While Instagram users have long been able to share their individual perspectives through Stories, the platform is now developing a feature that could fundamentally change how these ephemeral posts work together. App researcher Alessandro Paluzzi recently uncovered an experimental feature called “Storylines” that allows mutual followers to link their Stories into connected narratives.
It’s pretty simple. You post a Story. Your friend sees it and adds their own related Story to it. Boom—a Storyline is born. These collaborative threads grow as more friends contribute, creating multi-perspective accounts of shared experiences. Think of a concert where everyone’s capturing different angles, or a party where the full story unfolds through multiple lenses.
Storylines turn individual moments into collective memories, weaving together the fragments of shared experiences through multiple perspectives.
The feature builds upon the platform’s existing “Add Yours” sticker but takes collaboration to a whole new level. Public accounts using Storylines can enable broader participation, with connections of contributors able to join in. Private accounts? They maintain control—non-followers will see that someone participated but can’t view the actual content. Smart move. This visibility might even trigger new follow requests.
Instagram isn’t launching this publicly yet. It’s still an internal prototype, confirmed by a Meta spokesperson. Might never see the light of day, honestly. But it aligns perfectly with Instagram head Adam Mosseri’s focus on user interaction for 2025.
It’s no secret that Instagram’s engagement has shifted. Most interaction now happens in DMs and Stories, not the main feed. Storylines could make Stories “stickier” and leverage Instagram’s strength as a social connector. Unlike other collaborative features like Collab Posts or Collections, Storylines specifically targets the Stories format.
Users will have options to control who can join their Storylines or disable the feature entirely. This balance between openness and control seems essential for adoption. The feature encourages increased engagement among friends by presenting collective stories together for followers to view.
The timing makes sense. Instagram needs to evolve beyond being just an entertainment platform. Storylines could help cement its position as a true social connection tool. The feature aims to foster community-driven content creation by enabling multiple contributors to build shared narratives around common interests. We’ll see if it ever launches.
