What Does "Until Tomorrow" on Instagram Mean? The Challenge, Explained

Woman reading from her smart phone in bed, smiling

(Image credit: Carlina Teteris)

published 31 March 2020

Scrolling through your Instagram feed, you may have run into several terrible or awkward photos of friends from years past alongside the caption "until tomorrow." Sure, the first couple of photos were cute and fun, but probably like the rest of us (me), by the ninth picture, you just wanted to know what was going on.

What you were witnessing, my friend, is a new social media trend that we like to call "Until Tomorrow," and I'm here to break it down for you.

How did Until Tomorrow start?

Nobody can really agree on the origin of this challenge. Some people say it was the video app TikTok. Others will say it started on Instagram, where it has over 2 million posts under the hashtag and growing. One thing we can all agree is that we're happy it's giving us photos of our friends that we've never seen before.

How does the Until Tomorrow challenge work?

Before you post said ugly or awkward photo of yourself (probably from the year 2014), you have to like a photo with the caption "until tomorrow." The original poster of that photo will then slide into your DMs, challenging you to upload an embarrassing picture to leave up for 24 hours with the same caption. You can do it, or don't—there are no repercussions.

Also, who says you need someone to send you a message to get it going? Feel free to post on your own (no one will know!) and let those likes come rolling in. You know, until you delete it 24 hours later.

Who's done the Until Tomorrow challenge?

Now, this is where things get tricky. Since posts have to only be up for 24 hours, most people delete them after the required time period. Of course, there are the few brave people who keep them up long past due, but unfortunately, not many of those people are celebrities who reside in Hollywood. We'll update this post if we spot any.

Major sigh, but at least we'll always have our memories of those days of the Dolly Parton meme.

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Bianca Rodriguez is the Audience Development Manager at Future, covering fashion, beauty, and more for Marie Claire, Who What Wear US and Who What Wear UK. In addition to spearheading SEO content across brands—whether writing about wardrobe must-haves or strategizing how to make eye-catching content—she is also an avid reader with a deep love and knowledge for books of all genres. More often than not, you can find her lounging with a good book on the weekend.