Instagram now lets users comment directly on Instagram Stories—the fleeting posts that have become a staple for many. Until now, if you wanted to chime in on a Story, you had to send a private message that only the person who posted could see. But that’s all about to change.

With this new feature, comments will be visible to everyone who can view the Story. This means that instead of keeping your thoughts private, you can now share them with a broader audience. For private accounts, only those who the account owner follows back can comment, while for public accounts, anyone the account owner follows can join in on the conversation. If you’re curious about how it works, Instagram has put together a handy video explaining the details.

Just like the Stories themselves, these comments are temporary and will disappear after 24 hours. Instagram’s Emily Norfolk mentioned that users will have the option to turn comments on or off for any Story they post. And if you want to keep the conversation going, you can save the Story as a highlight to preserve the comments.

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This move is part of Instagram’s broader strategy to make Stories and other features like Reels more interactive and engaging. It seems clear that the platform sees Stories as a prime spot for connecting with friends and sparking conversations, not just a space for quick scrolls.