Instagram has introduced a new wordmark, replacing the text-based logo it had used for more than a decade. Instagram head Adam Mosseri said the previous design had begun to feel dated, while the replacement is intended to look sharper and more modern without abandoning the platform’s established identity.
The update affects the stylized “Instagram” lettering rather than the app’s familiar gradient camera icon. Mosseri announced the change on Instagram and Threads on August 13, describing it as a refresh that still references the original design and keeps the simplicity associated with the brand.
New Design Keeps Instagram’s Script Style
The new lettering retains a handwritten appearance but introduces sharper shapes and more pronounced curves. Letters including the “s,” “r,” and “g” use flourishes that give the wordmark a more decorative appearance than conventional sans-serif branding.
Instagram’s official brand page says its visual identity uses a custom typeface influenced by the company’s glyph and wordmark. Instagram Sans was developed to reference the platform’s earlier branding while supporting a wider range of languages and applications.
Online reactions have been mixed. Some users praised the updated typography, while others joked that the shape of the new “r” makes the name appear closer to “Instagzam” at first glance.
Mosseri also shared the redesign through his official Threads post, where users quickly began debating the changes.
Previous Major Redesign Arrived in 2016
Instagram’s last major visual update came in 2016, when the company replaced its brown retro camera icon with the pink, orange, and purple gradient camera design that remains in use today.
The latest update is more limited and focuses on the wordmark displayed across Instagram’s interfaces and branding. Meta has not announced a corresponding replacement for the app icon or confirmed whether additional design changes are planned.
Instagram’s design account said the new lettering begins another phase for the company’s visual identity after roughly 10 years with the previous wordmark.
Featured image credits: Wikimedia Commons
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