Instagram Rolls Out Reposting and Map Features: How It Works?

Users of Instagram are preparing for yet another set of changes.

The well-known social media app received an update from META that added new features like a location map and “reposting” content.

“People have always come to Instagram to share what they’re up to and where they are. Now, with reposts, the map, and the ‘Friends’ tab in Reels, it’s easier for you and your friends to stay in touch through the content you’re enjoying on Instagram,” META wrote in an Aug. 6 news release.

The new features come after Instagram introduced safety measures for adult-run accounts with minors and updated safety guidelines for teen users using direct messaging on July 23. The social media giant revealed a summer upgrade in June that lets users rearrange the images and videos on their profile grid.

What you need know about the new features is as follows:

Reposting feature and content sharing tab

Instagram users can now republish video reels and posts from their public feeds, much like they can on X.

According to META, a dedicated reposting option will be added to users’ accounts, and reposts will show up on friends’ and followers’ feeds. Reposts allow the content to be shared with another person’s followers, but they still provide credit to the original poster.

Instagram map for sharing locations

Users of Instagram can now choose to reveal their location on the Instagram Map, a feature that will be made available to the American public on August 6.

Users may “turn it off anytime,” according to META, and share their most recent location with the accounts they select. Location-based content, such as food locations featured in an Instagram video or places from friends at concerts, can also be explored on the map.

Children’s location sharing can also be controlled by parents with supervision restrictions.

“You will receive a notification if your teen starts sharing their location, giving you the opportunity to have important conversations about how to safely share with friends,” META said. “You can decide whether your teen has access to location sharing on the map and see who your teen is sharing their location with.”

The Instagram Reels tab for “new friends”

A new “Friends” option will be visible to Instagram Reels users, enabling them to view “public content your friends have interacted with, or recommendations from Blends you’ve started, and easily start conversations about them.”

According to META, users can silence activity bubbles from particular users and hide their likes and comments on reels so they don’t show up on other people’s Friends pages.