Instagram rolls out Halloween features for Stories, Notes and DMs: Here’s how to use them

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Instagram has started rolling out a collection of Halloween-themed features ahead of bringing spooky animations, new fonts, special templates and chat effects to the social media app. The limited-time additions are appearing across Stories, Notes, direct messages and other parts of Instagram. Users can now send Halloween greetings that trigger animations, change the appearance of their chats and create themed posts without installing additional apps.

The Meta-owned platform is introducing these seasonal features as people prepare to share Halloween costumes, parties and celebrations online. Reports indicate that the latest additions include special text effects, five Halloween-themed Story templates and AI-generated images. Instagram’s Instants feature remains available for sharing disappearing photos with friends, though a separate Halloween-specific Instants effect has not been confirmed.

One of the more interesting additions involves hidden animations inside Instagram messages.

Typing phrases such as “Happy Halloween” or “Trick-or-treat” in direct messages can trigger a Halloween-themed animation on the recipient’s screen. The message text appears in orange.

Similar seasonal effects are available through Instagram Notes, allowing users to add a Halloween appearance to their short status updates.

Instagram has introduced a Halloween chat theme for DMs and broadcast channels. Users can check the theme settings inside their conversations to see whether it is available.

Instagram has introduced five limited-edition Add Yours templates for Stories.

Users can find them in the “Happy Halloween” section of the Add Yours template discovery feature. These templates allow people to post themed photographs and invite friends to participate.

The platform has introduced Halloween fonts and a Haunted text effect for Stories, Feed posts and Reels.

Meta AI Imagine offers Halloween-inspired image generation, including themed avatars and spooky backgrounds.

Instagram launched Instants in May 2026, allowing users to share photos directly with Close Friends or mutual followers.

These photos disappear after someone opens them or after 24 hours.

Users can access Instants through their Instagram inbox and share pictures without applying traditional editing effects. Meta has introduced a separate Instants application in selected countries.

For Halloween, users can share pictures of costumes and celebrations through Instants, using its existing disappearing-photo functionality.

Instagram’s Halloween additions are temporary, although Meta has not confirmed a common removal date for every seasonal feature in 2026.

Users can update Instagram through the Google Play Store or Apple App Store and check Stories, Notes and DMs for the new options.

Some features may appear gradually depending on the account, region and app version.

The seasonal update gives Instagram users several new ways to share Halloween content, just days before the October 31 celebrations.

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