Instagram could be getting a new feature that big brother Facebook has had for ages: a share button. The Next Web recently uncovered several new Instagram features that are currently being beta tested, including a Regram button, the option to add a GIF to Stories, and the ability walk down memory lane by saving Stories while followers still only have the 24-hour watch window.
According to screenshots, Instagram appears to be testing Regrams or a share button. While third-party apps allow for similar features, Instagram doesn’t currently support sharing another user’s photo. As a feature that’s only in testing, it’s unclear how the share would appear and if that image would then become part of the shared user’s profile grid or just displayed to followers in the news feed.
Instagram’s popular Stories format could also be seeing a few new features if the options pass beta testing. The first is an option to choose from a GIF library to add an animated image to your Story. Like Facebook’s option to comment with GIFs, the feature appears to use Giphy for the feature.
And while Stories would still only be available for 24 hours, Instagram appears to be testing an option to “archive” Stories. This option would still delete the posts from followers’ feeds after 24 hours, but would allow you to go back and review your own Stories. Since Stories serves as a sort of diary of the day, many users might appreciate the ability to go back and reminisce about some of those days.
Instagram could also soon be adopting the ability to share posts with only a specific group of friends and not all followers. The Close Friends list would allow users to add friends to a list, then choose to share posts only with that list instead of publicly or to all followers. When a post is shared with that group, members of the group will get a notification on the new photo.
Another tested feature is a bit less surprising — users may soon have the ability to share a post to WhatsApp. Facebook owns both Instagram and WhatsApp and the ability to cross-post to Facebook from Instagram is already in place.
The new features are only in beta testing at this point, however. That means a handful of users may see the options as Instagram tests the new tools, but the updates may never see a full rollout, or they may all come to the platform.
