Instagram 6.0 update unveils new editing tools, filter intensity sliders

On Tuesday Instagram unveiled a whole range of updates that will completely overhaul its popular photo app, while staying true to its simple interface. The exciting changes include a filter intensity slider and a huge range of editing options that provide you with more control over your photos than ever and are likely to give many of our favourite third party apps a run for their money.

The intensity slider is a feature you’ll find in many other photo editing apps, like Afterlight and Camerabag, but up until now you’ve had to settle for Instagram’s filters as they are. We’re glad a slider feature has finally come to the app, because it’ll make us much more likely to use Instagram’s options than look elsewhere for grainy, retro filters that we can make as subtle or intense as we like.

As well as the filter intensity slider, there are now eight additional editing options named after classic photo manipulation tools, just click on the new wrench icon below your photos, and you’ll be able to adjust brightness, contrast, warmth, saturation, highlights, shadows, sharpen, and vignette effects. All of them are available with their own intensity sliders too, allowing you to have complete control over the look and feel of your images.

Although to some users the Instagram experience may not appear to be all that different, the new features essentially build an entirely new app within the one we already know and love. We’re very interested in seeing whether some users ignore the new additions (if you leave the wrench icon alone, you’ll hardly notice them) or welcome them with open arms and ditch other photo editing tools in favour of using Instagram and nothing else.

Instagram 6.0 is available for iOS and Android today.