I barely use instagram anymore since it changed a couple of years ago. I used to be very active, had a lot of engagement with my followers. Now it’s impossible for me to keep up with instagram’s requirements in order for my posts to be seen. I have 2000 followers and I only receive around 50 likes. I get more discouraged to use the app every day. I don’t need to use reels or instagram tv, i can’t post content every single hour, i just want my posts to be seen by my hobby friends and followers when I post them. I also don’t want a shopping button I never use it, i want the notification button back to where it was before and working properly. I’d even pay a subscription if it meant i could use the old good instagram. 3 stars are only for the original idea of instagram that I used to love...

In general, it’s acceptably functional. But when it’s not, I wanna smash my phone. It goes back and forth with the updates: for example I used to be able to see my saved posts straight from a conversation but not anymore. The swipe right gesture for camera is quite laggy. When I have my AirPods 3 connected, it’s a matter of luck whether they’re working properly or not, only with Instagram; I could press volume up and go from 10 to 11/15 for example but when pressing volume down from 11 to 10/15, the video could go mute. In addition, I can’t always watch the photos I’ve been sent or listen to the voice messages and I have to either restart my phone (which I won’t do cause otherwise it works excellent) or wait A DAY OR TWO for the problem to be solved itself. Generally, while using the app (but not always), the volume bar on the left side doesn’t appear at all while adjusting the volume, I have to check the control centre. I use gif and stickers all the time and yet they are the least reachable from the chat menu. Also the new (Messenger-like) chat is not available on my region (Greece), yet so many of my friends (in Greece) with iPhones have it. I really am frustrated and I really hate it that that’s the only app that I can count on to use my account. Please, PLEASE take a look at it. On the good note, I think the dark mode is fantastic and the changes on the algorithm are notably making the experience less annoying. That said, I really feel like the app has to get simpler, with fewer features and more focused on content.

The most common social media app. You can post stories, posts, carrousels, reels. You can send a direct message and like/ comment other people’s posts. One thing that disappointed me is that now you cannot add a mention of someone on your story if you’ve already posted it. That has really upset me the last few days because I had to delete my story when many people had already seen it, because I hadn’t tagged my friend on it and that felt really embarrassing. Please change it back to how it was!!! Also I strongly believe (me and many others that constantly complain on instagram as well as other social media apps) that you SHOULD put a search machine on our story views. PLEASE like I can see the point of not doing it and what I realise is that this way we spend “more” time using your app but believe me if we could search this one person more easily we WOULD use your app more. Also if you don’t want to put a search tool option you could add a filtering option to filter our viewers however we want, like by who has seen it first, alphabetical order, who we interact with the most, who follows us/ who we follow/don’t follow etc.

Although the app is a really useful platform for communication and sharing, it is ridiculous to introduce “Instagram music” when half of the users are not able to have it in their area. For more than a year now I get this notification “Instagram music isn’t available in your region” as if my region is the North Pole or something. If you are unable to introduce a new feature to all your user-base then don’t launch it at all or at least should’ve found a way to make it available in most countries, in the one and a half year that has passed since ig music was first launched. It’s also ridiculous to remove the ability to view our story viewers after 24 hours. Again, if you wanted to launch this negative feature you should have considered it when you first introduced the Instagram story. Close friends as well; when you introduce close friends’ stories and posts, why remove the posts? I won’t even start with the continuous system crushes that occur almost every week because I’m sure you’re fully aware of that. I suggest you start using your users’ feedback rather than launching new updates without any consideration, because it’s hurting your brand.