Collaboration in Instagram posts is not a new concept. Instagram has previously introduced the ability to co-author posts, enabling you and a friend to share credit for a group selfie with a dog filter or a stunning beach photo that’s worthy of being your wallpaper. However, their upcoming addition takes this feature to the next level.
The platform is reportedly in the testing phase for a new collaborative carousel feature, which allows your friends to contribute photos to one of your Instagram posts. While this may sound intriguing, rest assured that the original account still retains full control over who can contribute to a post. Here’s how this feature will function in practice.
Instagram Collaborative Carousel feature: How it operates
After a user has posted a photo on Instagram (as a regular post, not a story), their friends will see an option at the bottom left corner of the carousel that says ‘Add to post.’ They can use this option to share additional photos, which will then become part of the original post. However, all the added content must be approved by the account that originally created the post.
Once approved, the added photos will appear as a stack within the carousel of the original post. Users who contribute more content to a post will have their usernames displayed on top of the post, alongside the username of the original author.
Unanswered Questions Surrounding Instagram’s Collaborative Carousel Feature
Certain aspects of this feature remain unclear. It is not yet known whether adding to a post will display the entire post in your feed. Additionally, there is no information regarding whether adding more media to a post will affect the maximum limit of 10 pictures on a post, which might now seem restrictive.
As mentioned earlier, this feature is currently in the testing phase, so it may not be available on your phone in the near future. It is unclear which regions or groups of users will have access to this feature, and when it will receive a broader release.
It’s important to keep in mind that not all features tested during the development phase make it into the final release. If you’re eagerly anticipating collaborative posting with your friends, stay tuned for any new Instagram updates on your mobile device.
