Meta Platforms is developing a standalone app called Instants for sending disappearing photos, positioning it as a competitor to Snapchat. A Meta spokesperson confirmed to Business Insider that the company is building an internal prototype, which is not available for external testing.

Mobile developer Alessandro Paluzzi revealed the prototype on February 8, 2024, sharing a screenshot with the tagline “Share disappearing photos with friends.” Paluzzi is known for reverse-engineering Instagram to uncover unreleased features.

The Instants feature operates in a limited form within Instagram’s main app, tested under names including “Shots” and “Quicksnap” in select countries, per the Meta spokesperson. It enables users to send unedited photos through direct messages. These photos disappear once opened and expire 24 hours after sending. Users can only send photos to mutual followers, and no filters or edits are allowed.

Instagram has offered similar tools previously. In 2016, it launched Stories, a 24-hour disappearing post feature modeled after Snapchat. In 2020, Instagram introduced Vanish Mode, which allows disappearing messages in direct chats by swiping up in threads.

The planned Instants app would separate this disappearing photo functionality from Instagram’s core experience. Meta has a history of replicating Snapchat features, including the 24-hour post format in Stories. Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel mocked this pattern by changing his LinkedIn title to “VP Product @ Meta” in 2025.

Meta has launched other standalone apps recently. In 2023, it released Threads to compete with Twitter, along with the Edits video editing app and the Meta AI assistant app. The company is also testing a standalone version of its AI video generation feature, Vibes.

Instagram has shifted focus toward friend-to-friend communication, drawing inspiration from Snapchat’s approach to interactions with close friends.

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