Instagram is mainly known for being a photo-sharing app, but it has evolved into a social media platform with loads of features. We have previously covered five useful Instagram tips, but obviously there are plenty of features that have been relatively unknown, until now. So here is yet another list of useful Instagram tips you can, and should, use.
How to Archive Posts
Note: this feature is currently not available for all users as it is still in a “testing” phase. Six years is a long time, and many users cringe when scrolling through their older posts. So what can you do if you’re embarrassed by an old photo or trying to make your Instagram profile more consistent? Many would assume that you would have to delete the photo completely, but you have another option. Now you can “archive” a post, which means that you can remove it from your profile without deleting it. To do so, scour your profile for a photo you’re not particularly proud of. When you’ve found one, tap the three dots in the upper right hand corner. A menu will pop up with various options. Tap on the one that reads “Archive.” The photo is nowhere to be found now on your public Instagram profile.
But what if you want to reinstate an archived photo to your profile? Don’t worry, it’s easy! Navigate to your profile and tap the button in the top-right that kind of looks like a clock. This will bring you to all of your archived posts. Tap on the one you want to reinstate and tap the three dots in the upper-right corner. Tap “Show on profile,” and the photo in question will appear again on your profile.
How to Bookmark Posts
Some truly jaw-dropping shots can be found on Instagram. Unfortunately, their awesomeness can quickly be forgotten. Fortunately, Instagram allows you to save or bookmark your favorite photos for later viewing. You can save any photo, whether it’s one of your own or one belonging to someone you follow or a random user. To do so, tap the little bookmark icon on the right side of the screen just below the photo. The icon will turn from white to black to indicate that you have successfully bookmarked it.
To view your bookmarked posts, navigate to your profile and tap on the bookmark icon underneath your profile info. To create a collection of bookmarked photos, tap the “+” button in the top-right. Here you will be able to input a name for your collection. Tap “next” and select the photos you want to add to the collection from your bookmarked posts. To un-bookmark a photo, select a saved photo and simply tap on the bookmark icon again. The icon should turn from black to white this time.
Mute a Story
For the uninitiated, Instagram stories are the little videos people post to Instagram that take up real estate at the top of your screen. Some are amusing, others are self-indulgent, even more are unnecessary. If you don’t want to see someone’s story anymore, you can mute it. Muting someone’s story is different from unfollowing them, as you will still see their posts in your feed. What muting does do is push that story to the every end of the story bar at the top of your feed and grey it out. Even more importantly, muted stories don’t automatically play when you watch other people’s presumably more interesting stories. To mute someone’s stories, simply tap and hold their profile picture at the top of your feed where all the stories congregate. When a menu pops up, select “Mute [username’s] Story.” To unmute a story, simply repeat the steps and select “Unmute [username’s] Story.”
Enable Notifications When Someone Posts
Instagram feeds can get crowded pretty quickly. Unless you’re glued to your screen at all times, it is incredibly easy to miss posts you care about. Luckily you can enable notifications to let you know whenever specific accounts post.
You can turn these notifications on in two different ways. Find a post by an account you want to receive notifications for. Tap the three dots in the upper-right corner. Select “Turn on post notifications.” Alternatively, navigate to an account that you want to receive notifications for. On that account’s profile page, tap the three dots in the top-right corner. In the menu that opens up, select “Turn on post notifications.” You will now receive push notifications whenever that person or account posts to Instagram. To stop receiving notifications, simply follow the same steps, this time selecting “Turn off post notifications.”
How to Block Someone on Instagram
Whether it’s a spambot or an annoying friend who only posts pictures of their meals, there are plenty of reasons why you might want to block someone on Instagram. Fortunately the process is super easy and reversible (just in case you change your mind). Before we discuss how to block someone, it’s good to know what that actually entails. Blocking someone on Instagram means that they are no longer able to see your profile. In addition, they won’t be able to like or comment on your pictures. You will also automatically unfollow them (if you were ever following them in the first pace); however, any comments that they may have made on your photos in the past will remain a part of those posts. Okay with all that? Let’s get to blocking.
Head to the profile of someone you want to block. Tap on the three dots in the upper-right corner. This will bring up a menu with a number of options. Go ahead and tap on “Block.” Instagram will give you one last chance to change your mind, but if you’re confident in your decision, tap “Block” one more time. That’s it! To unblock someone, simply navigate to the blocked profile, tap on the three dots and hit “Unblock” twice. Are you addicted to Instagram? Do you know of any other lesser-known Instagram tips and tricks? Let us know in the comments!
