How Old Is Instagram? Founding Date and Full Timeline

Key takeaways

• Instagram launched on October 6, 2010, created by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger.
• As of July 2026, Instagram is about 15 years and 9 months old.
• Facebook (now Meta) bought Instagram in April 2012 for approximately 1 billion dollars, back when it had just 13 employees and no revenue.
• Instagram Stories arrived in 2016 and Reels launched in 2020, both reshaping how people use the app today.
• Instagram passed 3 billion monthly active users in late 2025, making it one of the largest social platforms in the world, behind only Facebook and WhatsApp.
• IGTV, once a standalone long-form video product, was folded into regular video posts and Reels in 2022.

When Was Instagram Founded?

Instagram was founded on October 6, 2010, when Kevin Systrom released the first version of the app on the Apple App Store just after midnight. The app started as a pivot from a location-based check-in app called Burbn, which Systrom and co-founder Mike Krieger stripped down to focus on photo sharing, filters, and quick mobile uploads. Within the first 24 hours, roughly 25,000 people had signed up, and the app hit 1 million registered users within its first two months.

Who Created Instagram?

Instagram was created by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, two Stanford-educated engineers who met while Krieger was studying under Systrom's mentorship program. Systrom handled product and business direction while Krieger led engineering, and the two built the original photo-filter app together in San Francisco. Their small team stayed lean by design, employing only 13 people by the time the company was acquired less than two years after launch.

How Old Is Instagram in 2026?

As of July 13, 2026, Instagram is roughly 15 years and 9 months old, counting from its October 6, 2010 launch date. That makes it a few years younger than Facebook (founded 2004) but older than TikTok (launched internationally in 2017 as the successor to Musical.ly) and Snapchat's Stories format, which Instagram's own Stories feature was directly modeled on. Anyone checking who has an Instagram account created near launch would technically be one of the platform's earliest adopters, since usernames from October and November 2010 are considered "OG" handles among long-time users, similar to how people track how many Instagram accounts you can have in 2026.

When Did Facebook Acquire Instagram?

Facebook announced its acquisition of Instagram in April 2012, paying approximately 1 billion dollars in cash and stock for a company that had no revenue and only 13 employees at the time. The deal closed later that year and is still regarded as one of the most consequential acquisitions in tech history, since Instagram now generates tens of billions of dollars annually in advertising revenue for Meta. Understanding this history also explains why Meta owns Instagram today rather than it operating as an independent company, and it factors into estimates of how much Instagram is worth in 2026.

What Are Instagram's Biggest Milestones?

Instagram's history is defined by a handful of product launches that changed how the app is used day to day. The table below lays out the key dates.

How Many Users Does Instagram Have in 2026?

Instagram crossed 3 billion monthly active users in the third quarter of 2025 and has continued growing into 2026, with around 500 million people using the app daily according to industry trackers like Hootsuite and Sprout Social. That growth has been driven largely by Asia, Latin America, and Africa, and analysts project the platform could reach 3.2 to 3.5 billion monthly active users by the end of 2026. For creators trying to capitalize on that audience, knowing how to get more followers on Instagram organically matters more than ever given how crowded the feed has become.

How Has Instagram Changed Since Stories and Reels Launched?

Instagram Stories, launched in August 2016, fundamentally shifted the app from a curated photo grid toward casual, disappearing, full-screen content, and it now sees far more daily engagement than the main feed for many users. Reels, launched in 2020 as Instagram's answer to TikTok, pushed the platform further into short-form video and now drives a large share of the algorithm's recommendations. If you are planning content around these formats, it helps to know how long Instagram Reels can be in 2026 and the best time to post on Instagram to maximize reach on each format.

What Happened to IGTV?

IGTV launched in June 2018 as a standalone app and in-app tab for long-form vertical videos up to 60 minutes long, but it never gained the traction Instagram hoped for. In 2022, Meta discontinued the separate IGTV brand and merged its functionality into regular video posts and Reels, simplifying the app's video experience into fewer, more unified formats.

Is Instagram Still Growing in 2026?

Yes — Instagram posted roughly 13 percent year-over-year audience growth in 2025, outpacing Facebook and YouTube, though it still trails TikTok's growth rate. That continued expansion, combined with heavy investment in Reels, messaging, and AI-driven recommendations, suggests Instagram's next few years will focus on retaining attention against short-form video competitors rather than chasing new sign-ups alone. Much of that strategy also depends on how Instagram's algorithm works and how creators adapt their Instagram monetization strategy as the platform matures.

What Should You Know About Instagram's Age Requirements?

Instagram requires users to be at least 13 years old to create an account, a rule that has been in place since the app's earliest days and is enforced through age-verification prompts and, increasingly, AI-based age estimation; this is also why the platform offers ways to get verified on Instagram once an account meets eligibility requirements. If you are curious about the specifics, including regional differences and how Meta verifies age, see the full breakdown of how old you have to be to use Instagram in 2026.