Instagram has announced support for leaving comments on Stories, the ephemeral posts that have become almost as popular as regular Instagram posts.

Previously, the only option was to send a private reply, which appeared as a direct message visible solely to the Story’s creator. Now, Instagram has introduced a more public option: Comments. These comments are visible to other users, unlike the private replies.

However, the ability to comment comes with restrictions. Only mutual followers (meaning people who follow the Story creator and are followed back by them) can leave comments. Instagram says the new feature aims to offer a more open way to engage with Stories, while still maintaining the original private messaging option for those who prefer one-on-one interactions.

Like the Stories themselves, comments posted about them are temporary and last for up to 24 hours. Users have the option to turn comments on or off when sharing Stories, but Instagram has not said whether they are archived along with a Story when it reaches its end of life.

Last month, Instagram added support for adding text and additional images to photo and carousel posts, which can now include up to 20 photos and videos. It also recently introduced a feature for adding a song to an Instagram profile.

This article, "Instagram Now Lets Users Leave Comments on Ephemeral Stories" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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