Do you sometimes wish you could see the details of a photo posted by one of your friends on Instagram? Do you find the background of a video interesting, but you can’t read the brand name displayed there? How practical it would be to be able to zoom… Imagine that, since 2016, zooming in on any photo or video is possible on Instagram! Here’s how it works.
Until now, Instagram automatically cropped photos to a square format when posting them while allowing the image to be zoomed out or adjusted before posting. Until then, it was the only zoom in / zoom out feature available on the mobile application. Once published, however, it was impossible for a user to zoom in on the image to explore it in more detail .
The zoom feature on Instagram
In a publication shared on its social network in 2016, Instagram officially announced the arrival of Zoom on photos and, more surprisingly, on videos too!
It is therefore now possible to zoom in on any Instagram photo or video directly from:
- A user’s profile
- The feed of photos and videos from a results page by hashtag or from the homepage
- The explore section (Make discoveries)
Zoom was soon rolled out to iOS device users first (iPhone). The feature was then rolled out to Android smartphones in the weeks that followed.
Here’s how to zoom in on an Instagram photo or video
Why would you want to zoom in on Instagram?
Instagram users may want to zoom in on a photo or video posted by another user for a variety of reasons, including:
- See details : By zooming in on a photo or video, users can see image details that are not visible at first glance. This can be especially useful for high resolution images or for photos that have fine detail.
- Satisfy their curiosity : Sometimes, we would simply like to be able to better see who is hiding behind an element of the photo, which people are present, where our friends are…
- Simply Appreciate : For users who enjoy art and photography, zooming in on a photo can allow them to better appreciate the detail and composition of the image.
- Check faces : Users may also want to zoom in on a photo to get a close look at the faces of the people in it. This can be especially important for group or family photos.
These are just a few of the many reasons that would justify zooming in on Instagram… And you, why do you use this feature?
Some Frequently Asked Questions About Instagram Zoom
How to zoom in Instagram without pinching the screen?
It is not possible to zoom in on an Instagram photo or video without using the screen pinch option . This feature is built into the Instagram app and it is used to enlarge or reduce the size of the image by spreading or pinching two fingers on your phone’s touch screen.
If you have trouble with pinching, you can use other techniques:
- Use a stylus : If you have a stylus, you can use it to enlarge or reduce the image size on Instagram.
- Use a magnifying glass : You can also use an external magnifier to enlarge the screen size of your phone, which will make it easier to pinch the screen to zoom in on Instagram photos and videos.
- Use a third-party app : There are third-party apps available on AppStore and PlayStore that can help you zoom Instagram without pinching the screen.
How do I stop people from zooming in on my Instagram photos?
There is no direct way to prevent other Instagram users from zooming in on your photos, as the zoom feature is built into the app.
But here are some tricks that can help reduce the ability to zoom in on your photos:
- Posting low resolution photos : If you post low resolution photos, it will be difficult for users to zoom in on your photos without the image becoming blurry or pixelated. But the quality of your content will be poor, and that’s a shame.
- Trim or crop photos : You can also trim or crop photos before posting, so that important details are cut off or hidden.
Can we zoom in on Instagram stories?
Yes, a priori, it is possible to zoom in on Instagram stories. As with photos and videos posted on Instagram, you can zoom in on Instagram stories by pinching the screen with two fingers. To zoom in on a story, simply pinch the screen with two fingers and spread your fingers apart to magnify the area of the story you want to zoom.
But maybe this option is no longer available, because at the moment it doesn’t work.
Why can’t I zoom in an Instagram photo?
If you are unable to zoom in an Instagram photo, it could be due to several reasons:
- Technical problem : It is possible that you are experiencing a technical problem with your Instagram application. Try restarting the app or updating the app to see if that fixes the problem.
- App version : Make sure you are using the latest version of the Instagram app. Older versions of the app may have bugs or compatibility issues that may prevent the zoom feature from working properly.
- Connection error : If you are having problems connecting to the Internet, this may prevent the zoom feature from working properly. Check your internet connection and make sure you have a stable and fast connection.
