Instagram Unveils Map Feature In India With Enhanced Privacy Controls: How Will It Help You?

Instagram has begun expanding its Map feature to users in India. It allows people to share their most recent active location with friends and browse posts linked to particular places. Initially launched in a few regions in August, the tool now arrives in India with enhanced privacy options.

Users can decide who sees their location, giving them greater control over what’s shared. Inspired by Snapchat’s Snap Map, this addition aims to make it easier to find local content and keep in touch through location-based interactions.

The Map feature has now made its way to India, accompanied by upgrades that enhance user guidance and overall functionality compared with its initial release, said Meta in a blog post. Meta is the parent company of Instagram.

A new, more visible indicator has been added to the top of the map to clearly show whether your location is being shared or if your device location is completely turned off. You’ll also notice a small marker beneath your profile picture in the Notes section to indicate when location sharing is disabled.

Meta said that some users had assumed that adding a location tag to a post meant their live location was being displayed on the map. To avoid this confusion, Instagram has stopped showing profile pictures over tagged content, making it clearer that these do not represent a person’s actual location.

Users will now see a helpful reminder explaining that any story, reel, or post with a location tag will automatically appear on the Map. 

To make it clearer how your location-tagged posts will appear on the Map, Instagram has introduced a preview option that lets you see exactly how your content will look once a location is added.

According to Gadgets 360, the feature is now active on both iOS and Android devices. Those who don’t see it right away can expect it to arrive shortly, as Instagram seems to be releasing it in stages. If you prefer not to use the feature at all, you can simply revoke Instagram’s location access in your phone’s settings.