Instagram has added new features to add some flair to your Valentine's Day celebrations. There are two new features that have been rolled out by the Meta-owned social media platform, but they are not very easy to discover. These hidden features can only be triggered with specific actions inside the Android or iOS app. One of the features can be found in the Notes section on the direct messages (DM) page. The second hidden feature has been added to Instagram Stories.
The first feature is a floating or exploding hearts animation, which can be seen when using the Notes feature. Users who add Valentine's Day-related keywords in the Notes such as “Happy Valentine's Day”, “Happy Vday”, or “Vday” in Notes will get a DM message that will trigger the floating hearts all over the screen. The same effect can also be seen by tapping on a note with Valentine's Day-themed words.
The second feature is available in Stories. When you add a new story, you can select a special @mention in the stickers section. The new mention is pink in colour and comes with two hearts on each side of the mention. Using it to tag another person and then posting the Story will trigger a similar floating hearts animation. Similarly, tapping on another user's story with this mention will again trigger the animation.
While the features have been rolled out and some users have reported using them, it is not yet available for all users. While the features are being introduced on the occasion of Valentine's Day, they will remain in the app until Thursday, according to the company.
The Meta-owned platform is also experimenting with artificial intelligence (AI)-based features lately. Recently, a report highlighted that Instagram is working on an AI message-writing feature that will allow users to rewrite, paraphrase, and make stylistic changes to their written messages in chats. While the feature itself is tipped to be known as Write with AI, it appears to work more like an editing tool. The full functionality of this feature is not yet known.
Affiliate links may be automatically generated - see our ethics statement for details.
Comments
For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.
Akash Dutta is a Senior Sub Editor at Gadgets 360. He is particularly interested in the social impact of technological developments and loves reading about emerging fields such as AI, metaverse, and fediverse. In his free time, he can be seen supporting his favourite football club - Chelsea, watching movies and anime, and sharing passionate opinions on food. More
FAQs
Instagram has added Valentine's Day features to DMs and Stories, including exploding hearts and floating hearts. Users can trigger these animations by using Valentine's Day-related keywords or emojis.
What special hidden features does Instagram release to celebrate Valentine's Day? ›
Instagram has added Valentine's Day features to DMs and Stories, including exploding hearts and floating hearts. Users can trigger these animations by using Valentine's Day-related keywords or emojis.
How to get the Valentine's mention on Instagram? ›
To make use of this feature:
- Capture or upload content to your Instagram Story.
- Select the sticker icon and choose the @mention sticker.
- @ mention your valentine.
- Share your Story and witness the enchanting hearts.
The festival was meant to encourage a woman's fertility and pay homage to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as Romulus and Remus, the Roman founders. It began with the sacrifice of a goat (representing fertility) and a dog (representing purification).
How to get Valentine's Day theme on Instagram? ›
To access it, simply write a Note with supported keyword or emoji. These include: “Happy valentine's day,” “Happy vday,” “Vday,” 💘, 😍, ❤️, 💕, 💖, 🌹, ❣️, and more. When you post the Note or tap on one from a friend, a flurry of hearts will animate in your DM inbox for an extra festive touch.
What is Secret Valentines? ›
Celebrate Galentine's Day with a Valentine's Secret Santa for the true loves in your life: your besties! Draw names online and find the perfect gift for your Secret Cupid. Who will be your Valentine's Secret Santa? Start a Secret Valentine gift exchange, spread the love and find out.
What did Valentine do secretly? ›
Emperor Claudius II had banned marriage because he thought married men were bad soldiers. Valentine felt this was unfair, so he broke the rules and arranged marriages in secret.
What should I caption on anti Valentines Day on Instagram? ›
We've curated a collection of the best anti-Valentine's Day captions that are sure to resonate with your followers.
- Love stinks, and so does Valentine's Day.
- Cupid who? ...
- Roses are red, violets are blue, Valentine's Day sucks, and so do you.
- All the lovey-dovey stuff makes me sick.
Start typing your bio and where you would like to place a special character go to “Insert” and “Advanced Symbol” Here you can browse for symbols you'd like to include like zodiac signs or arrows. Wingdings, Wingdings 2 and Wingdings 3 from the drop-down menu have the most icons to choose from.
How do you get the love symbol on Instagram? ›
Open the Instagram app and navigate to the post you want to comment on. Tap the comment field to start writing your comment. To access the emoji keyboard, tap the smiley face icon located to the left of the space bar. Scroll through the emoji options until you find the heart emoji you want to use.
Saint Valentine wore a ring with a Cupid on it to help the young men recognize him so they could marry and not go to war. The theme of “Make Love, Not War” was popular centuries before the 1960's revolution! Because of this legend, St. Valentine became known as the patron saint of love.
Does the Bible say about Valentine's Day? ›
As an example, the Bible neither mentions nor espouses Valentine's Day or its practices.
How do you add Valentine on Instagram? ›
When you add a new story, you can select a special @mention in the stickers section. The new mention is pink in colour and comes with two hearts on each side of the mention. Using it to tag another person and then posting the Story will trigger a similar floating hearts animation.
What should I post on Social Media for Valentine's Day? ›
6 Content Ideas For Valentine's Day That Won't Make You Cringe
- Valentine's Day Content Idea #1: Reminisce about the day you met.
- Valentine's Day Content Idea #2: Tell your parents' love story.
- Valentine's Day Content Idea #3: Share the small business love.
- Valentine's Day Content Idea #4: Post on Galentine's Day instead.
To add or change a theme for a conversation:
- Tap or in the top right of Feed.
- Tap a conversation from your Chats list.
- Tap the chat name at the top, then tap Theme.
- Tap a chat theme. Your chat will automatically switch to your chosen theme.
Encourage your followers to share photos and videos of their own unique take on celebrating the Day of love. Post a romantic snap of you and your partner with a special message for each other. Create a special hashtag for couples to use when sharing their Valentine's Day snaps!
What is Secret Admirer Day? ›
The goal of a secret admirer is to woo the object of their affections, and then to reveal their identity, paving the way for a real relationship – a revealing which at school age usually occurs on Valentine's Day, the day of love.
What are the trending hashtags for Valentines Day? ›
Popular Valentine's Day Hashtags in 2024
- #ValentinesDay.
- #Love.
- #BeMyValentine.
- #Valentine.
- #ValentinesGift.
- #Couples.
- #Heart.
- #LoveIsInTheAir.
According to NPR, Emperor Claudius II of Rome executed two different men named Valentine on February 14 (in two different years) during the third century. One account of St. Valentine says that he was a priest who was arrested for defying a Roman decree that forbade soldiers from marrying.
)
