7 hidden Instagram features you don’t know about

With its simple design and optimizations for social connections, it is not surprise that Instagram is the world's most popular photo-sharing app, with as many as 400 million users. It's easy to figure out the basics like cropping a photo or choosing a filter to make it look better.

But while Instagram's interface is simple to use, there are hidden features that can enhance the overall experience. Let's take a look at the 7 Instagram features that you probably don't about...

You can hide photo filters if you don't use them

Photo filters are what made Instagram famous but as camera quality has improved users have become more and more adverse to sticking "X-PRO II" over a photo and calling it a day.

Luckily, Instagram has added the ability to hide filters. Simply open a photo ready to edit, scroll all the way to the right in the filters tab and tap "Manage." From here, filters can easily be ticked or unticked depending on whether you want to see them.

Hide the bad photos of you that others are tagging

Anyone who keeps a relatively polished Instagram account knows the pain of being tagged in a bad photo that then haunts your account whenever anyone clicks through to the "Photos of You" tab.

To hide a tagged photo, go to the "Photos of You" tab, select the photo, reveal the tags (by tapping once on the image), tap your name and select "Hide from My Profile" and then click "Finished."

See what your friends are liking

Have you ever wondered what kind of photos the people you follow are liking? Instagram has a built-in feature, located in the "Activity" tab, that allows a clear view of what people are liking and when.

Simply go to "Activity" and scroll left to the "Following" tab.

See all the photos you've liked in the past

Desperately searching for a photo is a pain, especially when you just know that it can't be far down the feed because you liked it earlier.

Instagram feels this pain and has built in a "Photos You've Liked" feature that is tucked away in Settings, accessed via the cog in the top-right corner of the Profile page.

 

Get notifications when your favourite accounts post a new photo

We all have our own Instagram obsessions, accounts that we just can't stop checking because the photos are just that good. However, obsessively checking an account can feel weird. Thankfully, Instagram includes a feature that sends you a notification whenever they post.

Head to the profile in question, tap the three dots in the top left corner and select "Turn on Post Notifications." That's it.

 

Most people forget about the direct messaging part of Instagram

Instagram Direct is, essentially, the private messaging function of the social network — and it goes relatively unused. According to Facebook, 85 milion people out of the total 400 million use Direct per month.

Direct allows the sender to add all of the associated filters and tweaks of a public post, but to one individual. To access Direct, click the inbox icon in the top left of the main feed.

And you can send direct messages to friends

Forwarding someone else's photos used to involve a screenshot in another a chat app. Instagram recently unveiled a new feature that allows the sending of someone's photos — and they don't even know you've done it.

To send a photo, click the arrow button (next to "Like" and "Comment"), select the recipient, type a message and hit send.