Meta is taking creativity on Instagram Stories to a whole new level. The company is rolling out AI-driven photo and video editing tools that let users reshape their visuals with simple text prompts. Want to swap your background for a golden sunset, change your hair color, or add a crown? Just type it in, Meta’s AI will do the magic.
Instagram’s new editing options
Previously, these editing options were tucked away behind Meta’s chatbot interactions, making them less accessible. Now, the technology sits front and center inside Stories, making advanced editing feel as natural as posting a selfie. You’ll find the new tools under the “Restyle” tab in the Stories editor, simply tap the paintbrush icon at the top of your screen. From there, you can choose to add, remove, or change elements in your image or video. It’s a fast, intuitive way to reimagine your content — no editing skills required, just your imagination and a few well-chosen words.
Instagram story presets
Meta isn’t stopping at simple edits — it’s also introducing a lineup of preset effects that can completely transform your look or the mood of your Story. With just a tap, you can slip on a digital biker jacket, throw on a pair of sunglasses, or turn your photo into a dreamy watercolor painting. Video creators get even more options — imagine snow gently falling in your clip or flames igniting behind you for a cinematic touch.
However, before diving in, users should know that using these AI-powered tools means agreeing to Meta’s AI Terms of Service. This agreement gives Meta permission to analyze your photos and videos, including facial features, so its AI can better understand what’s in the image. The system can then “summarize, modify, and generate” new versions of your content — all part of how Meta’s AI brings your creative ideas to life.
Meta team adapting to AI revolution
Meta is steadily expanding its AI ecosystem to stay ahead in the digital innovation race. The latest experiment, “Write with Meta AI,” aims to help Instagram users craft witty, well-timed comments on posts, perfect for those moments when you’re out of ideas but still want to engage creatively. This way, Instagram is trying to make micro & macro-influencers easily gain thousands of followers.
Just last month, Meta also unveiled “Vibes,” an AI-generated video feed inside the Meta AI app that curates dynamic, mood-based clips. The move seems to be paying off, according to Similarweb, daily active users across iOS and Android skyrocketed to 2.7 million by October 17, a dramatic jump from just 775,000 users four weeks earlier.
Meanwhile, Meta hasn’t forgotten about safety. In a nod to parents’ concerns, the company is rolling out new parental control features that let guardians restrict chats with AI characters and monitor what topics their teens are exploring with the Meta AI chatbot — ensuring creativity and safety can coexist on the same platform.