Instagram to test Live Activities on iPhone app to display upload progress in background

Since iOS 16’s debut last year, a lot of iOS apps have added Live Activities. This functionality allows apps to display timely, valuable information directly from the iPhone 14 Pro’s Lock Screen or Dynamic Island. The upload progress is now displayed to users when the app is closed, thanks to Instagram’s adoption of this feature.

Live Activities are coming to the iOS version of Instagram

Fernando Moretto, a reader of 9to5Mac, noticed that the Instagram app now displays Live Activities while the app is closed while a new photo or video is being uploaded. This eliminates the need to check the Instagram app again after closing it to make sure the upload succeeded.

Of course, both Lock Screen and Dynamic Island support Instagram Live Activities. Users can check the upload progress as well as get a brief preview of the content being uploaded.

Unfortunately, it appears that only a very small percentage of people currently have access to the service. Since Instagram hasn’t formally announced that Live Activities are supported, we can only presume that the company has been testing the service before making it available to all users. Keep your Instagram app updated to make sure you get access to the new functionality as soon as possible.

Uber added support for Live Activities earlier this year in updates to both its main app and Uber Eats. Similar actions have been taken by several other developers. The inclusion of Dynamic Island across the full lineup of the iPhone 15 is said to increase customer interest in the function.

It’s important to note that Live Activities are also coming to the iPad’s Lock Screen with iPad OS 17.