You can now publicly comment on Instagram Stories
Instagram has announced a new feature that allows users to publicly comment on Stories. This update marks a significant shift from the previous system, where responses to Stories were only visible as private messages to the story's creator. The new commenting capability offers a more open platform for interaction, but is limited to those who follow the poster and are followed back by them.
New comments will last up to 24 hours
Instagram's new comments on Stories will have a temporary lifespan of up to 24 hours, mirroring the transient nature of Stories themselves. According to Instagram spokesperson Emily Norfolk, users will have the option to enable and disable comments for each Story they post. It is unclear whether these comments will be archived after a Story post expires.
Comment indicators and DM responses
The new feature will display small profile pictures of commenters at the bottom of the Story icon, indicating the presence of comments before viewing the post. Despite this update, users can still respond to Stories via direct messages if their account settings permit it. Additionally, users can reply to a Story comment via a direct message, by swiping left on the comment and tapping the DM icon.
Disappearing notes and floating hearts
Earlier this year, Instagram introduced disappearing "notes" to grid posts and Reels, which are essentially comments that vanish after three days. Users can control who sees their notes — either mutual followers or a select group of close friends. Today, Instagram also disclosed that some likes on posts will now be shown more prominently as floating hearts, similar to how they appear on the disappearing notes.
