Instagram’s Latest Update: Grid Preview

Gone are the days when you had to download a separate app to visualize how your potential new Instagram post would appear on your Instagram grid. Fortunately, those days are over. Finally, you can preview how your new post will appear on your grid before publishing it.

Instagram seems to be slowly rolling out this new feature in the latest app upgrades, so it may not be available to all users just yet. But if you’re one of the lucky early adopters, I’ll walk you through exactly how to use it.

How to Use this Feature:

1. To make a new post, go to the + sign in the bottom bar of the app.
2. Choose the images you wish to publish.
3. Click ‘Next.’
4. Click on the ‘Show Preview’ text under the photographs.
5. If you don’t see the writing, an eye-shaped icon on the upper right-hand side of your screen may allow you to preview your message.
6. Preview your post on your grid.

Why is this new Instagram feature important?

This upgrade might not be on your highlight list if Instagram isn’t one of your most used apps, but for those who are concerned about maintaining an Instagram aesthetic, this feature completely alters the game. Users can choose the order in which they submit their posts and which photographs complement their chosen style by previewing how their post will appear on your grid before posting it.

I constantly check to see whether the photo I want to share fits in with the overall aesthetic of the other photographs on my grid, even though I’m not too concerned about Instagram aesthetics.

What if I’m unable to get a preview of my Instagram grid before posting?

Not everyone may be able to receive a preview of their grid quite yet. If you still want to plan out your grid, I recommend using the ‘Feed Preview’ app for simple Instagram grid planning or the ‘Later’ app for more in-depth Instagram post preparation. Both applications are available for both iOS and Android.

When will the grid preview tool become available to everyone?

Instagram has yet to formally announce when everyone will get access to the feature, but based on recent update roll-outs, I expect everyone to have access within the next couple of available updates.”