Instagram is updating its Map feature to make it easier for users to understand when and if they’re sharing their location. The platform is also expanding the feature to users in India, following its initial rollout across the U.S. and Canada in August.
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The update adds a clear indicator at the top of the Map to show whether your location is being shared or if device location is turned off. You’ll also see a new notice under your profile photo in the Notes tray on the DMs page if your location isn’t being shared.
The change comes after confusion around the feature’s debut, when users mistakenly believed Instagram was tracking them by default. At the time, Instagram head Adam Mosseri clarified that location sharing is always optional and only visible to others when users choose to share it.
To further reduce confusion, Instagram has removed profile photos from Map content, as users had assumed they indicated someone’s real-time position. The app will also now display educational reminders explaining how location tags work and show a preview of how posts will appear on the Map before publishing.
Like Snapchat’s Snap Map, which clearly inspired it, Instagram’s Map feature helps users explore and coordinate meetups based on nearby content shared by friends or creators, whether or not they’re sharing their own location.