Media

Instagram has reached 3 billion monthly active users

Ken Metral

24 Sep 2025 — 2 min read

Credit: Instagram/Meta Platforms, Inc.

Instagram has officially reached 3 billion monthly active users, according to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram Head Adam Mosseri. This milestone marks a significant leap for the platform, which last hit a major benchmark of 1 billion users back in 2018.

In a video announcement, Mosseri credited the growth largely to direct messages (DMs), Reels, and algorithmic recommendations.

“If you look at the last few years, almost all of our growth has been driven by DMs, Reels, and recommendations,” Mosseri said. “Because of that, we’re going to continue to focus on those products and reorient the app more around DMs, Reels, and recommendations over the next couple of months.”

Balancing Growth with User Pushback

While Instagram’s pivot toward short-form video and suggested content has fueled growth, it hasn’t come without criticism. Many longtime users continue to voice frustration over seeing fewer posts from friends in favor of algorithm-driven recommendations.

In response, Mosseri revealed that Instagram will soon test new controls allowing users to fine-tune what the algorithm surfaces. In early demos, users could toggle topics the app believes they’re interested in — such as film photography, chess, or college football. For example, if fans grow tired of football content mid-season, they could remove it from their recommendations.

The platform also plans to redesign its bottom navigation bar, replacing the content upload button with a shortcut to DMs — another sign of Instagram’s growing emphasis on private communication over public posting.

Meta’s Bigger Picture

Instagram’s rise comes at a pivotal moment for Meta. As the company battles antitrust lawsuits over its acquisitions of WhatsApp and Instagram, newly revealed internal emails show the tension between Facebook and its younger sibling app. Despite Facebook’s dominance in earlier years, Instagram has become more culturally relevant, especially among teenagers.

That success, however, has been a double-edged sword. Zuckerberg has reportedly worried that Instagram’s popularity is contributing to Facebook’s decline, forcing Meta to rethink how to make its flagship platform “cool” again.

What’s Next

With 3 billion users and momentum behind its most engaging features, Instagram is doubling down on shaping the app around short-form video, personalized recommendations, and private messaging. The upcoming customization tools may help strike a balance between growth-driven algorithmic content and the user desire for a more personal, friend-focused feed.

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