Instagram unveiled a new wordmark on August 13, 2026, marking the first update to its text-only logo in 10 years [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]. CEO Adam Mosseri described the redesign as "leaner, more modern, cleaner, and sharper," while maintaining references to the original and its simplicity and craft [2, 3]. Mosseri said, "The wordmark at the top of the app hasn’t changed in 10 years, so it was time for a refresh" and emphasized preserving Instagram's essence in the update [2].
The new wordmark abandons the classic cursive style in favor of a hybrid design that mixes cursive/script elements with sans-serif print forms, notably altering the shapes of the letters "s," "r," and "g" [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]. Instagram's Product Design Director Jasmine Probst explained they retained handwritten aspects to reflect the personal character users associate with Instagram [4]. The design team reviewed hundreds of Instagram logo samples before settling on the final form [4].
Despite these efforts, reactions on social media and news platforms have been deeply mixed since the public unveiling the same day [4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]. Some users praised the new wordmark as modern, clean, elegant, and fun. One commented, "The new design is modern and simple, also fun," while another called the logo "really fancy" [4]. However, many others criticized its legibility, especially the letters "s" and "r," with "r" often misread as a "z," causing the word "Instagram" to appear like "Instagzam" [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]. A user pointed out, "The letter 'r' looks like a 'z', leading to confusion between 'Instagram' and 'Instagzam'" [1]. Others expressed nostalgia for the original cursive script logo, calling it iconic and distinctive [5, 6, 7].
Some have also raised questions about the new wordmark's accessibility and how well it meets legibility standards [4]. Humorous and critical comments flooded online discussions, with some jokingly referencing misread versions like "Instaguam" [1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9].
The colorful Instagram camera icon remains unchanged despite the wordmark update [4]. Meta has not announced plans to alter the Instagram app icon or other visual elements following the redesign [3, 9]. Following the launch, over 2,000 user comments appeared within just one hour, reflecting widespread attention to the change [4].
Instagram’s world user base stands at around 3 billion, giving the redesign a high-profile platform for public scrutiny [9]. The company will likely monitor user feedback closely as the new wordmark rolls out across its global services in the coming weeks.
