Introducing Location and Hashtag Story Exploration

Today we’re excited to announce two new ways to discover the world around you on Explore: location stories and hashtag stories. Now you can see what’s happening around you and find stories related to your interests.

You’ll see a new story ring at the top of Explore filled with stories happening near you. These stories come from people who have used location stickers on their stories. You can also search for any location around the world, and you’ll see a story ring for that place at the top of the location page.

We’re also beginning to introduce hashtag stories on Explore to help you find stories related to your interests. When you search for a hashtag, you may see a story ring at the top of the page filled with stories using that hashtag.

Add a location sticker or hashtag to your story and you may be included in the larger story. If your story is added, you’ll see a line at the top of your stories viewer list showing how many people saw it in the larger story. If you want to use a location or hashtag sticker but don’t want your story to appear on Explore, tap the X on your stories viewer list.

From discovering new parts of your own city to jogging alongside the #fromwhereirun community all around the world, location and hashtag stories help you share these experiences as they unfold.

To learn more about location stories and hashtag stories, check out the Instagram Help Center.

Location stories on Explore are available on iOS and Android as part of Instagram version 10.22 in the Apple App Store and Google Play. Hashtag stories will be rolling out over the coming weeks.