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A Giphy GIF search engine is coming to Instagram Stories

A Giphy GIF search engine is coming to Instagram Stories

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Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Beta tests and updates are coming to Instagram Stories faster than you can say “Hey, this is becoming a really bloated app!” Instagram looks to be forming a partnership with Giphy, as users have been spotting a GIF library popping up in their Stories. The feature allows users to search for GIFs from the Giphy database and overlay them onto their Instagram Stories.

First spotted by The Next Web last November, it looks like the new GIF library feature — among a number of other new features — has been rolling out to users in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Brazil since then.

Mika Moto via TechCrunch

Instagram’s parent company Facebook has been in partnership with Giphy since Facebook finally started allowing users to comment with GIFs using the Giphy search engine last year. Compared to Snapchat’s AR lenses and Giphy’s efforts at its own AR apps like Giphy World, transparent-background GIF stickers you can place on Instagram Stories seems like a much better option that’ll be more widely adopted.

When reached for comment, Instagram answered with a vague, “We’re always testing ways to improve the Instagram experience.” Seeing as it’s a feature in partnership with Giphy, an official announcement can probably be expected soon.