Customise the Navigation Bar and Startup Tab in JTInstagram

The bar at the bottom of Instagram quietly decides how you use the app. Whatever tab opens first is what you see before you have made any choice, and for many people that means scrolling before they have even checked their messages. JTInstagram version 30 gives you some control over this: its changelog lists the ability to customise the navigation bar and choose the startup tab.

JTInstagram is an unofficial modification by the independent developer Jimtechs. It is not affiliated with Instagram or Meta, and using a modified client can lead to your account being restricted. The settings below only change how the app looks and opens on your phone; they do not change anything about your account.

What version 30 added

According to the developer's changelog, JTInstagram 30.0 moved to Instagram 439.0.0.37.89 (mod version 12.55) and added:

• Customisation of the navigation bar.
• A choice of which tab opens at startup.
• A new anonymous story viewing button.
• Story fonts integrated into the editor.
• Fixes for duplicate downloads and chat background stability.

The navigation and startup options are new in this version, so older builds will not have them.

Before you start

1. Check your version. Open Android Settings → Apps → JTInstagram. The version number is usually shown on the app info screen. You need 30.0 or later.
2. Update if needed. Install the new APK over your current version rather than uninstalling. The v30 file is about 260 MB, and the app page suggests around 600 MB of free storage.
3. Note your current setup. If you have already changed other mod options, take a quick screenshot of them so you can restore them if something resets.

Finding the options

Mod settings are not part of Instagram's own Settings menu, and their location and names differ between versions. In most builds, you reach them from your profile screen or from an extra entry in the app's menu. Look for a section with a name related to navigation, interface, layout or tabs.

1. Open JTInstagram and go to your profile.
2. Open the menu and look for the mod's own settings entry.
3. Open the section that covers navigation or layout.
4. Adjust the navigation bar using the options your version offers.
5. Find the startup tab option and choose the tab you want to open first.
6. Close the app fully, then reopen it to confirm the change took effect.

If you cannot find the option, do not guess by switching random settings on and off. Check the changelog on the JTInstagram page on MODZILO to confirm your version includes it.

Choosing a layout that suits you

The best layout depends on why you open Instagram. A few starting points:

• Messages first. If you mainly use Instagram to talk to friends, starting on your messages means you reply and leave instead of drifting into the feed.
• Feed first. If you follow a small number of accounts you care about, the home feed is a sensible default.
• Profile first. Useful if you manage a creative or small-business account and want to check your own posts and comments straight away.
• Search first. Handy if you mostly use Instagram to look up places, products or specific accounts.

A calmer startup tab is also a simple way to reduce mindless scrolling. Try a layout for a week before deciding whether it works for you.

If something looks wrong

• A tab you need seems to be missing. Go back to the navigation section and restore the default layout, if your version offers a reset.
• Your choice resets after an update. Some options can return to defaults after major updates. Re-apply them after checking the new changelog.
• The app crashes after a change. Open Android Settings → Apps → JTInstagram → Storage and tap Clear cache (not Clear data, which removes your settings and signs you out). If the problem continues, reinstall the same version over itself.
• Instagram's own layout changes. Because the mod is built on a specific Instagram version, layout options can behave differently when the base version changes.

Key takeaways

• Navigation bar customisation and a startup tab choice are new in JTInstagram 30.0.
• The options live in the mod's own settings; names and locations differ between versions.
• Pick the startup tab that matches why you open Instagram, and restart the app to apply it.
• Clear cache, not data, if the app misbehaves after a change.
• JTInstagram is unofficial, so account restrictions remain possible whatever layout you use.