Instagram Launches Collages Feature for Users to Share Custom Collages in Direct Messages

Lindsey Gamble / Instagram Collages

Instagram has launched a Collages feature. Users, including myself, received a notification in direct messaging that says, “Try collages created from your photos,” prompting them to try the feature. However, when I tapped on “Try It,” nothing happened. According to the screenshot, this feature allows users to customize collages from their camera roll, which can then be shared in chats.

Why It Matters: Collages have become increasingly popular on social media, especially among Gen Z, as a way to creatively express themselves.

In the fall of 2022, Pinterest launched Shuffles, a standalone app for building collages using Pinterest content and eventually a user’s own content. The app's success led to Pinterest launching a Collage feature directly in its native app, helping to make Gen Z one of its fastest-growing demographics while also expanding shoppable experiences.

Lemon8, a sister app of TikTok, also emphasizes collage content. Before these, Landing—initially launched in 2021 as a home design platform—became a popular collage maker for Gen Z, likely inspiring Pinterest’s Shuffles app.

Given these trends and Instagram’s focus on direct messaging, the Collages feature makes sense. It offers users, especially younger audiences who are gravitating toward sharing content in more private settings like direct messages and group chats, another creative way to do so on the platform.

For users who want to share photos from a recent trip or night out with friends but prefer not to post publicly via an in-feed, Collages provides a more private solution.