Instagram now allows users to comment on posts and reels with GIFs. Before the feature was removed, the app only allowed users to reply with text or emoji, and GIFs could only be posted as replies to stories. Instagram started as a photo-sharing app more than a decade ago, but has grown to become one of the most popular social media apps in the world. In recent years, the app has continued to add new features to compete with upstarts such as TikTok.
To reply with a GIF on Instagram, users need to click the comment button below the post, then click the “GIF” button on the right. This will allow users to search for suitable GIFs from the app’s extensive library. Once all GIFs matching the keyword are displayed, click on the selected GIF and click the “send‘ button to publish it. As of February 2023, the feature will only be available to a small number of users worldwide, so it may be a while before it rolls out to all users around the world.
The ability to add GIFs to comments is a logical next step for Instagram, as the feature already works with Stories. It is expected to bring a breath of fresh air to Instagram’s comments section as it will help users interact with others in a more interesting way and even add some humor to the conversation. Adding GIFs to comments can also help users make their comments more compelling.
Still, some Instagram users find that the unwise use of GIFs can be annoying. According to some social media users, the new feature resulted in people filling the comments section with meaningless GIFs that cluttered the app and made it difficult to scroll through comments. Either way, this is an inherent risk with GIFs, so it’s unclear if Instagram can do anything to prevent GIF spam.
Meanwhile, Instagram is rolling out several new features in the first weeks of 2023, in addition to GIFs in replies. The most notable of these is “Quiet Mode,” which stops notifications and sends automatic replies to DMs. Another new feature allows users to mark recommended posts as “not interested,” preventing Instagram from showing similar posts in the future.
Source: Instagram