Can I Remove The Stories Bar From Instagram? Some People Want The Old App Back

Let me start by saying that there are many Instagram Stories fans out there, and a lot of people are happy that they can now merge multiple apps' functionalities into one easy, streamlined experience. Others, however — and yes, I absolutely do mean me — aren't such big fans of the Stories update, and may even be filled with low-key rage when seeing the Stories bar at the top of their Instagram feeds. The question is, though, can I remove the Stories bar from Instagram, or is this just how we live now?

I have bad news for my fellow Instagram Stories revolters: there is no going back. Unfortunately, Instagram's latest feature is here to stay in the form of that stubborn little bar at the top of your feed. On the plus side, that doesn't mean you actually have to interact with the Stories bar, and as soon as you've scrolled down about an inch on your screen, it disappears. It's almost like you can pretend it was never there at all.

(Another semi-pro tip? As soon as you access Instagram from a browser, the Stories bar disappears from your feed. However, accessing Instagram from a browser also means you lose the ability to check out likes, so the browser trick comes with a price.)

Okay, so you can put up with it for now. Will Instagram be removing Stories anytime soon, though? Chances are low, considering that the app has been adding new features to Instagram Stories and going after Snapchat for a while now. It looks like Instagram's Snapchat-esque features are here to stay, so you can either (begrudgingly) embrace them and learn to ignore the Stories bar, or go back to posting daily pictures on Facebook and pretending that's the norm.

You could even try using an Instagram alternative, such as VSCO Cam, an app that seems to be keeping things old-school classic (and that actually has an array of lovely filters). I have a feeling that, with so many people complaining about Instagram Stories, plenty of new alternatives will be popping up and past competitors will start gaining more due recognition, now that their main opponent has morphed into something more Snapchat-y.

You may not be able to remove the Stories bar from your Snapchat, but you can let your App Store choices compete for your vote for a Story-less app. In the meantime, you can just scroll past the Stories bar like it's no big deal and use it as an exercise in meditation.