Instagram tests ‘Picks’ to help friends find shared interests
Instagram is working on ‘Picks’ which could be Instagram’s next feature to encourage connection.
What is Instagram ‘Picks’?
Instagram is working on a new feature called Picks, according to TechCrunch, designed to help you discover common interests with your friends. The feature was first discovered by Alessandro Paluzzi, who often unearths Instagram’s features while they’re in development. He took to X (formerly Twitter) to share screenshots of the feature.
#Instagram is working on Picks 👀
— Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) August 6, 2025
ℹ️ Add what you're into and find overlap with friends who are all about it too pic.twitter.com/NXSqoGtqvf
How does it work?
Think of Picks as a shortcut to finding your shared passions among friends. According to Paluzzi’s screenshots, it lives in the Notes section at the top of the DMs tab. From there, you can select topics you’re into, from films and TV to music, books, and games. It also depicts that you can even refine these broader categories into specifics, like a particular movie, or book.
Once you’ve set your Picks, you’ll be able to see which friends match up with your tastes. Perfect for spotting that one friend who’s also obsessed with the same indie artist to cult TV series.
The idea is to let you easily see which friends have overlapping interests, and inspire conversation off the back of it.
Why is Instagram introducing it?
Over the past year, Instagram has been leaning into features that spark more personal connections with friends. In January, it rolled out a feature showing your friends which Reels you’ve liked, encouraging conversations around shared content. More recently, Instagram introduced Reposts, the Instagram Map, and the Friends tab. All of which aim to encourage more connection between your friends.
Picks fits neatly into this. By spotlighting mutual interests, Instagram is betting that more people will start conversations that go beyond merely liking content.
When will Picks roll out?
While there’s no official news about the feature, Instagram did confirm to TechCrunch that Picks is currently just an internal prototype. That means it’s not being tested publicly yet, and there’s certainly no word on when (or if) it will launch.