Instagram is rolling out a big update that adds some features users have been asking for for years. The biggest new addition is a location-sharing tool that lets you see where your friends are, a feature that looks a lot like Snapchat’s popular Snap Map.
The new map feature is off by default, so you have to choose to turn it on. It also comes with a lot of privacy controls. You can choose to share your location with all your friends, just your “Close Friends,” or a specific list of people. You can also block your location from being shared when you’re at certain places or with certain people.
This isn’t the first time Instagram has borrowed an idea from Snapchat. The company’s “Stories” feature was famously a near-perfect copy of Snapchat’s original concept.
But the update isn’t just about the map. Instagram is also finally introducing a reposting feature. This lets you share public Reels and feed posts from other users to your profile. The reposts will appear in a separate tab on your profile and will automatically credit the original creator.
Finally, there’s a new “Friends” tab in Reels that will show you public content that your friends have liked or commented on. All these new features are rolling out today, so you should see them in your app soon after you update.
