Instagram Testing TikTok-Like Vertical Feed Layout Where You Can Browse Stories by Swiping Up and Down

Days after rolling out a new Stories carousel for Instagram’s web client, the Facebook-owned social media company is now testing a new Stories layout for the Android and iOS apps. According to tipster Alessandro Paluzzi, Instagram is working on vertical Stories layout to let users browse stories by swiping up or down, similar to TikTok’s interface. The social media company might also likely tweak its software as the vertical interface is mainly adopted for the short-video format, even for Instagram’s Reels. In many ways, vertical swiping feels more natural than taps and horizontal flicks, and Instagram is yet to share more details over the development.

A company spokesperson further told TechCrunch that it is working on the feature, but it is not available for public usage as of now. “This is an early prototype and is not currently testing on Instagram,” the spokesperson noted. The recent development came to light weeks after Instagram head Adam Mosser told The Verge that the company is looking at ways to simplify and consolidate the platform. Recently, Instagram updated the web client’s Stories carousel that now displays multiple stories simultaneously. The new layout not only displays the main story but also shows miniature previews of the next two and the last two stories in the same carousel.

The Facebook-owned platform has also rolled out a new ‘Recently Deleted’ folder where deleted photos, videos, reels, IGTV videos and stories are saved for 30 days. To access the folder, Instagram users will need to head to Settings > Account > Recently Deleted on the latest version of the Instagram app. The update is rolling out in a staged manner, meaning only limited users are receiving the update today. The platform is also testing a new update to restrict people from sharing posts as Stories. The company says that the development is to de-clutter the interface.

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