If you can’t post comments without tossing in at least one emoji to make your feelings clear, you’ll be glad to know that Instagram has your back.
After months of testing, Instagram has introduced an emoji shortcut bar on Android and iOS that offers quick access to your most-used icons when wading into a post’s comments. You won’t have to sift through your phone keyboard emoji selection when you want to send someone a heart touching emoji or tell them their new look is fire.
The new shortcut bar is available in a post’s comments section. While typing a comment, you will be shown the set of your most-used emoji. Only the most-used emoji will be available in the shortcut bar. If you want to use a new emoji, you will have to sift through the keyboard manually.
Now, you will also have new Superzoom effects to add to your Instagram stories. The new set includes a heart-filled fog with music, paparazzi camera flashes, fire with rock music in the background, a big red X, black leaves against a melancholy soundtrack, surprise effect with an evil audio, a TV programme effect and beats effect for those dance stories.
“Instagram set out to thwart duplicity with an option to authenticate high-profile accounts at the Facebook-owned image or video sharing social network. Blue badges displayed at Instagram accounts will indicate holders have gone through a verification process that includes providing photos of identity documentation, according to chief technology officer Mike Krieger.
The verification badges are intended to enable Instagram users to know when posts actually come from accounts of celebrities, notable public figures, big brands or well-known organisations. “We will review verification requests to confirm the authenticity, uniqueness, completeness and notability of each account,” Krieger said. In coming weeks, profiles of accounts with huge audiences will start showing more information, such as when they were created, where it is located, and what ads it may be running, according to Instagram.
Emoji shortcuts are available in the latest version of Instagram for iOS and Android.