Highlights
- Meta is developing a new standalone app called Instants.
- It is designed to rival Snapchat by letting users send disappearing photos and videos.
- Instagram is also testing an Instants feature within DMs, allowing disappearing photos that vanish after being opened or expire within 24 hours.
Meta is reportedly working on a new separate app designed to compete directly with Snapchat. According to a recent report, the company has confirmed the development of an internal prototype called Instants, which would let users send and receive disappearing photos and videos.
In addition to the standalone app, Meta is also said to be testing a new Instagram feature with the same name and similar functionality. Here are more details on that.
Instant App – Instagram’s Snapchat-Style Rival
The upcoming standalone app is said to follow a concept similar to Snapchat, focusing on temporary photo sharing. A Meta spokesperson confirmed to Business Insider that the app is currently being developed as an internal prototype and is not undergoing external testing at this stage.
Well-known mobile developer Alessandro Paluzzi, who frequently reverse engineers apps, has claimed that Meta’s new app is named Instants. He reportedly discovered references to the app on Instagram’s “Also from Meta” page, where Instants was listed as an option for sharing disappearing photos with friends.
#Instagram is working on a standalone app for Instants/Quicksnap 👀 pic.twitter.com/d56vOeoGap
— Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) February 8, 2026
In addition to the standalone app, the Meta spokesperson is said to have confirmed that Instagram itself is testing a feature also called Instants. Previously referred to as Shots, this feature is reportedly available as a limited test in “some countries globally”.
According to the report, the in-development Instagram feature allows users to send disappearing photos directly through their DMs. The shared image vanishes after being opened and automatically expires 24 hours after it is sent. Instagram reportedly notes that Instants can only be shared with “followers you follow back” and that the content cannot be edited.
Rollout Timeline
If rolled out more widely, the Instants feature or app could further align Instagram with Snapchat’s core focus on ephemeral communication.
However, Meta has not yet confirmed whether Instants will be launched publicly or how it may evolve beyond the prototype phase. Meta is known to test numerous internal concepts, many of which never move past early development or limited trials.
This is not Meta’s first attempt at experimenting with disappearing messages on Instagram. The platform already offers multiple tools within its messaging system that support temporary content.
Existing features such as “View Once” and Vanish Mode already allow photos, videos, and messages to disappear after a set period.
FAQs
Q1. What is Meta’s new Instants app?
Answer. Instants is a prototype standalone app being developed by Meta to rival Snapchat, allowing users to send disappearing photos and videos.
Q2. Is Instagram also testing Instants within its platform?
Answer. Instagram is testing an Instants feature in DMs that lets users send disappearing photos, which vanish after being opened or expire within 24 hours.
Q3. Has Meta confirmed a public launch for Instants?
Answer. No, Meta has only confirmed Instants as an internal prototype and limited test. There is no official rollout timeline or guarantee it will launch publicly.