What is the ‘2026 is the new 2016’ trend: From Snapchat filters to old photos, Internet relives decade-old version

The opening weeks of 2026 have triggered a strong sense of nostalgia across social media, with users collectively looking back at a decade-old version of themselves. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok are awash with throwback posts featuring blurry phone photos, outdated fashion and once-ubiquitous Snapchat filters, all tied together by a recurring phrase: ‘2026 is the new 2016’.

Throwbacks dominate social timelines

Many users are revisiting old photo libraries, resharing moments from 2016 as carousel posts or short videos, often paired with hit songs from that era. For many, the year represents a lighter, less complicated chapter of life.

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These throwbacks have sparked memories of old friendships, school days and early internet trends that once shaped online culture, making nostalgia the dominant mood across platforms.

Understanding the ‘2026 is the new 2016’ trend

The trend centres on personal reflection through visuals from 2016. Some creators use the opportunity to talk about who they were at the time—emotionally, professionally or socially—while others embrace the humour of outdated aesthetics, from fashion choices to heavily filtered selfies. Music from the mid-2010s plays a key role in enhancing the throwback effect, reinforcing the feeling of revisiting a different era.

Celebrities tap into the nostalgia

The trend hasn’t gone unnoticed by celebrities. Bollywood actor Kareena Kapoor Khan also sparked widespread attention after posting a carousel of throwback pictures from the same year.

Titled “The Year of the Bump,” her post revisited a significant phase of her life when she was expecting her first child, Taimur Ali Khan. The images offered fans a rare and personal look into her pregnancy journey.