Instagram has unveiled a new feature allowing teen users to personalize their app experience by selecting from a variety of custom icons for their home screens. This initiative is part of Instagram’s ongoing efforts to engage its younger audience by offering more personalized and appealing features.
Accessing the Custom Icons
Teen users can access this feature by tapping the Instagram logo at the top of their home feed within the app. This action reveals a selection of six unique icon designs, including styles such as neon, clear glass, fire, flowers, and green slime. These options allow teens to align the app’s appearance with their personal aesthetics, enhancing their overall user experience.
User Reactions and Comparisons
The introduction of this teen-exclusive feature has sparked discussions among the broader Instagram community. Many adult users have expressed a desire for similar customization options, questioning the age restriction. Some have drawn parallels to Snapchat’s icon customization feature, which requires a paid Snapchat+ subscription, suggesting that Instagram’s move is an attempt to attract and retain a younger demographic.
Instagram’s Teen Accounts and Safety Measures
This customization feature is integrated into Instagram’s Teen Accounts, a set of profiles introduced in 2024 designed with additional restrictions and protections for users under 18. These accounts limit exposure to PG-13 content and incorporate safety measures to create a secure online environment for minors. Earlier this year, Instagram began utilizing AI technology to identify users who misrepresented their age, ensuring they are placed into the appropriate Teen Accounts.
Encouraging Teen Engagement
By offering custom icons exclusively to teen users, Instagram aims to make these accounts more appealing, encouraging younger users to embrace the platform’s safety features. An Instagram spokesperson stated that the company observed teens’ enthusiasm for personalizing their app experience, leading to the development of this feature. Currently, there are no plans to extend this customization option to older users or paid subscribers.
Trend of Home Screen Customization
The focus on teen users aligns with a broader trend of home screen personalization, particularly among younger demographics. The introduction of widgets in iOS 14 in 2020 reignited interest in customizing iPhone home screens. Subsequent updates, such as iOS 18 and iOS 26, have further simplified the process, making it more accessible for users to tailor their device interfaces.
Conclusion
Instagram’s decision to offer custom app icons exclusively to teen users reflects the platform’s strategy to engage and retain its younger audience by providing personalized features. While this move has generated mixed reactions among the broader user base, it underscores Instagram’s commitment to creating a tailored and secure environment for its teen users.
