There was a time when I truly enjoyed Instagram. I posted to it nearly every single day, sometimes multiple tines a day. Unfortunately, over time Instagram has made changes to the app that has made it less enjoyable from, changes to the algorithm to an overemphasis on Reels. Honestly, the only reason I continue to use Instagram is that I am connected to several friends there. With that in mind, here are several changes that Instagram could make that would once more make it enjoyable.
Increase the Number of Hashtags One Can Use: There was a time when one could use up to 30 hashtags on Instagram. Unfortunately Instagram reduced this to a mere 5 hashtags in December. Part of the reason for this is Instagram's claim that hashtags do not meaningfully increase reach, something I seriously doubt myself. And while I agree with Instagram head Adam Mosseri's claim that more targeted hashtags can improve the performance of a post, I firmly disagree that they should be limited to only five. For instance, if I am making a post on a classic actor with an extensive career in film and television, my post will be helped if I can hashtag their better known movies or TV shows, which might number more than five. Quite simply, the possible reach of my post has just been torpedoed by limiting the number of hashtags I can use. If Instagram does not want to go back to 30 hasthtags, then I suggest a limit of 10 would be much, much better.
Restore Grid Profile Previews to Squares: It was in July 2025 that Instagram changed the profile grid previews from the classic 1:1 square to an 4:5 oblong rectangle. The end result is that the previews of my posts are now aggressively cropped and my profile gird looks awful. Now I can adjust the preview so that my post previews are not aggressively cropped into an oblong rectangle, but my gird still does not look as good as it once did. Instagram apparently made this change under the mistaken assumption that most of what was uploaded to Instagram, whether photo or video, is vertical. This is blatantly false in my experience. While most videos are indeed vertical, most all of the photos in my feed are square. Since that is the case, I think Instagram should either restore profile grid previews to squares or give people the choice of square profile grid previews or oblong profile grid previews, I would certainly return to squares if I could!
Restore the "Most Recent" Option to Searches: There was a time one could filter Instagram searches by "Most Recent." That ended sometime in 2023 when they did away with the option. This has pretty much made Instagram search pretty much useless. What is more, while I know the reasons, wrong-headed though they may be, that Instagram reduced the number of hashtags one can use and changes the profile grid previews to oblong rectangles instead of squares, I have no idea why they did away with the "Most Recent" option in search. It makes absolutely no sense to me at all. Indeed, there are times when one really would like to see recent posts on a given day (say, a birthday).
Instagram Should Save Posts to One's Phone Gallery As It Once Did: There was a time that Instagram would save one's post to an Instagram folder in their phone's gallery. This was nice because it allowed one to save their posts for posterity on their own devices instead of simply on Instagram. Sadly, this came to an end in August 2024. I have no idea why this change was made. Indeed, it seems bizarre given Instagram does save Stories to one's phone, even when it is a Story one has shared from someone else! Now I don't want to save Stories, but I really want to save my posts. Right now I have to copy the post's link and then go to one of the sites online that allows one to download Instagram posts. I shouldn't have to do that.
Improve the Algorithm or Do Away with It Entirely: It was around 2016 that Instagram stopped sorting posts in reverse chronological order and started sorting them using an algorithm, a decision that has been controversial ever since. As much as all of us have complained about the algorithm, I have to admit that for a long time it did not hurt the performance of my posts. Unfortunately, over the years Instagram has mucked around with the algorithm to the point that I have to wonder if most of my friends see my posts. There was a time when I would get anywhere from 30 to 50 to 60 likes on my posts, sometimes more. It was late in 2023 that that this changed, to where I feel lucky if I get 30 likes on a post. By the same token, I have noticed in my feed that I might have to scroll for some time before seeing a close friend's post. I suspect Instagram's algorithm is putting too much emphasis on Reels (which I don't watch for the most part) and other less important matters. If this is the case, then they should restore the Instagram back to the way it was around 2022 or give people the choice of using a reverse chronological feed.
Entirely Hide Threads: I do not use Threads. I have no intention of using Threads. I will never use Threads. Unfortunately, every time I go to Instagram I feel as if Threads is being shoved down my throat. Scrolling down my feed there are sometimes "Suggested Threads," despite the fact that I always hide them. On my profile, beside my handle, there's even the little Threads symbol. If I click on it, a little "Install Threads" thing comes up. Instagram should just accept that some of us will never Threads and just stop shoving it in our faces.
As far as I am concerned, Instagram has gone far, far downhill from what it used to be. At one time I posted to it every day. Now I might only make as few as five posts a month. I would be much more inclined to post if Instagram was as enjoyable as it once was, and it would take at least some of these changes for it to be even close to being as enjoyable for me as it was years ago. As it is right now, if a large number of my friends left Instagram, I would probably follow them.
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