(Image source from: Timesofindia.indiatimes.com)

Instagram has shared that it is launching a new function that gives users the ability to change their comments. This announcement was made on Friday and it tackles a problem that has existed on the app for a long time. The platform, which is owned by Meta, stated that this feature will be available worldwide. It allows users to correct their comments soon after they are posted, making it simpler to fix mistakes or improve their replies. While Instagram has allowed post edits for a while, comments could not be changed—until now. With this new update, users can alter their comments within 15 minutes after they are made, according to a press release from Instagram. The platform has not set a limit on how many times edits can be made, which means users can change their comments as many times as they need. To edit a comment, simply click on the new Edit button found under the comment that has already been published. After selecting it, a new window will pop up which allows the user to change the comment text before saving the updated version.

Nevertheless, there are some restrictions. According to the company, only the text in a comment can be changed. This indicates that if a comment contains text and an image, users can only edit what is written, not the image. Additionally, the updated comment will show a grey edited tag, signifying that there have been changes. However, Instagram does not keep a history of versions. Once a comment is edited, other users will not have access to the original version. This feature has been awaited for a long time. Instagram allowed users to edit captions for posts since 2014, but the option for comments was missing for more than ten years. In contrast, X (previously known as Twitter) started testing for editable posts and comments in 2022, but this depends on availability and subscription levels. Meanwhile, Threads, which is Instagram's text-based platform and competes with X, permits users to edit their posts within a set time frame.