Instagram Adds Reposts, Map Location Sharing, and Social Discovery Features in Latest Update: Here’s How to Use Them

Meta, continuing its trend of packing its apps with a growing list of features - some useful, others more questionable - has announced a new set of updates for Instagram. What began as a clean, simple photo-sharing platform has steadily transformed into an all-in-one social hub, often leaving its original identity behind.

The latest updates are part of Meta’s push to make Instagram more social, interactive, and personalised. Users can now repost public content, share their real-time location with selected friends via a live map, and explore a new “Friends” tab in Reels, which shows what friends have liked, commented on, reposted, or created. The goal, according to Meta, is to make it easier for users to connect, share, and keep up with the people who matter most, though some may question whether more features truly mean better connection.

Instagram Now Allows Reposts 

Instagram users may now share public Reels and feed posts again, which makes it easier to share their favourite material with their followers.  When you repost something, it shows up in your followers' feeds and is also preserved in a new Reposts page on your profile so you can find it again later. 

It's important to note that reposts give credit to the person who posted them first.  This means that if someone else shares a post from a content producer, it can now reach more individuals, even those who don't follow them.  Users may easily share a post or reel again by tapping the repost button. They can also add a custom remark using a note bubble that pops up before they share. 

Instagram Adds Map-Based on Location

Instagram is also adding a Map tool that lets users know where their friends and favourite producers are posting from.  The map, accessible at the top of the DM inbox, shows Stories, Reels, and posts that have location tags. 

Meta informs that the location sharing is off by default to protect privacy. Users must agree to share their location and can pick who to share it with, such as Close Friends, selected friends, or no one at all.  It updates your location when you open it or run it in the background. 

If teens enable location sharing, parents with monitoring controls will receive a notification.  They can also control who the teen tells about their location.  The functionality is being rolled out in the United States and will soon be available to more people worldwide.

The Friends Tab in Reels 

Instagram's new Friends option in Reels is also going global. Users can find public content that their friends have liked or commented on in this area.  It also suggests content based on "Blends," which are groups of individuals with similar interests. 

Users may get to this by tapping the "Friends" link at the top of Reels. To get back to their regular feed, they can tap "Reels."  Instagram is also adding controls to this section. Users will be able to hide their likes or comments from the Friends page or mute activity from certain people. 

Read More: New Instagram Feature Lets Creators See Exactly When Viewers Like