GIFs are finally coming to Instagram comments

It’s 2023, and GIFs are finally coming to Instagram in a proper way.

In a blog post, the company announced that it is finally launching GIF comments for posts and Reels. Users will now be able to respond to a post, a Reel, or even another comment with a GIF. The dark times are over, my friends. The future is finally here.

Instagram says that the feature, rather than coming soon, is already available. Even better, it’s available globally, so everyone in the world can start pelting the comments section with their sick GIFs.

GIF comments on posts and Reels:  Whether you’ve watched a funny reel or want to show love on a friend’s new post, you can now post a GIF as a comment on Instagram! This is a fun way to engage with posts and reels from your friends and favorite creators, and it’s now available globally.

The company is also planning to roll out more features for its new Reels editor that launched last month. Instagram says that all of the features will be available “in the next few weeks.”

• Split: Easily split a single clip into two clips
• Speed: Speed up or slow down your clips 
• Replace: Swap one clip out for another without changing the timing or order of other clips, audio, and other elements in your reel 

The announcement comes as Instagram faces mounting pressure from other social networks like TikTok and Twitter as well as the growing fediverse platforms like Mastodon and Bluesky. Adding GIFs seems like something the company should have done, I don’t know, a decade ago, but props to them for finally taking care of that one.

Speaking of Mastodon, if you didn’t hear the news — it’s actually easier to sign up for now! That is, if you’re willing to join the server that’s managed by the company itself.