The update that no one asked for is here: Instagram appears to be moving forward with moving highlights to the grid – a move which has been widely criticized by users. 

Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, explained the shift months ago, explaining:

“We’re trying to figure out a way to improve the profile and get more of the content above the fold. You will still have control, you can still pin things, there’ll be a dedicated Highlights tab, but we don’t need to… have it be all complicated and pushing everything down.”

After months of testing, the update seems to be rolling out more widely, and it’s estimated to be available to all users by mid-November. Instead of sitting front and center at the top of your profile, Highlights will now live in their own dedicated tab on the grid. 

You’ll also have the option to display your highlight in your feed, or remove it from your main feed (similar to Reels). We don’t have many details on what this will look like for now, including where in the grid the highlight will display and if the positioning will change when you add new content. 

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What This Means for Creators

Highlights will no longer be the first thing a new visitor sees. That means they’ll lose visibility, since followers will have to intentionally click into a separate tab to view them.

For years, creators have used Highlights as a “start here” hub to guide visitors through services, products, or important information. Moving forward, you’ll need to rethink where that context lives. Instead of relying on Highlights, make sure you’re clearly communicating the essentials in your:

• Bio – use concise, impactful copy to state who you are and what you do.
• Pinned posts – you still get three, so use them to showcase your offers, most engaging content, or community touchpoints.
• Link in Bio – Think of your link in bio as your digital business card—the one place where you can drive people to take action.

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Optimizing your link in bio

With Highlights losing visibility, your link in bio becomes prime real estate. And if Instagram is moving things out of sight, it’s up to you to make your most important info easy to find.

With Creator Store, you can:

• Showcase your products or services
• Share multiple links in one place
• Book appointments or consultations
• Make it easy for people to connect with you

Love it or hate it, it looks like Story Highlights on the grid are here to stay, so the key is learning how to adapt and make the most of the change.
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