Did you know you can schedule your Instagram posts ahead of time? Or optimize your bio for visibility in the Explore tab? There’s a treasure trove of lesser-known Instagram features, settings, hacks, and search options that can elevate your Instagram experience. We’ve gathered them all here. Whether you’re a recruiter showcasing company culture, an eCommerce marketer, or simply an individual aiming to make the most of Instagram, these tips and features are for you. Let’s with us discover 20+ must-know Instagram features, hacks, and tips you shouldn’t miss.
Note: Ensure you have the latest version of Instagram before diving in. At the time of writing this guide, the latest version is 273 for iOS and Android. Please be aware that while the demonstrations in this article might use an iPhone or Android device, all items on this list are available for both operating systems, accompanied by step-by-step instructions.
Discover 20+ Must-Known Instagram Features, Hacks and Tips for Your Account
1. Manage Multiple Accounts
Whether it’s a pet account or a business account, you can easily add and manage multiple accounts on the same device. From your profile, tap the gear icon (or three horizontal lines on Android) and scroll to the bottom to select “Add Account.” Simply enter the username and password of the account you want to add, and you’re all set. Switch between accounts by holding down your profile picture in the navigation bar.
2. See Posts You’ve Liked
Want to see all the posts you’ve liked in one place? It’s simple. Go to your profile, click the three lines on the top right (on Android and iOS), tap “Your Activity” then “Interactions” and finally, click “Likes.” You can view up to 300 of your most recent liked posts. To unlike a post, just go to the post and deselect the “heart” icon below it.
3. Hide and Disable Comments and Likes
Take charge of your Instagram comments and likes. To filter comments by keyword, navigate to Settings, tap “Privacy,” then “Hidden Words.” You can toggle “Hide comments” to filter offensive words or manage custom filters. To delete comments, swipe left lightly over the comment and select the garbage can icon that appears. For disabling comments, you can do it on a per-post basis. Start posting an image, tap “Advanced Settings” at the bottom, and turn on “Turn Off Commenting.”
4. Clear Search History
To clear your Instagram search history on both Android and iOS, go to your profile, tap Settings, then “Your activity.” From there, tap “Recent searches” and click “Clear all.”
5. Include Additional Instagram Accounts in Your Bio
If your brand has multiple Instagram accounts, you can easily direct attention to your main company page by linking it in the bios of your sub-accounts. Thankfully, Instagram allows you to add another Instagram account to your bio. Simply type the “@” symbol in your bio and choose the account you want to tag. Click “Done” to finalize the addition.
6. Engage with Your Audience Using Instagram Broadcast Channels
Instagram’s latest feature, Broadcast Channels, empowers creators to interact directly with a large group of followers. Through text, videos, voice notes, and images, creators can share updates and behind-the-scenes content. Although followers cannot send messages, they can enjoy the content, react, and participate in polls. As of February 2023, this feature is in Beta mode and currently available only to U.S. creators.
7. Enhance Your Bio with Unique Fonts
Elevate your profile’s visual appeal with this Instagram bio hack that truly makes it stand out. 20+ Instagram features, more like 20+ Instagram unique fonts. While you can already use emojis in your bio, your keyboard’s font options may be limiting. Here’s how you can add special fonts:
- Mobile: Use a website like LingoJam on your mobile device. Enter your desired bio text in the left text box, and various typefaces will appear on the right. Tap the chosen font and select “Copy.” Open Instagram, go to your profile, select “Edit Profile,” navigate to the “Bio” section, and paste the font.
- Desktop: If you’re editing your profile on a laptop or desktop, Font Space offers a library of downloadable fonts. Find a font you like, select “Download,” and save the “.ttf” file containing different font versions. Open Instagram.com in your browser, choose “Edit Profile,” and paste the downloaded font into your biofield. Customize the sample text to create your unique bio.
8. Enhance Your Bio with Special Characters
Not only can you personalize your bio with a unique font, but you can also incorporate distinctive characters that set you or your brand apart. These are symbols like §, †, or even ™, which can be relevant if your Instagram name includes a trademarked product.
- Adding Special Characters on Mobile: To include special characters in your bio from a mobile device, install a free app like Character Pad, which offers an extensive collection of characters and symbols beyond the standard English alphabet. Open the app, select your desired character, and double-tap to copy it into a text box. Copy the character to your device’s clipboard. Open Instagram, access your bio, and tap “Edit Profile.” Press and hold the bio field where you want to insert the special character, then select “Paste” when it appears. Finally, tap “Done” to complete the process.
- Adding Special Characters on PC: You can also incorporate special characters and symbols into your bio using Instagram’s web client on a desktop or laptop computer. One convenient method is to utilize Microsoft Word’s “Symbol” insertion icon. Choose the desired symbol or character, copy it to your computer’s clipboard, and then navigate to Instagram.com. Follow the aforementioned steps to paste the character into the appropriate section of your bio.
- Keep in mind that when copying special characters from the internet, not all of them may appear correctly when pasted into Instagram. Some characters may become corrupted or not display accurately.
9. Rearrange Filters to Prioritize Favorites
If you frequently use Instagram, you likely have a set of preferred filters while others go unused. To streamline your photo editing process, you can reorder the filters in your editing window.
To rearrange filters, start by adding a new post and entering the editing phase. On the filters page, press and hold a filter you want to move, then drag it to your desired position.
10. Utilize Instagram as a Photo Editor without Publishing
This is a tip that lots of people have adored the most among the 20+ Instagram features. If you admire Instagram’s filters and editing capabilities but are not ready to post the photo to your account, there’s a simple workaround. You can use Instagram as a photo editor without actually publishing anything by uploading a picture while your phone is on airplane mode.
Ensure that “Save Original Photo” is enabled in your Instagram settings.
Next, follow the regular steps to post a photo on Instagram: upload the image, make edits, and tap “Share.” An error message will appear indicating the upload failed, but you’ll find the edited image saved in your phone’s photo gallery.