Instagram has recently launched a new feature called Instagram Map in the United States, designed to enhance how users share and discover location-based content. This feature resembles Snapchat’s popular Snap Map, allowing users to share their most recent active location with friends and explore Stories and Reels tagged with locations around them.
What is Instagram Map?
Instagram Map shows the last active locations of friends who have chosen to share their location with you. It also displays location-based Stories and Reels posted by people you follow, making it easier to discover nearby events, places, or trending spots. Additionally, users can leave short, ephemeral messages called “Notes” pinned to specific map locations, which appear for 24 hours.
How to Access Instagram Map
- Open Instagram and go to your Direct Messages (DM) page.
- At the top, you will find a new Map option next to the existing Notes feature.
- Tap the Map option to open Instagram Map.
- On first access, you’ll see a pop-up explaining that no one can see your location unless you choose to share it, and that you can adjust your privacy settings anytime.
How to Set Your Location Sharing Preferences
Upon opening Instagram Map for the first time, you’ll be prompted with “Who can see your location?” and offered these options:
- Friends: Followers you follow back
- Close Friends: A curated list of selected followers
- Selected users: Manually choose specific users
- No one: Keep your location completely private
To update these preferences later:
- Tap your profile icon on the Map screen.
- Open the Settings menu (top-right corner).
- Select Story, live and location.
- Tap Location sharing to change who can view your location.
Important Location Sharing Details
- The feature is opt-in and off by default, so your location won’t be shared until you enable it.
- Location updates only when you open Instagram or have it running in the background. It does not provide continuous real-time tracking like Snapchat’s Snap Map.
- Even if you disable location sharing, you can still see others who share their location with you.
- Location tags from Stories or Reels you post with tagged locations will also appear on the Map for 24 hours, independent of your location sharing settings.
- The Map also shows location-based Stories or Reels from creators you follow, helping you discover nearby activities and places.
Privacy and Safety Considerations
Instagram head Adam Mosseri has emphasized that location sharing is voluntary and only happens with your explicit consent, responding to concerns about privacy and safety. Some users have expressed confusion because location tags in Stories and Reels automatically place content on the map, which may give the impression that users are sharing their live location without opting in.
Users are encouraged to consider whether they want to add location tags to their Stories or Reels if they prefer to keep their whereabouts private.
How to Use Instagram Map for Discovery and Interaction
- View the last known locations of friends who have opted into sharing.
- Explore nearby Stories and Reels from people you follow based on location tags.
- Leave “Notes” — short text messages pinned to specific locations for others to see temporarily.
- Use the map to stay informed about local events, spots, or happenings in your community.
Instagram Map enhances social connectivity by combining privacy controls with new ways to discover and share location-related content. It strikes a balance between fun location sharing and user safety, giving people full control over who can see their whereabouts and how they interact with location-based media.
If you want to try Instagram Map or manage its settings, check your DMs in the Instagram app and tap the Map option to get started.