Guide to Instagram Symbols

This guide will go over each symbol on Instagram and what you can do or access with them.

To navigate around Instagram, you will need to use the buttons on the bottom of the app. Each will take you to a different area of Instagram where you can enjoy the content you want. Here’s what each one does:

• Home/Feed

  On the far left of the navigation symbols, you will see a home button. When tapping it, you will be redirected to your Instagram feed, where recent posts by the people you follow will appear (sprinkled with ads of course). When launching the Instagram app, you will start off in this area.

• Search

  The symbol with the magnifying glass will redirect you to the search page. You can type in any keywords related to the content you love to find new images and videos that have been uploaded about that topic. This is a great way to find new creators to follow.

• Reels

  The button that looks as though it has a video player will take you to the Reels section. Instagram Reels is similar to how TikTok works. People can create and upload 15-second videos to the platform which will be shared in this section.

• Shop

  The symbol that looks like a case will take you to the shopping section of Instagram. Here you can browse products or search for things you want to purchase. You can order them directly from the app. Items recommended to you will often be related to the people you follow or what their followers tend to find interesting in general.

• Profile

  The profile button (and image of a head and shoulder) will take you to your profile. Here, you will be able to view your posts, edit your profile, and see how many followers you have (as well as how many people you are following). You can also see if anyone has tagged you in one of their posts.

Home Icons on Instagram

When you are on your home screen, you will three icons on the top right-hand side of the screen. Here are their functions:

• Create Post

  The first icon is a square with a plus sign on it. Clicking this will allow you to create a post. You can also create a story, reel, or go live by tapping on your choice on the lower right-hand side of the screen (after you have clicked the “create post” icon).

• Activity

  Clicking on the heart on the top-right-hand side of your screen will let you know what activity has been done. You may see that people you frequently check out have posted since you have been away. The activity feed will also tell you if people have engaged with your content. A little red circle will sit on the heart when the activity feed is in play.

• Messages

  Clicking on the paper airplane icon will allow you to check your messages and respond to anyone who has messaged you.

When scrolling through your feed, you will notice that there are four different symbols under each post. Three sit on the left of the post and one sits on the right. Each of these symbols serves a different purpose. Here is how you can use them:

• Like

  If you want to show the creator of a post that you appreciate, click the heart button under the post. Many influencers will track the number of likes they get so that they know how to create better content for their viewers in the future.

• Comment

  If you want to comment on an Instagram post, click the comment symbol. This symbol will allow you to add a message to the post that the poster (and anyone else looking at the post) can see.

• Subheading

  The icon that looks like a paper airplane is what you need to press if you want to send a message on Instagram. When sending these messages, you will type in the recipient’s name, then decide how long the message can sit in the message box.

• Bookmark/Savings

  When clicking the post that looks like a banner or a bookmark, you can tap this button. That way it will show up when you visit your feed or their profile in the future.