Instagram is currently testing a new feature designed to help users catch up on content from friends they might have missed.
The social network is showing previously unseen Story Highlights from mutual followers at the end of the Stories tray—the section at the top of the feed where users view Stories from their connections.
A Meta spokesperson told TechCrunch, "We’re always working on new ways to help people connect in Stories and are testing bringing recent Highlights to the end of the tray with a small group of people."
This feature was first noticed by social media expert Ahmed Ghanem, who highlighted its potential to address the problem of overlooked content in an increasingly cluttered platform.
As Instagram has grown to feature Reels, sponsored posts, and other content types, it has become harder for users to keep up with updates from people they actually follow.
This test aims to address that issue by making it easier to access original content from friends and family.
Meta has confirmed that only Story Highlights from the past week will be shown. These Highlights will appear only after all current Stories in the tray have been viewed.
If users follow many accounts and don’t always reach the end of the Stories tray, they might miss these Highlights altogether.
It’s important to note that the feature focuses solely on Story Highlights—curated content saved to user profiles—and does not include Stories that disappear after 24 hours.
This distinction ensures users will still have access to more permanent, meaningful content from their connections.