Instagram might be testing a mute button and a bunch of other new features

 

We might be getting an Instagram mute button and a bunch of other features, I hope. Twitter user @wongmjane posted about various tests Instagram has conducted or is currently testing. Jane Wong is apparently a computer science student who appears to be looking through the app’s code.

Instagram told The Verge it didn’t “have anything to share on this right now,” regarding the apparent tests. While they’re unconfirmed for now, it’s at least fun to imagine that they’re legitimate and that Instagram is thinking about improving its platform with some of these changes.

Let’s run through all the tests Wong has supposedly uncovered.

One: Reactions to stories

It looks like people could react in real time, based off those laughing smilies you see above. You could also use emoji in responses, sort of like stickers in iMessage.

Two: Slow-mo recording mode

Every vlogger loves slow-mo mode, so this would probably be appreciated by people who don’t want to rely on their phone’s built-in slow-mo features, or by people who have older phones without slow-mo mode.

Three: A mute button for profiles

This would probably work similarly to Twitter’s mute button, which silences people from your feed but doesn’t require you to unfollow them. You can look like you still care even if you don’t.

Four: Instagram Stories’ calendar archive view

If you look at your Instagram archive right now, you’ll see essentially a grid of your old stories. It’s not super easy to navigate, so a calendar view would definitely be appreciated