Instagram removed the Notes feature in early 2023 due to low usage and engagement.
Instagram introduced Notes as a way for users to share short, casual updates with their followers. However, the feature didn’t gain the traction the company had hoped for. Notes were designed to be ephemeral, disappearing after 24 hours, and were limited to a maximum of 60 characters. They appeared at the top of the Direct Messages (DM) inbox, allowing users to post quick thoughts or statuses that their followers could respond to privately.
Despite the potential for Notes to add a new dynamic to Instagram’s social interactions, the feature struggled to find its place among the platform’s other offerings like Stories, Posts, and Reels. Users didn’t adopt Notes as widely as anticipated, and many found them to be redundant or less engaging compared to the more visual and interactive content on the platform.
Instagram regularly experiments with new features and often phases out those that do not perform well. The decision to remove Notes was part of the company’s ongoing efforts to streamline the user experience and focus on the most popular and engaging features. By discontinuing Notes, Instagram could allocate resources to develop and improve other parts of the app that resonate more with its user base.