A Timeline of Instagram's History

Instagram has evolved significantly since its launch in 2010. Here is a timeline of its major milestones.

2010: The Beginning

• October 6, 2010: Instagram is launched on the Apple App Store. It gets 25,000 users on the first day.
• December 2010: Instagram hits 1 million users.

2011: Hashtags and Growth

• January 2011: Hashtags are introduced to help users discover photos.
• September 2011: Version 2.0 is released, introducing live filters, instant tilt-shift, and high-resolution photos.

2012: The Facebook Acquisition

• April 2012: Instagram is released for Android phones. It is downloaded more than one million times in less than one day.
• April 9, 2012: Facebook buys Instagram for $1 billion in cash and stock.

2013-2015: Video and Advertising

• June 2013: Video sharing is introduced (15-second limit).
• December 2013: Instagram Direct (direct messaging) is launched.
• 2015: Advertising capabilities are expanded globally.

2016: A New Look and Stories

• May 2016: Instagram changes its logo from the classic Polaroid-style camera to a modern gradient icon.
• August 2016: Instagram Stories is launched, a feature that lets users post photos and videos that vanish after 24 hours (similar to Snapchat).

2018: IGTV and Founders Leaving

• June 2018: IGTV launches for long-form video (up to 1 hour).
• September 2018: Founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger resign.

2020: Reels and Shopping

• August 2020: Instagram Reels is launched globally to compete with TikTok.
• November 2020: The app gets a major redesign, putting Reels and Shop tabs on the home screen.

2021-Present

• 2021: Instagram announces a shift towards becoming a "video-first" platform.
• 2023: Threads, a text-based conversation app linked to Instagram, is launched to compete with Twitter (X).