Instagram’s New Grid Update Has Users Fuming—Say Goodbye to Your Perfectly Curated Feed

If you opened Instagram today and felt like something was off, you're not alone. The app’s latest update is rolling out to more users, and it’s a big one—your perfectly curated square grid is officially a thing of the past.

Instagram profiles are going vertical, and not everyone is thrilled about it.

Why Is Instagram Changing Its Classic Square Profile Grid?

This update isn’t completely out of the blue. Instagram has been toying with the idea since 2022, when reverse engineer and news leaker Alessandro Paluzzi first hinted at the change on X.

It wasn’t until August 2024 that the platform officially started testing rectangular grids on select users. Now, in 2025, the update is being widely implemented, changing the look of profiles everywhere.

According to Instagram Head, Adam Mosseri, the change was long overdue.

"Squares are from way back in the day when you could only upload square photos to Instagram… The vast majority of what is uploaded to Instagram today is vertical. It’s either 4 by 3 in a photo or 9 by 16 in a video, and cropping it down to square is pretty brutal. So, I’m hoping we can figure out a way to manage this transition.”

Before this, Instagram had already introduced a similar rectangular aspect ratio for the Reels tab, so this shift aligns with their move toward prioritizing video and vertical content.

Social Media Reacts: Aesthetic Disaster or Necessary Evolution?

Mosseri acknowledged that this shift wouldn’t be easy for users who meticulously design their feeds for a seamless, aesthetic look.

"I know this can be annoying for some of you who really spent a lot of time curating and making sure everything lines up, but I would really like to do better by the content today.”

And he was absolutely right—users are not happy.

As soon as the update hit, social media exploded with complaints:

• "Instagram wants to be TikTok so bad. Instead, we get another unnecessary UI update with 3:4 rectangles no one asked for." – X user
• "So... Instagram updated... in a very ugly way, and the posts aren’t squared anymore so the whole layout is ruined.” – another frustrated user

Many users feel like Instagram is constantly making changes no one asked for, with some even threatening to leave the platform altogether.

Why Do Social Media Apps Keep Changing?

Instagram isn’t the only platform guilty of constant reinvention. Every major social media app is in a race to stay relevant—and that means rolling out updates, even at the risk of upsetting users.

With the rise of short-form content and declining attention spans, platforms are constantly experimenting to keep users engaged. If they don’t evolve, they risk becoming the next MySpace.

But this strategy can backfire—just look at Snapchat’s infamous 2018 redesign, which sparked massive backlash and cost the platform millions of users.

So, will Instagram’s latest update stick, or will the backlash force them to roll it back? Only time will tell.

What’s Your Take?

Are you a fan of Instagram’s new vertical grid, or do you miss the old, perfectly aligned squares? Let us know in the comments!