After the test that revealed the change a few weeks ago, Instagram has officially rolled out its new Stories design to the desktop version. The new interface is a relatively minor change from the previous version, making it easier for users to browse stories from their laptop or desktop.
As we saw for the first time earlier this month, the new Stories feature for the desktop version is giving Instagram users Carousel-like design that showcases both your recent upcoming videos and videos. This makes it easier for users to control the media they watch when they are at a desktop computer.
Users can click the video clips in the carousel to go to the videos that interest them. The update is very simple, but it improves the experience for those who often view the stories using their web browser instead of their mobile device (which still offers the best experience).
From this interface, viewers can click on the story they want to watch. It’s a bit like the little circles on top of user’s feeds that get bigger and fill the screen.
It’s a slight change, but it complements the desktop functionality and makes it more attractive to use.
Small but big change
Many people browse Instagram from their desktops while at work, as it might be prohibitive or too visual to take out their smartphone. Instagram has slowly expanded its functionality to desktop users, including making it possible to access private messages (DMs) on the web.
Of course, stories are fleeting videos and photos that users can share in a space other than “Latest News”. This content disappears after a relatively short period of time, and is great for posts that you want others to see, but don’t want to drop it in your subscribers’ feeds.