Sophie Blake
Instagram has officially reached 3 billion monthly active users, according to announcements from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram head Adam Mosseri. The milestone makes Instagram the third Meta-owned platform to surpass the 3 billion mark, joining Facebook and WhatsApp earlier this year.
The growth comes nearly four years after Instagram reported 2 billion monthly users in December 2021. Zuckerberg emphasized that the majority of the platform’s recent expansion has been fueled by private messaging, Reels, and algorithmic recommendations — areas Meta plans to prioritize further development.
Instagram’s recent user surge reflects the rising influence of short-form video and content discovery tools. Reels, in particular, has emerged as the centerpiece of the platform, drawing attention as users increasingly spend more time on video clips than static posts. Private messaging has also become a critical driver of engagement, with more users choosing to interact directly rather than through public feeds.
Mosseri said the company will continue to “reorient the app around DMs, Reels, and recommendations” in the coming months. However, this direction has also stirred debate among users who prefer Instagram’s original focus on photos and posts from accounts they follow.
To address frustrations with recommendations, Instagram is preparing to test new tools that allow users to adjust their content feeds. An early version of the update shows users will be able to view topics the algorithm associates with their activity and remove or add categories to refine what appears in their Reels and, eventually, other feeds.
Alongside algorithm updates, Instagram is redesigning its navigation bar. The direct messaging button will be moved from the top to the bottom of the home screen for easier access, joining shortcuts for the main feed and Reels. The create icon will shift to the upper-left corner, while the search function will move slightly right.
Meta also confirmed that tests will roll out in select markets, including India and South Korea, where users may soon be defaulted to the Reels feed when opening the app — a move designed to capture more engagement in markets where TikTok faces restrictions.
Instagram’s rapid climb underscores its growing cultural relevance compared to Facebook, which continues to lose traction among younger users. Internal discussions revealed during antitrust proceedings suggest that Meta has long been balancing Instagram’s popularity against concerns it might hasten Facebook’s decline.
With 3 billion users now engaging monthly on Instagram, Meta is doubling down on strategies that strengthen its short-form video ecosystem and messaging tools, while giving users limited levers to shape their feeds.
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