Skip to content

What do the Instagram icons mean?

  • by
  • 6 min read

Instagram is a social networking service owned by Meta platforms. The app allows its users to upload and share media with their followers, Instagram has also been a good platform for businesses where new businesses can promote their products and reach the worldwide population.

Instagram has so many icons that sometimes users forget what those various icons mean and what they are used for on Instagram. Instagram users need to know the uses of different icons that Instagram offers.

In this article, we have discussed the different icons on Instagram and their uses of those icons on Instagram.

Below we have discussed different icons of Instagram:

  1. Icons on the Instagram Home Screen.
  2. Icons on the Instagram Posts.
  3. Icons on the Instagram Profile Page.
  4. Icons on the Instagram Story.
  5. Icons on the Instagram Reels.

Also read: How long can a story be on Instagram?


Icons on the Instagram Home Screen

Below we have explained the icons that are present on the homes screen of your Instagram app:

Home Icon

The Home icon brings you back from anywhere to your home screen; whenever you tap on the Home icon, it will take you to your feed in the Instagram app.


Search icon

When you tap on the search icon, it will take you to the explore feed of your Instagram app, and if you want to search a profile or page, you can tap on the search bar and type the name you want to search.


Reels icon

Next is the Reels icon, when you tap on the reels icon, it will take you to the reels section on your Instagram app, you can swipe up to see more reels.


Heart icon

When you tap on the Heart icon, it will take you to the Notifications page of your profile.


Profile icon

When you tap on the Profile icon, it will take you to your profile page, where you can see all your posts, followers and followings. If you use multiple accounts, press and hold to view and switch your accounts.


Add icon

The Add (+) icon will take you to the page where you can upload posts, stories, reels and live broadcasts.


Messenger icon

If you want to look at our Instagram messages, you can tap on the Messenger icon, which will take you to your profile messages section.


Icons on the Instagram Posts

Below we have explained the icons that are present on the Instagram posts:

Heart icon

The Heart icon is the like button on Instagram posts; when you tap on it, it will give a like to the posts; you can also double-tap the post to give it a like.


Comment icon

When you tap on the Comment icon, it will take you to the comment section of the post, where you can also comment on the post.


Forward (Paper Plane) icon

The Forward icon on a post lets you share the post with your Instagram friends and other users on Instagram.


Save icon

The Save icon lets you save the post in your collection.


Three dot icon

When you tap on the Triple dot icon, it will open a few options regarding the post you are viewing like sharing, link to the post and more.


Icons on the Instagram Profile Page

Below we have explained the icons that are present on the Instagram profile page:

Profile tab icons

Profile tab icons show you the posts, reels and the posts you are tagged in. The rest of the icons have been explained above.


Icons on the Instagram Story

Below we have explained the icons on an Instagram story:

Send message icon

Send message icon allows the user to reply to the story’s creator.


Heart icon

The heart icon means the same as posts; if you like the story, you can tap on the heart icon to give a like to the story.


Forward (Paper Plane) icon

It is the same as the post-forward icon, if you want o forward the story then you can tap on the forward icon and send it to the user you want.


Icons on the Instagram Reels

Below we have explained the icons on an Instagram Reel:

Camera icon

Tapping on the Camera icon will take you to the Reel creation page where you can create your own reels.


Sound icon

The Sound icon shows you which song or audio is used in the reel, and when you tap on it, it will show you the reels that have used the same song or audio.

Apart from these two icons, all the other icons are the same and have the same uses as Instagram posts.

Also read: Can you screen record Instagram Stories? 

Akash Singh

Akash Singh

Akash is a law graduate who likes to go for bike rides on the weekends soul-searching for answers to his many existential questions. You can contact him here: singhakash95@pm.me

>