Instagram is piloting a new media upload feature, as announced by Adam Mosseri, the head of the platform, on Friday. This test allows a select group of users to upload photos and videos in a vertical grid format, departing from the previous requirement to crop images into a square shape. This initiative follows recent updates that have broadened the media upload limits in carousel posts, thus reducing the need to divide collections into multiple uploads.
Vertical Grids on Instagram
In his Instagram story, Mosseri provided insights into this new experiment. He noted that only “a small number of people” are currently able to use the vertical grid feature. The Instagram head reflected on the traditional square format, originally adopted when the platform exclusively allowed square posts. He mentioned that currently, “the vast majority of what is uploaded to Instagram today is vertical.”
Users typically prefer a 4:3 aspect ratio for photos and a 9:16 aspect ratio for videos, making the square cropping process particularly challenging. Mosseri acknowledged that this change could impact users who carefully align their content before posting.
“I’m hoping we can figure out a way to manage this transition,” he expressed.
In a statement to Technology News, Instagram spokesperson Christine Pai indicated that the company is keen on gathering community feedback before implementing any broader changes.
The concept of vertical profile grids on Instagram was initially identified in 2022 by tipster Alessandro Paluzzi, who suggested that the platform might enable users to alternate between square and 4:5 grid formats, thereby offering more versatility in content posting.
Last year, Instagram commenced preliminary testing of this feature with a limited user group, and now the testing phase appears to be widening. Despite attempts from Gadgets 360 to confirm the feature’s availability, reports from users on various social media platforms suggest that the new vertical profile grid format is becoming visible to a broader audience.
