Instagram now enables users to leave comments on story posts.
On Insta, there's a distinct separation between posts and stories. Pics and vids that stay put lasting forever or until manually removed are typically for content you'd like others to revisit. Meanwhile, stories fade away after a day, offering an amusing way to share brief updates without the need for a full post.
This fashion has proven efficient for years. Navigating someone's stories is a breeze, and you can even shoot them a message if a story sparks your interest. For posts, you can drop comments for public view, initiating discussions that can endure as long as the post remains.
However, Instagram appears eager to blur the lines between the two this week. Through a post on Threads, the platform announced the introduction of comment sections for stories. This doesn't mean private comments are getting phased out entirely; you can still send private messages through the "Send message..." field. But now, you can post a public comment that sticks around as long as the story does. You can also browse through other users' comments.
This development is part of a string of updates Instagram recently introduced: Last week, they introduced three new features including the ability to add text and stickers to posts, new fonts and animations for stories, and an upgrade of the carousel photo limit from 10 to 20. Before that, they released Music on Profile, enabling users to set a track as their profile song, allowing others to preview it.
How comments work on Instagram stories
The feature is operational as of this post. I had to quit and relaunch Instagram to notice it firsthand.
Tapping someone's story will feel familiar, but you'll spot a new comment icon on the bottom left. Instagram might even highlight the feature upon your first story tap post-update. Tapping the icon will display a pop-up explaining comment etiquette and visibility to story viewers. Brush off the pop-up, type your comment, hit the blue arrow, and your task is done.
If the comment icon is missing, it's likely the user has disabled story comments for non-followers or altogether. By default, commenting is restricted to followers. You can alter these settings from Instagram's in-app settings: Go to your profile, tap the three-line menu, then proceed to Settings and activity > Comments. Under "Story Comments," you can select "Everyone" for comments from all users, "People you follow," which is the default, or "Off" to shut off the feature altogether.
This new feature on Instagram stories allows users to post public comments that persist as long as the story does, bridging the gap between posts and stories in the tech world. With the recent introduction of comment sections for stories, users can now engage in conversations on someone's story, offering a new way to interact beyond private messages.
