Bye squares: Why Instagram switched to a taller grid | Inquirer
 
 
 
 
 
 

Bye squares: Why Instagram switched to a taller grid

Why the classic square grid has been changed to a taller, rectangular format
/ 06:56 PM January 25, 2025

Instagram

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One day, your Instagram feed is perfectly curated with the familiar square grid. Next, you discover that the social media platform has changed the layout, throwing off your carefully planned aesthetic.

The app has rolled out a significant update for some users, replacing the classic square grid with a taller, rectangular format.

This change, still rolling out to some users, has shaken up the platform’s aesthetic and the reactions are far from uniform.

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For users who spent countless hours perfecting their profile grids, the shift has been nothing short of frustrating. The familiar 1:1 aspect ratio has been swapped for a 4:5 layout and alters how posts appear on their profiles.

Instagram’s head, Adam Mosseri, acknowledged the feedback, offering insight into the reasoning behind the decision.

He confessed that one of the primary missteps in the rollout was “not giving people enough of a heads up” about the impending change. 

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His team, however, sees the new layout as a step toward a “simpler, cleaner” platform that enhances creator control, providing a streamlined approach to content organization.

Mosseri said the switch to a taller grid aligns with the growing trend of vertical photos and videos, which dominate uploads on Instagram.

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Rectangles are better suited to display these types of content, making the platform more cohesive for the modern user, he added.

In response to the mixed reactions, Instagram has plans to improve the user experience, including an update that will allow users to more easily customize their thumbnails. 

Additionally, Instagram Highlights, which traditionally sit above the grid, will undergo a significant change. The current circular display will be replaced by a new tab, offering more options for organization. 

Perhaps most notably, Mosseri mentioned that Instagram is working on a feature that would allow users to reorder their grid, giving them greater control over how their profiles look.

He emphasized that this was just one of many adjustments the platform would make in the coming months.

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TAGS: Instagram, social media, Tech-Featured, Trending
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