• Limited test in Spain and Italy for real-time photo sharing via in-app camera only
• Ephemeral, unedited content designed to boost quick, direct interaction between users and friends

Instagram is testing a new image-sharing app called “Instants,” in a move aimed at promoting more spontaneous content and reducing the platform’s increasingly curated style.

The app is currently being tested in Spain and Italy, allowing users to capture and share photos with a single tap, without any editing tools or the ability to upload images from the phone gallery, relying entirely on the in-app camera.

The shared images—called “Instants”—can be viewed only once and remain accessible for 24 hours before disappearing automatically. Users can also add simple text, but no further edits are allowed.

Instants focuses on fast, unfiltered sharing, in contrast to Instagram’s traditional emphasis on polished photos and videos. The concept closely resembles platforms such as Snapchat, Locket, and BeReal, which prioritize authentic, moment-based content.

According to the company, the feature can be used either within the main Instagram app or as a standalone application. In a statement, it said it is “testing Instants as a lightweight, low-pressure way to share moments with friends and exploring different versions to understand user preferences.”

Users can share content with mutual followers or Close Friends lists, which are synced across both the main Instagram app and Instants.

The move comes as Instagram becomes increasingly crowded with ads and influencers, prompting the company to revisit simpler, more social roots while competing with apps built around temporary sharing.

However, some observers believe Instagram may be late to the trend, as interest in similar apps has declined and users already rely heavily on Instagram Stories, raising questions about the need for a separate app.