Instagram just made emoji posted within the app a lot more powerful. The company updated its iOS and Android apps Monday with the ability to add emoji hashtags to posts along with three brand-new filters.
Previously, Instagram's hashtag feature did not support emoji, so comments or captions with the hashtag symbol and emoji were not searchable. Now, users can add emoji (or a string of emoji) to hashtags and posts that have been previously tagged with the characters will also show up in searches.
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"Over the past few years, emoji have become part of a universal visual language," the company wrote in a blog post. "With emoji hashtags, you can discover even more by adding them to your own photos and videos, searching them on the Explore page and tapping on them when you see them in captions."
Monday's update also added three new filters to Instagram's toolkit: Reyes, Juno and Lark. Reyes is a more muted filter that "brings a dusty, vintage look to your moments," according to Instagram, while Lark emphasizes blue and green tones and Juno " tints cool tones green while making warm tones pop and whites glow for vibrant photos of people."
Instagram also plans to update the app with new filters more often, the company said, noting that two of the filters introduced its last big update, Ludwig and Crema, are among the app's most popular. Those who are worried about their filter tray getting too crowded can choose which filters appear -- and rearrange their order -- in the "manage" menu at the end of the app's filter list.