Instagram’s AIM-like text status feature is expanding to Europe and Japan

Instagram Notes, the social network’s recently launched text status feature that reminds me of the AOL Instant Messenger away messages of my youth, is expanding to the EU, UK, and Japan this week, Instagram head Adam Mosseri announced Monday. The rollout is beginning on Monday, spokesperson Christine Pai said in an email to The Verge.

Notes are short text posts of up to 60 characters that float above your profile icon and disappear after 24 hours. The feature officially launched in December, and Mosseri says it’s done “really well” in Asia, North America, and Latin America and “specifically with teens.” The later launch in Europe and Japan was to ensure the feature complied with local regulations, Mosseri said.

While Mosseri’s tweet advertises that Notes are launching “worldwide,” myself and a few US-based Verge colleagues don’t have it. Pai is looking into it, and told me that the feature should be fully rolled out on both platforms in the US. But I want to note the absences in case you aren’t seeing the feature. (I don’t use Instagram much, so in my case, it could definitely be user error.)

But if you do have access to Notes and want to share some emo song lyrics to start your Monday (though they’ll have to be under 60 characters), check out our guide on how to use the feature.