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How to use Instagram's new Nametag feature

Scan and follow.

Matt Elliott Senior Editor
Matt Elliott is a senior editor at CNET with a focus on laptops and streaming services. Matt has more than 20 years of experience testing and reviewing laptops. He has worked for CNET in New York and San Francisco and now lives in New Hampshire. When he's not writing about laptops, Matt likes to play and watch sports. He loves to play tennis and hates the number of streaming services he has to subscribe to in order to watch the various sports he wants to watch.
Expertise Laptops, desktops, all-in-one PCs, streaming devices, streaming platforms
Matt Elliott
2 min read
Matt Elliott/CNET

It's now much easier to follow someone you meet on Instagram. No words need be exchanged nor letters tapped. With Instagram Nametags, you can simply scan each other's account to follow each other quickly and easily. 

If you've dabbled with Snapchat's Snapcodes, Instagram Nametags will look and feel instantly familiar. Here's how Instagram Nametags work.

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Find and customize your Instagram Nametag

There's no need to create an Instagram Nametag -- you've already got one. To find it, go to your profile page, tap the three-line hamburger button in the top right and then tap Nametag.

You've got a few options for personalizing the look of your Nametag. There are three background themes: color, emoji and selfie. Tap the button at the top of your Nametag page to cycle through them. For each theme, you can tap on the page to cycle through various options for colors, emojis and selfie stickers. For the selfie option, you can snap a selfie to complete your Nametag customization.

ig-nametags
Screenshot by Matt Elliott/CNET

Scan other Instagram Nametags

Tap Scan a Nametag from your own Nametag screen to perform a QR-like scan of a Nametag on another phone. A quicker way, however, is to just swipe right to open Instagram's camera. Then tap and hold on your screen with it pointed at a Nametag.

Share your Instagram Nametag

You don't need to be standing next to someone for your Instagram Nametag to be scanned. You can text it, share it on Twitter and other platforms or add it to a website in an effort to gain more followers. Tap the share button in the top right of your Nametag screen to see all of your options. 

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