Goodbye Swipe Ups!

Announced this week, Instagram will be removing the Swipe Up feature from all accounts (including those with over the 10,000 threshold). In its place will be a sticker feature for people to click on.

Starting August 30th, instead of the swipe-up link people will be able to use tappable stickers in stories that take people to external websites.

Instagram confirmed they’re retiring the swipe up and says the decision is to “streamline the stories creation experience” and offer more “creative control,” given that Instagram users can format the look of stickers and not the swipe up.

Instagram’s former head of product told The Verge during the testing phase that stickers fit more with the way people currently use the platform. He also highlighted the benefit that users can respond to stories that have a link sticker unlike in swipe up stories.

Instagram says that for now, only people who had swipe up privileges will receive the sticker option, but that it’s “still evaluating” rolling it out to more users. This update will “help us determine whether it’s the right decision before expanding access to more people,” a spokesperson tells The Verge.

Let’s hope they give the option to all users soon!

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