The change means your perfectly formatted grid could be altered.

What’s changed?

You may have noticed over the weekend that Instagram has officially rolled out a major change to its profile grid layout, shifting from the iconic square format to rectangles. Instagram Chief Adam Mosseri announced the change on his Instagram Story on Friday before the updated profile grids rolled out, following tests since August 2024.

“I know some of you really like your squares. And square photos are sort of the heritage of Instagram. But at this point, most of what’s uploaded, both photos and videos, are vertical in their orientation.”

Adam Mosseri via Instagram

The layout shift aligns with Instagram’s broader push to accommodate vertical content, which dominates user uploads.

Impact for creators

For creators and artists, Instagram has become more than just a social platform – it’s a critical tool for audience engagement and self-promotion. The change to a rectangular grid means:

  • Grid layouts may look misaligned: If your feed relies on a uniform grid design, this update could disrupt the synchronization of your posts across your profile.
  • More content visibility: Vertical photos and videos will now occupy more space on your profile, potentially showcasing your content more effectively.
  • Creative overhauls needed: This might be a good time to rethink your Instagram strategy to align with the new format.

Community reaction

Unsurprisingly, the initial response has been mixed. Many users are frustrated that their carefully planned grids now look inconsistent. However, Mosseri acknowledged that this change is a step forward, despite being a bit painful. He believes that over time people will be excited as more of their photos and more of their videos will be visible in the profile, as opposed to being aggressively cropped.

Other Instagram updates

This update is part of a broader set of changes Instagram has introduced, including:

  • Updates to the Reels length: Now allowing videos up to 3 minutes long.
  • Changes to the Reels tab: Letting you see videos that your friends have liked.
  • Instagram edits: Instagram’s answer to TikTok’s popular editing tool CapCut.

These updates potentially come in response to TikTok’s US ban, looking to capitalise on TikTok’s audience if the ban was enforced.

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RouteNote partners with Meta to help independent artists and labels distribute music to Instagram, Facebook, and other major platforms for free. Upload your tracks to make them available in Reels, Stories, and more to connect with your audience.