Instagram expands photo format options, adds new reel discovery feature

Meta’s photo and video-sharing platform Instagram is broadening its visual format capabilities, allowing users to post single images in a 3:4 aspect ratio, an update that aligns more closely with the default photo settings on most smartphone cameras.

The update was announced via Instagram’s official broadcast channel and later detailed by Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, on the company’s Threads platform. “From now on, if you upload a 3:4 image, it’ll now appear just exactly as you shot it,” Mosseri wrote, noting the change offers users more flexibility in how their photos are displayed.

Previously, Instagram limited vertical images to a 4:5 aspect ratio, slightly trimming images taller than the platform’s supported formats. While users could also post in the traditional square 1:1 format or a 5:4 ratio, images that did not conform required cropping or adjustment.

The update marks a subtle but significant shift in Instagram’s longstanding approach to visual formatting—one that reflects evolving user expectations and a desire for more seamless content sharing.

In a separate update, the platform also introduced a new experimental feature called “Blend,” which curates a shared feed of recommended Reels between users through direct messaging. The feature is currently available on an invite-only basis and is limited to iOS and Android devices.

“Blend” leverages user activity and preferences to surface content tailored to individual tastes, signaling Meta’s ongoing push to personalize content discovery across its suite of social apps.