Instagram Update Was Launched By Accident, New Scroll Feature Has Been Removed

Update: Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, has tweeted that the update was launched by accident and was a test that “went broad” by mistake. The issue should be resolved now and users still experiencing the functionality change should simply restart the app.

Social media users woke up Thursday to a major update for the popular photo app Instagram, as reported by the Independent. As the outlet’s story details, the app’s functionality has completely changed, with a horizontal scroll requiring a tap or a swipe to the left — the same way users scroll through Instagram Stories — replacing the previous vertical scroll.

“If a post has multiple photos in it, the user can swipe through the photos and if they tap on the post, they’ll see the next one in the feed. This includes sponsored posts and ads users may not want to see,” as Newsweek reports.

The Independent speculates that the change could be an attempt to mirror the Instagram Stories functionality, given its surging popularity.

“Stories has become perhaps the fastest-growing media format ever, and is itself now twice as big as rival Snapchat,” the report from the Independent reads.

Messages informing users of the change have also appeared in the app.

“Introducing a new way to move through posts. Tap through posts, just like you tap through stories.”

As the Inquisitr reported, the reaction from Instagram users has been overwhelmingly negative, with many resorting to profanity to convey their displeasure.

“What the f**k is this horrible update swipe on posts and they don’t even give an option to just swipe anymore,” said user hunter.stt, followed by a series of 10 poop emojis and a warning that many people will stop using and uninstall the app.

At this time, there appears no way to undo the latest Instagram update for iPhone users. They can neither undo the feature in the current version nor revert to a previous version of the app.

Newsweek details that Android users can revert the changes through a series of steps, but warns that the process may be difficult for users who are not sufficiently tech savvy. Android users would need to uninstall Instagram through the Settings and App menus. They would next need to locate a legacy version of the app which does not include the most recent update and install it.

The update was not accompanied by any form of release from the Instagram press site. Likewise, the company’s official Twitter and Instagram accounts have no official mention of the update. Given the torrent of negative reactions from so many users, it will be interesting to see how the Facebook-owned company responds.

This story will be updated if Instagram provides an official release about the new functionality.