Social media updates from July 2025

With summer in full swing, you'd be forgiven for thinking you're potentially, reaching a quieter part of the year. But the social media platform updates are still coming in.

From algorithm shake-ups to new creative features and policy changes, July brought a steady stream of updates across platforms.

Whether you're a brand, creator or marketer, staying ahead of these changes can make all the difference. And that's exactly why we've pulled together this month's key highlights. Let's dive into what you need to know.

Facebook

Music tracks

We're kicking off this month with Facebook, and they've introduced a new way to bring posts to life. Like Instagram, users can now add music tracks to accompany their text updates.

Alongside this, themed backgrounds linked to selected artists are also being rolled out. Whether it enhances the user experience or adds more noise to the feed remains to be seen. But it's another move toward blending personal updates with creative expression!

Boosting content

Next, Facebook is rolling out a new algorithm update aimed at boosting original content. But this update will also demote posts that repeatedly reuse others' work without credit.

The goal is to reward creators for their effort and ensure they get the visibility and engagement their content deserves. To be clear, Facebook classes "unoriginal" content as repeated reposts of someone else's work without permission or meaningful changes.

Remixing, reacting, and adding your own spin? Still encouraged. Straight-up copying? Nope, nope, nope!

Copyright detection

Finally for Facebook, Meta has added a new copyright detection feature to the Facebook Reels composer. This update is designed to help creators avoid last-minute takedowns or even monetisation issues.

The new tool scans audio and video for copyrighted content before a Reel is published. If something is flagged, creators will receive an alert and have up to an hour to swap or remove the content before the Reel goes live.

This social media platform update is a helpful step toward protecting both creators and rights holders, without disrupting your publishing flow.

Threads

It's been a little quiet for Threads front this month, but we do have one update for you. Threads is quietly testing a new sign-up option that lets users create an account using Facebook instead of Instagram.

While not widely available yet, the feature is already referenced in Meta's support documentation and could increase usership once rolled out, making it easier for non-Instagram users to join Threads.

This update may also influence the type of content and ads users see, based on their Facebook activity rather than their Instagram habits.

Instagram

Instagram has been the busiest for social media platform updates this month. So let's jump straight in!

Minimum follower requirement increased

First, Instagram has quietly increased the minimum follower requirement for using its Live feature. Smaller creators may now lose access. The exact number isn't confirmed, but users with fewer followers are seeing pop-ups about the change.

We're giving this update a big thumbs down. Many creators rely on IG Live to connect with niche or local audiences. It's a frustrating shift for those who use the feature regularly to build community.

Video calls are still available but don't offer the same reach or discovery benefits as live streaming. We're wondering if this links to Meta's recent removal of stored videos on Facebook.

"Link in Bio"

We've all seen people getting creative with ways to reference that there is a "Link in Bio"… Bink in Lio has to be our favourite! But amid ongoing speculation about what affects post visibility on Instagram, Adam Mosseri has addressed a rumour.

While some creators believe the platform limits posts with this phrase, possibly to discourage users from leaving the app or due to its overuse by spammers, Mosseri has confirmed there's no active penalty for using it. So, for now, you're free to include "link in bio" without worrying it'll tank your engagement figures.

New Auto-Scroll option

Instagram is experimenting with a new Auto-Scroll option that allows users to passively scroll through their feed, no swiping required. Some users are now seeing a toggle within post settings that activates automatic scrolling.

This update is looking to make it easier to binge content served up by the algorithm. It's still in testing, but if rolled out widely, it could change how users consume content (and how long they stick around in-feed).

Despite the convenience that this update might bring, we're giving this one a thumbs down. "Doom-scrolling" is already increasing the amount of time that people are using social media. Do we really need to auto scroll hours of our lives away?

Our recommendation: turn this setting off. Add screen time caps and take a break!

New analytics feature

Next, Instagram is trialling a new analytics feature that breaks down like counts per image within a carousel post. The tool tracks which specific frame was on screen when a user hit the like button, then assigns it to the corresponding image.

It's not perfect, but it could give creators and brands more detailed insights into which visuals are truly grabbing attention. Not only that but it could help shape stronger content strategies moving forward.

Wider access to DM translation and scheduling tools

Finally, Instagram is now promoting wider access to its direct message translation and message scheduling tools. This update aims to give more businesses the ability to engage across languages and plan conversations in advance.

While these features aren't brand-new, their broader rollout signal Instagram's continued focus on business-friendly communication. This update makes it easier to connect with audiences in more timely and personalised ways.

Edits

Updates to Ideas tab

On to Edits now and they're continuing to evolve. This time, the updates focuses more on managing creative projects than producing them.

The Ideas tab now includes features like:

• saving audio

• adding sticky notes to sounds you want to use

• marking notes as complete, and

• filtering or sorting them by status, date, or colour

While these social media platform updates are more about planning than creating, they offer a helpful way for creators to stay organised and streamline their content workflow.

Feature updates

Next, we have some more feature updates, making Edits even more creator-friendly.

New tools include the ability to extend audio beyond your video playback, giving you more flexibility with sound design, and a "cut silences" option that automatically removes awkward gaps in your Reels.

Alongside these, there are improvements to visual editing tools and more font choices, making it easier than ever to create polished, engaging content directly in the app.

TikTok

New version of TikTok Pro

The first update from TikTok is an interesting one as they've introduced a new version of their app TikTok Pro. Now, this is only available in Germany, Portugal and Spain at the moment, but we thought it was worth a mention.

This alternative experience is designed to spotlight positive, educational and entertaining content, offering users a more curated, uplifting feed.

TikTok describes the app as a way for people to "experience and engage with joyful content," marking a notable shift from the more open-ended main app.

It's part of TikTok's broader push to promote wellbeing and responsible engagement in the platform's European markets.

Whether this will be available for download in the UK is unknown, but providing a more positive experience on social media gets a double thumbs up from us!

New Schedule Post feature

Next, TikTok has rolled out a new Schedule Post feature. This update allows creators to choose a specific date and time to publish content directly within the app.

This long-requested update makes it easier to plan ahead and post when your audience is most active. Better yet, this means that you're not having to rely on external tools or switching to desktop version.

It's a simple but powerful step toward more strategic content planning on TikTok. Another great update from TikTok.

TikTok ban update

In case you're still wondering what's happening with TikTok in the US, we have another small update for you.

The constant deadline extensions are continuing and TikTok remains available in the US for now. And the current deadline for a sale has been moved (again) for mid-September 2025.

To avoid the ban, TikTok's parent company ByteDance is reportedly developing a new US-specific version of the app.

This version would store user data on American servers and be owned by a US-based entity, with ByteDance holding only a minority stake.

It's a bold move aimed at satisfying regulatory demands while keeping TikTok live for American users. At this point, we're not sure whether this will happen or whether the ban will continue to be held over the heads of American users…

X (formerly Twitter)

Vine comeback

We're kicking off with a throwback as it's been revealed that Vine, the once-iconic short-form video app, is making a comeback in "AI form" under X.

The announcement came via a brief post on X, with no further details confirmed. While the exact features and format remain unclear, the revival hints at X's continued push into video content and AI-driven experiences.

The jury is most definitely out on this update… users seem to have moved on from the likes of Vine and musically and into a world where TikTok and Reels are the first content types they think of. Stay tuned for what could be a nostalgic twist with a futuristic edge.

Clampdown on emojis

Following its ban on hashtags in promoted posts, X is now clamping down on another creative element: emojis.

Ads that include more than one emoji in the copy or creative will now receive a lower quality score and may incur higher costs.

According to X, the move is aimed at improving the aesthetic of the platform, though it's widely speculated that Elon Musk simply isn't a fan of emoji-heavy ads cluttering the feed.

Either way, advertisers will need to rein it in if they want to keep costs down. We don't mind an emoji ourselves… but what do you think? Let us know.

New AI tool

Finally, X is preparing to roll out a new AI tool called Imagine. This update will allow users to quickly generate videos from text prompts.

The feature will combine the capabilities of Hotshot, a text-to-video start-up acquired by xAI in March, with the power of Elon Musk's Grok AI engine.

The integration aims to give X users a fast, creative way to produce viral video content, building on Hotshot's existing success with AI-generated video and GIF models.

LinkedIn

Rollback of recent posts test

Over to LinkedIn now and it's hitting CTRL + Z in this next social media platform update.

LinkedIn is rolling back a recent algorithm test that caused users' feeds to surface posts up to three weeks old.

The platform says the change was part of a limited experiment aimed at balancing relevance with freshness, but the result left many users frustrated by outdated content.

If you prefer a chronological feed, LinkedIn also offers a setting to adjust your feed view, helping you stay up to date with more timely posts.

Record engagement levels

In what's become a quarterly tradition, Microsoft's latest earnings report claims that LinkedIn has once again hit record levels of engagement.

This phrase has appeared in nearly every update since Microsoft acquired the platform in 2016, raising eyebrows about just how sustainable (or measurable) that growth really is.

While the exact definition of "record engagement" remains vague, it's clear LinkedIn is still pushing strong performance, at least according to the metrics it chooses to share.

That's everything!

That's it for July's round-up, and while the updates may vary in size, they all reflect the same thing: social media never stands still.

Whether it's new tools, shifting algorithms or policy tweaks, keeping informed helps you make better decisions about where to show up and how to show up online.

If you're unsure which platforms are right for your business right now, download our free guide: The Ultimate Platform Selection Strategy.

It's packed with practical advice to help you focus your time and energy where it matters most.

Until next time, stay social!

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