# What changed on Instagram, YouTube, Threads and TikTok Source: https://ghostedit.ai/platform-rules > Every change to Instagram, YouTube, Threads and TikTok posting rules and APIs, in plain words, with what it means for creators. From the official changelogs, updated weekly. Platform rules tracker ยท Updated October 30, 2026 **Latest change** 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. - 29 changes tracked - From the official changelogs - Updated weekly ## All changes, newest first All InstagramYouTubeThreads - October 15, 2026 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](https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/revision_history) - September 30, 2026 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](https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/revision_history) - September 14, 2026 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](https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/revision_history) - September 11, 2026 YouTube ### 1080p, 1440p and 4K thumbnails Some videos now have higher-resolution thumbnails available.[Source](https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/revision_history) - August 27, 2026 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](https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/revision_history) - July 30, 2026 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](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/changelog) - July 7, 2026 YouTube ### Brand partner field on videos Apps can now set and read a video's brand partner when uploading or updating.[Source](https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/revision_history) - June 22, 2026 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](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/changelog) - June 3, 2026 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](https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/revision_history) - June 1, 2026 Instagram ### Music and sounds on reels through the API Apps can search and add original sounds and licensed music to reels they publish.[Source](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/changelog) - June 1, 2026 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](https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/revision_history) - April 22, 2026 Instagram ### Paid partnership label when publishing Apps can mark a post as a paid partnership and name the brand at publish time.[Source](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/changelog) - April 22, 2026 Instagram ### Saves, shares and reposts counts Apps can read how many times a post was saved, shared and reposted.[Source](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/changelog) - March 25, 2026 Threads ### Share Threads posts to your Instagram story Apps can cross-share a Threads post to the linked Instagram account as a story.[Source](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/threads/changelog) - February 13, 2026 Threads ### Reply approvals You can hold replies on a post for approval before they show.[Source](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/threads/changelog) - January 30, 2026 Threads ### Follower stats without Instagram Threads profiles with no linked Instagram account can see follower count and demographics.[Source](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/threads/changelog) - December 22, 2025 Threads ### 5 links per post at most A Threads post with more than 5 links fails to publish.[Source](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/threads/changelog) - December 4, 2025 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](https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/revision_history) - December 3, 2025 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](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/changelog) - December 3, 2025 Instagram ### Apps can delete posts Apps can delete posts, carousels, reels and stories, and answer collab invites.[Source](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/changelog) - November 20, 2025 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](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/threads/changelog) - October 3, 2025 Threads ### Spoilers and text attachments Threads posts can hide spoilers and carry a long text attachment.[Source](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/threads/changelog) - September 23, 2025 Threads ### Threads API without Instagram Threads accounts with no linked Instagram can use apps that post to Threads.[Source](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/threads/changelog) - July 2, 2025 Threads ### Link clicks in Threads insights Apps can see how many people clicked the link in a Threads post.[Source](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/threads/changelog) - June 16, 2025 Instagram ### Reel view counts for other accounts Apps can read the view count of public reels from other business and creator accounts.[Source](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/changelog) - April 14, 2025 Threads ### Polls Threads posts can include polls.[Source](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/threads/changelog) - March 31, 2025 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](https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/revision_history) - March 24, 2025 Instagram ### Alt text on image posts Apps can add alt text to image posts. Not for reels or stories.[Source](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/changelog) - January 21, 2025 Instagram ### Plays and impressions replaced by views Instagram retired plays and impressions on April 21, 2025. Views is the one number now.[Source](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/changelog) 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](https://ghostedit.ai/reel-size-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. ## Post without worrying about the rules. 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