Meta has announced that it will be discontinuing its Spark platform, which allowed users to create augmented reality (AR) filters for Instagram and Facebook. The platform, initially launched to compete with Snapchat’s AR features, will officially shut down on January 14, 2025.

Meta expressed gratitude to the creators, businesses, and stakeholders who contributed to the Spark community over the past seven years. Despite its success in introducing AR experiences to a broad audience, Meta has decided to phase out Spark as part of a broader strategy to focus on products better aligned with its future goals.

As a result of this decision, third-party AR filters will no longer be available on Instagram and Facebook after the shutdown. Only Meta's in-house filters will remain, significantly reducing the variety of AR effects available to users. This move has sparked concern among creators who relied on custom filters to engage with their audiences and grow their profiles.

Meta’s decision to retire Spark reflects its ongoing efforts to streamline its product offerings and invest in features that it believes will better serve its users in the long term. In a related update, Instagram is rolling out new fonts, effects, and animations for text in Stories and posts, providing users with fresh creative options.