If You’re Not A Fan Of The Horizontal Instagram Feed, Don't Freak Out Yet
It seems like our favorite social media platforms are fixed on constantly giving us updates and changes that no one needs or asked for (still waiting on that Twitter edit button tho). The latest app to to change it up on us is Instagram, by giving users a feed that looks a bit different. If you're already the new change, here's how to switch back to the old Instagram feed — and it's super easy. You're welcome. (Side note: If you’re looking for updated information on Instagram’s June 2022 feed tests, click here.)
If you woke up on Dec. 27 and opened Instagram to catch up on what you missed while slumbering away, you might have gotten the shock of your life: a completely new way to scroll through your feed. If you think side-to-side swiping is something that should be contained to cruising for partners on dating apps, you're gonna hate what Instagram did. For years users have been scrolling vertically through obscene milkshakes and cats, but for a split second over the holiday season, Instagram introduced horizontal scrolling. I know. The new feature sort of acts like their popular story mode where you can tap through posts, but it's no longer contained to stories. The question is, how to get rid of it? You don't need to, because apparently Instagram is rolling back the whole feature. In fact, all you have to do to get back to the good ol' scroll is to restart the app. Deep breaths, everyone.
Instagram tells Elite Daily in an email that the introduction of the new scroll was just a glitch. "Due to a bug, some users saw a change to the way their feed appears today," a spokesperson says in the statement. "We quickly fixed the issue and feed is back to normal. We apologize for any confusion." Phew.
It's probably a good thing, given the immediate backlash from users on Twitter who weren't pleased with the sudden change. Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, replied to several users to let them know more details, telling Cheddar reporter Alex Heath that the update was supposed to be a "very small test" but ended up being "broader than [they] anticipated" (along with a very-apt grimacing emoji).
Heath followed up to confirm that the new Instagram update would indeed disappear from people's feeds, to which Mosseri replied, "Should already be rolled back. If you're still seeing it you can simply restart your app and you should be good to go."
So if there are folks out there who are still seeing that horrific update it seems all you need to do is turn it off and turn it back on again (this is the only time that will actually work).
The whole new swiping feature only lasted about as long as an episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians — thankfully, but not before leaving it's mark. I'm so thankful for all the people who took note of the spontaneous rollback and shared it with the Twitterverse.
True the new horizontal feed was short-lived, but it did not come and go without the Internet noticing and while the update is gone, these tweets live on.
Even Disney teenage heartthrob (and current heartthrob you can @ me) Drake Bell got in on it.
It looks like Instagram was just getting a head start on some April Fools jokes. But let's just hope that our feeds stay vertical for the foreseeable future — it would be a huge loss if I could no longer peacefully enjoy pictures from every cat foster home in a 20-mile radius.
