Instagram's Shift to Vertical: A Vertical Profile Grid and More Vertical-First Experiences
Instagram is testing a vertical profile grid format, displaying posts as rectangles instead of the traditional square format. This change was initially discovered by several creators, and Instagram head Adam Mosseri later confirmed the test during a recent Ask Me Anything session.
Reactions By Creators
As expected, some creators have expressed frustration, particularly those who have carefully curated their profile grids and Reels covers for the square format. Despite this short-term disruption, the change aligns with broader content trends on Instagram for a few reasons.
The Shift to Vertical Content
The majority of content today is vertical—photos in 4:3 and videos in 9:16. As Mosseri noted, the square format was initially used because it was the only option available when Instagram first launched. However, with the introduction of Stories and Reels, vertical formats have become more prevalent.
Additionally, most content is discovered and consumed outside of profiles, such as in feeds, recommendations, or direct messages. While a well-curated profile aesthetic can be important for a creator or brand’s presence, the visual impact of the grid is less critical in the broader context of content discovery and consumption.
More Vertical-First Experiences
Instagram is increasingly prioritizing vertical-first experiences across the platform. Beyond a vertical profile grid, the platform is optimizing the entire user experience to align with vertical-first content, such as:
Full-Screen Mode: Spotted for Reels, this feature allows users to watch Reels in full-screen without any user interface elements like the account handle, caption, or engagement count—similar to TikTok’s Clear Mode.
Recent Stories: A carousel of Stories from people users follow, appearing in the feed between posts.
Story Highlights Tab: A dedicated tab for Story Highlights on profiles may be in development.
What Could Come Next
All of this raises the question of whether Instagram will eventually attempt to relaunch the Full-Screen feed it tested in 2022, which was quickly rolled back after backlash. That feed was focused on video and suggested posts, which was one of the biggest issues users had with it. However, if Instagram can ensure that single photo posts and Carousels get love and that people still see posts from those they follow, it might be better received.
