It’s not a new feature we wanted or particularly needed, but it’s the one Instagram gave us this week.
On Monday, as part of what it calls its “visual refresh,” Instagram announced a new typeface called Instagram Sans. And while it seems like it was mostly created for the photo-sharing app’s branding and marketing purposes, the new font is also expected to show up in the app as well, specifically in Stories and Reels.
According to the announcement, the overall design (which was adapted to be more inclusive of other languages) and subsequent addition of the new font to the app itself was done with the aim of making the font “globally accessible” and to “to support all of our creators and community members who push culture forward to express themselves fully in any language they choose.”
Lofty design goals aside, it is a new typeface with at least eight different versions that are all generally readable. Even the script one, with its distracting curls, should still help you get your message across in your Stories and Reels. The overall design of Instagram Sans appears to take the brand’s obvious love for what it calls “squircles” — a combination of squares and circles — to heart. The font is a clear reflection of the soft curves of Instagram’s iconic camera logo.
Instagram also announced other changes to its brand, including a “vibrant” and “illuminated” color gradient for its logo that is expected to be seen in the app’s stickers, Create mode, and Story rings.
