Have you noticed the different arrangements and newer features on your Instagram page? You are not alone! A week into November 2025, Instagram rolled out new updates aggressively. Read through the previous Instagram features that were updated earlier this year.
Now, what do these newer updates mean for your brand? It challenges you to stay informed about these trends and understand their impact on your digital campaign. This knowledge will help you evaluate and refine your campaigns for maximum effect, especially in November when most brands plan Black Friday sales activities.
For your convenience, we have created this article to consolidate all the information about new Instagram features for the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2025, so you can align your strategies with the latest algorithm updates.
6 New Instagram Updates You Need To Know in (Q4) 2025
These Instagram updates are designed to enhance the discoverability, appeal, and engagement of your content for diverse audiences. These updates also prioritise rewarding authentic content creators and active businesses.
Some of these platform adjustments offer opportunities for rapid audience growth, while others could limit your content’s reach if your strategy is not optimised for them.
Let’s stay ahead of the curve!
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Simplified Navigation
Instagram is testing a new tab layout that places the Home feed, Reels, DMs, Explore, and Profile in the bottom navigation bar, making it easier to switch between core sections of the app. Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, announced this interface update in an October reel, urging users to explore the new tabs. He clarified the strategic rationale, citing internal research that demonstrated higher user engagement and platform usage with Reels and Direct Messages (DMs), necessitating the prioritisation of these key products.
For brands, consider using DMs for early-bird offers or ”comment for links” and Reels for your primary storytelling, as more users will be encouraged to use Reels and DMs. Therefore, the easier it is for users to navigate to your content or offers, the lower the barrier to engagement.
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Enhanced Carousel Posts
The platform is increasingly giving visibility to carousel posts in the algorithm. In fact, some beta tests have introduced the ability to view photos and carousels with music in the Reels tab.
To leverage this update, maximise your carousel impact by including music, compelling visuals and clear text overlays. This strategy will boost your reach and encourage users to spend more time engaging with your content.
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Direct Messaging (DM) Improvements
A significant feature addition to Direct Messaging is the ability for creators and businesses to now send documents right inside DMs. This is very useful for sharing things like business contracts, media kits, or project details without needing to switch to email or other apps. It makes the work process much faster and smoother for creators who often work with brands and team members.
In addition to the file feature, you can explore new drawing tools and stickers right in your DMs. The new stickers are great for quickly showing how you feel or for marking messages you need to follow up on later. All these new tools are designed to transform the DM inbox into a powerful section for creators and businesses to communicate and collaborate beyond simply receiving messages.
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Story Scheduling
Your days of posting stories on the go or making last-minute uploads are finally ending as the trial story scheduling update allows you to plan, schedule and auto-publish stories in-app. Therefore, you don’t have any excuse not to stay consistent in posting stories.
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Reel Auto Dubbing
Another interesting update, which would be helpful to brands with a global audience, is the auto-dubbing Reel feature. It automatically translates and dubs Reels in other languages, enabling you to communicate seamlessly with your customers/clients without the hassle of any extra editing.
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Feed Rearrangement
This has to be a favourite among many businesses and creators. Instagram also rolled out the option to allow you to rearrange posts in your Feed to optimise its aesthetic look. See a step-by-step guide to access this feature. However, only a few accounts are used to try it out.
Conclusion: Stay Up-to-Date with Instagram’s Newest Features
Instagram is still currently testing new features, and these may differ depending on your account, location, and the current updates. If you haven’t seen some of these newly added features, keep an eye out, as most are in the trial phase.
If integrating all these new updates into your Instagram content strategy feels overwhelming, you can focus on adopting at least two features that align with your current needs and objectives.
We are also available to collaborate with you and align your strategy with these newer roll-outs. Reach out and let’s brainstorm on how we can make Instagram work for you, despite the algorithm changes.
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