Instagram's New Feature Makes Photos Look Super Professional — Here's How To Get It

Have you ever tried to take a photo for Instagram and struggled to perfectly capture your subject? Maybe your face looks a little grainy in your selfie. or your friend appears a bit fuzzy in the portrait you took while acting as their personal paparazzi. You're not alone in Instagram woe. Luckily, everyone's favorite photo sharing app is about to get even better with Instagram's newest feature: the Focus. Announced on April 10, the program's newest update enables you to highlight the subject of your photo, while the background blurs — creating a perfectly composed, professional-looking shot. If you're wondering, "Why don't I have Instagram Focus?" — the name of the new feature — then never fear. There are a number of steps you may have to take to make sure you're getting the best update for Instagram ever.

Here's how the new feature works: After you launch the Instagram app, open your camera. You’ll see the “Focus” option next to the “Superzoom” option, under the record button (the little circle in the middle you press to take a pic). You can either snap a selfie using the front-facing camera, or switch to the traditional, back-facing camera and take a photo of someone else. When the viewfinder spots a face, it will ~focus~ on the person, keeping their image clear and centered, while the background softly blurs. This ensures the subject clearly stands out in the picture. Finally, tap to take a photo or hold down the record button in the middle of the screen to take a video. Once you have the perfect pic, make it extra special by adding stickers or filters, before sending to a friend using Instagram Direct or adding it to your Instagram story.

But what what happens when you don’t have Instagram Focus yet? Why could that be? And is there anything you do about it?

There are a number of reasons why your app may not receive a specific Instagram update immediately: First and foremost, new app updates and features don't all roll out at once. This affects the rate at which users will have the updates, and typically not all users get them as soon as they’re announced. Second, updates almost always require users have the most recent version of Instagram installed. See that little red bubble on the upper righthand corner of your app store icon? That denotes the number of apps that need updating. If you have neglected to update Instagram in a while, you likely won’t see any of the new features.

Now for the not-so-good news. There is not much that can be done about updates being released gradually. So, if you're able to determine that is the reason you don't have Focus yet, you just have to be a little patient. It typically only takes a few days or (maximum) weeks for gradual rollouts to complete.

In rare cases, because it's technology, sometimes all it takes it restarting your phone.

But, often the issue is simply that you've neglected to update your app in a while— an easy fix. As of today, April 10, 2018, the most recent version of Instagram for iOS gadgets is 40.0. Instagram Focus is optimized to work with version 39.0 and above.

Here’s how to install the most recent version of Instagram on your phone, regardless as to whether you’re an iOS or Android user:

1. Open The App Store

For iPhone users like me, that's the iTunes app store (the blue one with 17 notifications pictured. Clearly I have some work to do)

2. Check For Updates

You'll find it at the bottom of the screen, second from the right.

3. If Needed, Search In The App Store

You'll easily be able to find it as it's the most popular photo app in the store. Once you're on the Instagram page, you can click 'install' or 'update' in the top righthand corner.

If you're an Android user, simply press the menu button in the upper lefthand corner of the main Google Play Store page. Then press the "My apps & games" option. From there, press "Instagram," followed by "More," and finally, "Auto-update." If there is indeed an update available, your phone will download it.

When all else fails, try deleting the app and re-downloading it. If NOTHING seems to be working, follow this link to report it back to the company.