ll only know that you’ve read the message as it will say “seen.”

Don’t be a creep when screenshotting on Instagram

There are plenty of reasons to screenshot an Instagram Story or Reel.

Maybe there’s a movie recommendation you want to remember or a recipe you want to check out.

But don’t screenshot things that could be private or posted by mistake.

When it comes to screenshotting DMs on Instagram, we’ve also covered everything you need to know about that topic.

Again, the rules are the same. Don’t be a creep. It’s literally that simple.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• How to post on Instagram from a desktop
• Here’s how to add pronouns to your Instagram profile
• How to block words, phrases, and emojis on Instagram
• Here’s how to block sensitive content on Instagram

The post Does Instagram notify people when you screenshot a story? appeared first on KnowTechie.

Instagram is one of the world’s most popular social media networks, boasting an impressive 1.4 billion users. It’s home to cute cat photos, food porn, filtered selfies, and everything in between. 

As an Instagram user, you no doubt spend a significant amount of your day scrolling through images posted by your loved ones and favorite stars.

And you likely watch loads of Instagram Reels and upload the occasional photo.

But how much do you actually know about the photo-sharing app?

One of the questions you probably have is who owns Instagram, and you might find the answer pretty surprising.

So, who owns Instagram now?

Short answer: Facebook (now known as Meta).

Firstly, let’s start from the beginning of Instagram’s 12-year-long history.

Kevin Systrom, a computer programmer, and Mike Krieger, a software engineer, are the founders of Instagram.

They created a location check-in app called Burbn. But it wasn’t much different from Foursquare.

Seeing this as an obstacle, the duo eventually turned Burbn into a photo-sharing platform called Instagram.

As Instagram launched with new features and attracted millions of users worldwide, the platform quickly caught the attention of the social media behemoth Facebook.

And after acquiring the social media app in April 2012 for a cool $1 billion, Facebook became Instagram’s owner. 

READ MORE: Who’s the most followed person on Instagram?

Since then, Facebook has expanded Instagram with new functionalities like stories to take on rival platforms like Snapchat.

Considering that Facebook is the largest social networking platform in the world and Instagram is the fourth most popular social media site, its acquisition definitely paid off. 

What’s Meta?

Short answer: The parent company of Facebook and Instagram 

So, who owns Instagram now that they’re called Meta? Technically, Facebook is no longer the owner of Instagram.

READ MORE: Can you see who views your Instagram Stories?

Just like Google created a parent company in the form of Alphabet, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced in October 2021 that the specially created “Meta” would become the owner of Facebook and Instagram, amongst its other brands.

Facebook and apps, such as Instagram and WhatsApp, are now a subsidiary of Meta’s parent company.

In a press release, Meta is described as a single brand that combines a multitude of apps and technologies.

Instagram’s parent company, Meta, wants to “bring the metaverse to life and help people connect, find communities and grow businesses”. 

So, expect to see massive changes on Instagram as emerging technologies like the metaverse impact our lives in the years to come.

Hopefully, this clears up all of your questions about who owns Instagram.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• How to turn on Instagram captions
• How to post on Instagram from a desktop
• Here’s how to add pronouns to your Instagram profile
• How to block words, phrases, and emojis on Instagram
• What is Vanish Mode on Instagram?

The post Who owns Instagram? appeared first on KnowTechie.

Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, revealed the update in a post yesterday. Mosseri also revealed a new feature, which will let users schedule posts to come out at a certain time automatically.

The new Instagram home screen now fits much better on the screen. Many of the different menus, such as home, search, and messages, are all now located on a side rail, similar to Twitter.

Stories flow across the top of your home page on Instagram. And you can see all of your follow suggestions on the right.

“It is cleaner, faster, and easier to use and it’s designed now to take advantage of large-screen monitors,” Mosseri said about the Instagram web redesign.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Adam Mosseri (@mosseri)

Instagram originally came out as a mobile-only app designed for smartphones. But over the years, it has also developed into a desktop web app.

Recently, Instagram added the ability to make posts from the web app, previously only available on mobile.

And this update shows that the platform is looking to expand its focus to cover its web app more thoroughly.

The scheduling feature is currently in the works, and Mosseris said it’s coming soon. “I call this a finally feature,” Mosseri said. “One of those things that we really should have gotten to a long time ago.”

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• This secret Facebook tool removes your phone number and email
• Elon Musk says Twitter will ban unlabeled parody accounts
• TikTok is moving forward with its music streaming plans
• Snapchat now has its own ‘dual-camera’ feature similar to BeReal

The post Instagram for desktop just got a great redesign appeared first on KnowTechie.

Instagram is currently experiencing issues for thousands of its users right now.

According to Downdetector, 7,168 people have reported an outage. That number first started rising at 9 AM ET. That number has seemed to stabilize but reports continue to roll in on Twitter and more.

Reports are showing that users are getting kicked from their accounts. Some are even getting warnings that their account has been suspended.

One Downdetector user notes, “Same issue as everyone below – app suddenly crashed around 9 and got the “your account has been suspended” message.”

Another person notes, “For no reason my account was disabled, I tried to log in with codes via email and sms, but nothing…now its just loding [sic] and my my friends are saying user not found and my business account is empty!”

Other users are simply unable to load a refreshed version of their feed. Those aren’t getting any suspension messages. Currently, that is what KnowTechie team members are experiencing.

Instagram is currently looking into the outage

The company has sent out a tweet letting users know they are looking into things.

We’ll continue to update this as more information is made available.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Twitter may soon charge for account verification
• The Meta Quest 3 will release in late 2023
• Tesla faces criminal investigation over Autopilot claims
• Twitter Blue users can now use verified NFTs as profile pictures

The post Instagram is down for a ton of people right now (updated) appeared first on KnowTechie.

If you have been having connection issues on Facebook and Instagram, you are not alone. The social giants are reportedly down for many users.

According to Downdetector, 503 people have reported issues with Facebook. Another 1,864 users have stated similar problems with Instagram. The numbers continue to rise, as well.

Facebook outage stats:

Instagram outage stats:

Currently, users are reporting issues with loading DMs and the main feeds for both platforms.

One user on Downdetector notes, “Facebook messenger and reading and creating posts not working.”

Cindy Mullins on DD also states that “Facebook just went completely down. Forget about glitches, it went from glitches to not available at all”

Others are reporting that things are loading on Facebook, but that it is taking an extremely long time. We still can’t confirm if outages are limited to certain areas, however.

Users jump to Twitter to report Facebook and Instagram outages

Twitter users are also reporting problems with Facebook and Instagram. Currently, it is unclear if a certain area is experiencing an outage or if it is global.

We’ll continue to update this report as more information is made available.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• How to make Facebook private
• Instagram could soon let you schedule posts and Reels
• Kanye West is buying Parler after Twitter locked him out
• Donald Trump’s Truth Social is now available on Google Play

The post Facebook and Instagram are down for many people (updated) appeared first on KnowTechie.

Alessandro Paluzzi, an app researcher, and mobile developer, first uncovered the new functionality in July. At that time, Instagram claimed, “this is an early prototype of an experience that we are not publicly testing.” 

The company seems to be switching courses because Twitter user @WFBrother shared a tweet showing what the new scheduling option looks like.

We can definitely see this feature being useful, so let’s dive into it a bit further.

Here’s how Instagram scheduling could work

Users who are participating in the test can schedule a post or Reel like this:

1. While you’re creating a new post or a reel, go to Advanced Settings
2. Toggle Schedule this post on
3. Select a time and a date
4. Lastly, select Schedule

Meta has also confirmed that it is testing the new functionality with a small number of users.

“We are testing the ability to schedule content with a percentage of our global community,” a company spokesperson wrote in a statement.

Unfortunately, the company isn’t giving any more information than what we currently know. But if I had to guess, I expect this is a feature that everyone should expect to see soon.

In the meantime, users who want to schedule their Instagram posts can utilize a scheduling feature via Facebook Creator Studio.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Instagram is testing a classic MySpace feature on user profiles
• Instagram is removing random content for guideline issues
• PSA: The Instagram website is good, actually
• How to download all of your Instagram photos and videos

The post Instagram could soon let you schedule posts and Reels appeared first on KnowTechie.

Made popular by MySpace a thousand years ago, the feature would welcome users to your profile with a song.

Spotted by developer Alessandro Paluzzi, the Instagram feature is similar, but currently, the song doesn’t actually play. Of course, it is important to note that functionality could change if the feature ever reaches the public.

On social media, music is one of the predominant features. Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are all stuffed with music. But the rights surrounding that music are often a point of contention.

Meta recently penned a licensing deal with Warner Music Group that would legally allow monetization when copyrighted music was featured in videos.

This could be huge for Facebook and Instagram as it gives users a huge library of music that they can use in videos without the worry of DMCA takedowns or demonization.

If Instagram goes through with its latest test, it’s possible music could be played on the profile, but only if Meta has the full rights to the song.

Regardless, the feature is still in internal testing, so it may never see the light of day. We’ll keep you updated.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Instagram is removing random content for guideline issues
• New TikTok update focuses on adult-only streams and age limits
• Twitter could soon let you control who mentions you in tweets
• Facebook now lets you upvote and downvote News Feed content

The post Instagram is testing a classic MySpace feature on user profiles appeared first on KnowTechie.

Interestingly enough, it’s not just that the posts are erroring out. Instead, users are getting the content flagged and removed from Instagram due to “Community Guidelines.”

Matt Navarra, a popular social media consultant, shared a tweet this morning showing the Instagram content removal prompt. You can find that below.

After a bit of digging, we’ve discovered other users reporting the same issue. In the alert, users are told that the post goes again Community Guidelines.

Instagram also gives possible reasons, including posting the content “too many times” and the chance of a blocked link in the post.

We’ll continue to update this post as more information is made available. But at present, the bug seems somewhat limited. Have you noticed an issue with posting to Instagram this morning? Let us know.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• PSA: The Instagram website is good, actually
• Facebook now lets you upvote and downvote News Feed content
• Kanye West is buying Parler after Twitter locked him out
• New TikTok update focuses on adult-only streams and age limits

The post Instagram is removing random content for guideline issues appeared first on KnowTechie.