Photo Maps
With an Instagram Photo Map you can showcase where you’ve taken your photos, or explore where others have taken photos on a map. Maps take you beyond recently posted photos and let you rediscover previously Instagrammed memories. You can edit your map at any time and will always be able to opt into each and every photo you add to your map. It’s a beautiful new way for you and others to view your Instagram photos.
When you take a photo while connected via Wi-Fi or 3G, your device logs the coordinates where the photo was taken. Utilizing that information, you now have the ability to add that photo to a Photo Map! It's an easy way to add context to photos, document travels, and see pictures other Instagrammers have taken nearby.
By default, adding location, or adding to your Photo Map, is turned off for all photos you upload to Instagram. This means that no photos will appear on your Photo Map without your explicit permission.
By default, adding location, or adding to your Photo Map, is turned off for all photos you upload to Instagram. This means that no photos will appear on your Photo Map without your explicit permission.
- When you navigate to your Photo Map for the first time, you’ll be prompted to review photos you have previously uploaded with geolocation turned on. If you've never added geolocation to a photo, your Photo Map will appear light gray and you will not be able to navigate through to the map.
- During the review process you’ll see photos you’ve geotagged in the past grouped together by location. From here you can deselect photos that you may not want appearing on your Photo Map, or you can deselect all images in a location group. Once you’ve chosen which images you want to add to your Photo Map, simply tap Done to create your map!
- It is important to note that when you deselect a photo during this review process the photo’s location data will be removed from Instagram permanently. The only way to get this data back if you have accidentally removed geolocation from a photo is to re-upload the image.
- Go through the photo sharing process until you reach the final screen, just before you upload your photo.
- To add the photo to your map, simply make sure “Add to your Photo Map” is turned on.
If the "Add to Photo Map" switch has been turned on, it will attach an approximate latitude and longitude with your photo.
Specific (blue text) location sharing
If the "Add to Photo Map" switch has been turned on, it will attach an approximate latitude and longitude with your photo.
Once you make a selection from the “Nearby” list, you will return to the final posting screen, and the location you selected will replace the “Name this location” text. When you tag your photo with a specific location, people viewing your photo will be able to see exactly where you took it.
Custom (blue text) location sharing
Don't see your specific location listed? You can create a custom name for the location and tie it to the general latitude and longitude associated with your photo. On the “Nearby” page, type the desired name into the bar that says “Search or add a location.” You will then be able to assign a custom name for that location.
Note: Adding a custom location does not mean you are adding it to the list of specific, public locations available for other users to check in at. Custom locations are not available for other users to use, they are your own. If you would like to make a new location tag available to the public, you can learn more about how to do so here.
Location on the web
For photos viewed from a computer that have been added to your Photo Map, your selected location will appear alongside your photo. If you do not want to include this map, do not utilize "Name this location" when you upload a photo.
To view your own Photo Map, just navigate to your profile, then tap Photo Map. From there you will be able to explore your location-tagged photos. You can zoom in and out on your map, view your photos in a grid, or view stacks of photos taken at the same location. You can also double tap a stack of photos that appear near each other to view the photographs in a grid.
If a public user or a private user you follow has approved photos to appear on their map, you can explore their Photo Map on Instagram! Just navigate to a user’s profile, tap Photo Map (an inactive Photo Map will appear light gray) and embark on a journey to all of the places they’ve ever been.
If a public user or a private user you follow has approved photos to appear on their map, you can explore their Photo Map on Instagram! Just navigate to a user’s profile, tap Photo Map (an inactive Photo Map will appear light gray) and embark on a journey to all of the places they’ve ever been.
You can remove photos from your map by tapping the edit button in the upper right hand corner of your Photo Map. From there you can deselect images to permanently remove their location. The photo will not be deleted from your Instagram profile, but the photo’s location data will be removed from Instagram permanently.
The only way to get this data back if you have accidentally removed geolocation from a photo is to re-upload the image.
The only way to get this data back if you have accidentally removed geolocation from a photo is to re-upload the image.
When you download version 3.0 of Instagram, a section on your profile called “Photo Map” will appear. When you navigate to your Photo Map for the first time, you’ll be prompted to select photos you have previously uploaded with geolocation turned on. Once you’ve chosen which images you want to add to your Photo Map, simply tap “Done” to create your map.
When uploading a photo to Instagram, make sure “Add to your Photo Map” is switched on when posting a photo to Instagram. You can also select a name for the location, then once you’ve shared your photo, it will appear on your Photo Map for you and others to see.
If a public or private user you follow has approved photos to appear on their map, you can explore their Photo Map on Instagram. Just navigate to a user’s profile, tap Photo Map (an inactive Photo Map will appear disabled) and embark on a journey to all of the places they’ve ever Instagrammed.
Your Photo Map will only be visible to other users on Instagram after you have reviewed and approved previously geotagged photos. If you have never geotagged a photo, or you have chosen to deselect all of your photos during the review process, your Photo Map will appear disabled and no one will be able to navigate through to the map.
Geotagging is a technical term for storing the latitude and longitude of your current location with your photograph. This data is collected by the GPS device in your phone and accessible if you grant permission to Instagram. If you would like to turn this off, please consult your manufacturer’s instructions and settings.
Only approved followers will be able to see your map after you have gone through the Photo Map review process, or if you have uploaded photos and added them to your Photo Map.
Yes. You can remove photos from your map by tapping the edit button in the upper right hand corner of your Photo Map. From there you can deselect images to permanently remove their geotag.
No, the image will not be deleted from Instagram. The photo’s location data will be removed from Instagram permanently but the image will remain as part of your profile.
If a user hasn’t reviewed and approved previously geotagged photos, if they have never geotagged a photo, or if they have chosen to deselect all of their photos during the review process, or if they are a private user that you are not following you will not be able to navigate to their Photo Map.
No, at this time, there is no way to add geolocation information to previously uploaded images.
To ensure that nothing shows up on your Photo Map, you should make sure to review your Photo Map and deselect all photos. Also, if you never review your map, your photos will never be added to your Photo Map.
We ask that you are mindful of which photos you add to your Photo Map during the initial review process, as the location will be visible to everyone who visits your map. If you have geotagged a group of photos near your home, or another location you would prefer not to share, you will be able to remove the entire group from your map at once during review or anytime after in edit mode.
Geotagged photographs are visible on some third-party services utilizing our API, such as gramfeed.com and web.stagram.com. Photos tagged with a location will also appear on that location’s page and the location name will be visible on the photo share URL.
Private users' photos are never visible to other users that they have not permitted to follow them. This includes images on location and hashtag pages.
Private users' photos are never visible to other users that they have not permitted to follow them. This includes images on location and hashtag pages.