What changed on Instagram, YouTube, Threads and TikTok
YouTube, October 15, 2026: Made-for-kids status only changes when you send it. Updating a video's details no longer risks flipping its made-for-kids setting by accident.
All changes, newest first
- YouTube
Made-for-kids status only changes when you send it
Updating a video's details no longer risks flipping its made-for-kids setting by accident.
Source - YouTube
Comments can show images and GIFs
Apps can now read the image or GIF attached to a YouTube comment. Rolling out to everyone in November 2026.
Source - YouTube
Custom thumbnails can be up to 50MB
The thumbnail size limit went from 2MB to 50MB, so you can upload sharper thumbnails without compressing them.
Source - YouTube
1080p, 1440p and 4K thumbnails
Some videos now have higher-resolution thumbnails available.
Source - YouTube
Views count from the moment a video starts
Public view counts for long videos, Lives and Shorts start when playback starts. Monetization still uses engaged views.
Source - Instagram
No video file for reels with copyrighted audio
Apps can't fetch the video file of a reel with flagged audio or downloads turned off. They get the link and thumbnail instead.
Source - YouTube
Brand partner field on videos
Apps can now set and read a video's brand partner when uploading or updating.
Source - Instagram
AI-generated label when publishing
Apps can mark a post as AI-generated when they publish it, and story insights add link clicks.
Source - YouTube
Cheap way to read video stats
A new stats call costs 1 quota unit and has its own daily budget, so tools can check views more often.
Source - Instagram
Music and sounds on reels through the API
Apps can search and add original sounds and licensed music to reels they publish.
Source - YouTube
Uploads get their own quota bucket
Uploading and searching each have a separate daily quota now, so heavy searching can't block your uploads.
Source - Instagram
Paid partnership label when publishing
Apps can mark a post as a paid partnership and name the brand at publish time.
Source - Instagram
Saves, shares and reposts counts
Apps can read how many times a post was saved, shared and reposted.
Source - Threads
Share Threads posts to your Instagram story
Apps can cross-share a Threads post to the linked Instagram account as a story.
Source - Threads
Follower stats without Instagram
Threads profiles with no linked Instagram account can see follower count and demographics.
Source - YouTube
Uploads cost about 100 quota units, down from 1,600
Apps can upload about 16 times more videos a day on the same quota.
Source - Instagram
Trial reels through the API
Apps can publish trial reels, shown to non-followers first. New insights: skip rate, reposts and cross-posted views.
Source - Instagram
Apps can delete posts
Apps can delete posts, carousels, reels and stories, and answer collab invites.
Source - Threads
Profile lookup down to 100 followers
Apps can look up public Threads profiles with as few as 100 followers, down from 1,000.
Source - Threads
Spoilers and text attachments
Threads posts can hide spoilers and carry a long text attachment.
Source - Threads
Threads API without Instagram
Threads accounts with no linked Instagram can use apps that post to Threads.
Source - Threads
Link clicks in Threads insights
Apps can see how many people clicked the link in a Threads post.
Source - Instagram
Reel view counts for other accounts
Apps can read the view count of public reels from other business and creator accounts.
Source - YouTube
Every Shorts start counts as a view
Each time a Short starts or replays counts as a view, with no minimum watch time. Shorts view counts jumped.
Source - Instagram
Alt text on image posts
Apps can add alt text to image posts. Not for reels or stories.
Source - Instagram
Plays and impressions replaced by views
Instagram retired plays and impressions on April 21, 2025. Views is the one number now.
Source
TikTok's developer changelog shows no changes to posting since January 2025. Current size, length and caption limits are on the size and length guide. Spot a change we missed? Tell us.
Questions
- What changed on the Instagram API in 2026?
- July 30, 2026: No video file for reels with copyrighted audio. June 22, 2026: AI-generated label when publishing. June 1, 2026: Music and sounds on reels through the API. April 22, 2026: Paid partnership label when publishing. April 22, 2026: Saves, shares and reposts counts.
- What changed on the YouTube API in 2026?
- October 15, 2026: Made-for-kids status only changes when you send it. September 30, 2026: Comments can show images and GIFs. September 14, 2026: Custom thumbnails can be up to 50MB. September 11, 2026: 1080p, 1440p and 4K thumbnails. August 27, 2026: Views count from the moment a video starts. July 7, 2026: Brand partner field on videos. June 3, 2026: Cheap way to read video stats. June 1, 2026: Uploads get their own quota bucket.
- What changed on the Threads API in 2026?
- March 25, 2026: Share Threads posts to your Instagram story. February 13, 2026: Reply approvals. January 30, 2026: Follower stats without Instagram.
- Where do these changes come from?
- From each platform's official developer changelog, checked every week and rewritten in plain words.