Instagram is testing a new feature that resurfaces Story Highlights from friends that users might have missed. This feature aims to help users stay connected with their close friends and family, even as the app increasingly prioritizes Reels and algorithm-driven content.
Story Highlights are collections of Stories that users have chosen to save on their profiles. With this new feature, these Highlights will appear at the end of the Stories tray, the bar at the top of the feed where users view Stories from people they follow.
Meta, Instagram’s parent company, has confirmed that this feature is currently in testing with a limited number of users. The company emphasized its commitment to strengthening social connections through Stories.
#Instagram is testing a new Highlights Story feature that displays highlights from profiles you follow as Stories. It seems to work as a way to catch up if you missed the original content
— Ahmed Ghanem (@ahmedghanem) December 17, 2024
Follow my WhatsApp Channel for more updates: https://t.co/0JyLtIkvM8 pic.twitter.com/1TXbB4G4ub
It’s important to note that this feature will only show Story Highlights, not regular Stories that disappear after 24 hours. Additionally, the Highlights will only appear after a user has viewed all the current Stories in their tray.
This test suggests that Instagram may be looking for ways to re-emphasize content from friends and family, potentially counteracting the platform’s shift towards Reels and algorithmic recommendations.
