What Does NFS Mean On Instagram?
Have you ever stumbled across an acronym on Instagram and thought, “Oh wow, I better consult Urban Dictionary”? You’re not alone. On Instagram, the initialism, NFS, can mean anything from “need for speed” (1,939,991 posts), to “not for sale” (816,191 posts), to “no filter sky” (104,925 posts), to “no filter selfie” (53,036 posts), and the list goes on.
New social media terms are in endless supply—we usually discover unique "shortcuts" to words or phrases without realizing that they eventually become essential to our everyday language. You might hear more unfamiliar terms or acronyms on social media platforms with large user bases, such as Facebook and Instagram.
The category an abbreviation belongs in often also determines the meaning behind the term. Imagine scrolling through Instagram and stumbling upon the acronym “NFS.” You might think you’re falling behind if the majority of your mutual Instagram connections are already using these unfamiliar social media acronyms.
So, in this blog post, we'll review all the possible answers to the question, "What does NFS mean on Instagram?" and how people use it.
NFS Meaning on Instagram
NFS could be an abbreviation for “network file system”—computer networking or file sharing between computers on networks. It can also stand for Not For Sure to express uncertainty. But, the most common meanings of NFS on Instagram are these terms or phrases:
| NFS on IG | Category | Number of hashtags/ IG posts |
|---|---|---|
| NFS – Need For Speed | Automotive and Gaming | 1,939,991 posts |
| NFS – Not For Sale | Any | 816,191 posts |
| NFS – No Filter Sky | Nature | 104,925 posts |
| NFS – No Filter Selfie | Image/Video Sharing | 53,036 posts |
| NFS – No Filter Sunset | Nature | 42,565 posts |
| NFS – No Filter Skin | Cosmetics | 19,556 posts |
| NFS – New Fashion Style | Fashion | 14,420 posts |
| NFS – Not For Sharing | Food, Any | 12,576 posts |
| NFS – Next Fashion School | Fashion | 2,469 posts |
| NFS – No Funny Stuff | Any | 1,813 posts |
NFS – Need For Speed
The term “need for speed” tops our list as the most popular usage of the initialism on Instagram. Car and racing enthusiasts write this on captions and hashtags for automotive, gaming, and sports content. According to Wikipedia, the term "need for speed" (meaning the desire to go fast, usually in a race) originated from the film Top Gun (1986). In 1994, a game titled Need For Speed was also released—it gained popularity as the abbreviation’s meaning since then.
NFS – Not For Sale
Another common use for this abbreviation is to make known that the content of the user’s post (e.g., non-purchasable collections, crafts, and properties, and items they are no longer selling") is not for sale. #NotForSale and similar hashtags and/or captions also serve as proof of purchase and other creative media content.
NFS – No Filter Sky
There are over a hundred thousand images and videos of skies, taken in various locations and seasons, associated with #NoFilterSky on Instagram. Most no-filter sky content on IG is either landscape, shot from an airplane, or mountain/beach photography.
NFS – No Filter Selfie
To take on the IG #NoFilterSelfie challenge, Instagram users share their selfies and groupies without applying camera filters for image enhancement. Brands or businesses also use this NFS hashtag for their product and service promotion, presenting unedited images of their clients' selfies and other portraits. #NoFilterSelfie also appears on posts for body image empowerment and appreciation.
NFS – No Filter Sunset
People prefer taking pictures during sunset, which makes it a natural camera filter like the Golden Hour. So, similar to the hashtag #NoFilterSky, you'll find all sorts of sky and landscape images with the #NoFilterSunset hashtag on Instagram—similarly including sunset views from various times and locations.
NFS – No Filter Skin
Instagram's #NoFilterSkin encourages people to embrace the beauty of showing natural skin and appearances in unfiltered portraits and photos. There are a lot of #NoFilterSkin posts on Instagram about skincare and other beauty products and treatments, as well.
NFS – New Fashion Style
#NewFashionStyle covers numerous media content for trendy clothes, undergarments, accessories, shoes, and other latest fashion trends.
NFS – Not For Sharing
This hashtag is added when users post about something but won't share more about the information or illustrations they present. You can also add #NotForSharing to your post to keep your followers and other users from sharing or reposting your content. Of course, this hashtag applies to posts about delicious-looking dishes, as well.
NFS – Next Fashion School
Like #NewFashionStyle, this Instagram NFS hashtag covers fashion, modeling, runway photoshoots, fashion design, and sketches.
NFS – No Funny Stuff
One way for someone to express that they don't want any drama or nonsense in their Instagram post or life is to add this hashtag. The #NoFunnyStuff hashtag also appears on product advertisements, such as food and homemade supplement products (which indicates that no additive ingredients are mixed in the product or item they posted).
Another NFS acronym to add to this list is Not Following Specified. According to Social Buddy, “not following specified” refers to the circumstance in which a person follows another user's Instagram profile but is not being followed back by that user.
On TikTok, the abbreviation NFS means "new friends." So, the meaning and usage of some social media abbreviations may vary depending on the platform.
Other Acronyms and Terms Used On Instagram
Shortening long words or phrases through acronyms and abbreviations facilitates faster information transfer and effectively retains viewers' attention on a variety of social media content. Unlike before, we have only been familiar with common social media acronyms like LOL (laugh out loud), BTW (by the way), TBT (throw back Thursday), and BRB (be right back). Today, we have more than a hundred (and an increasing number of) abbreviations on social media, like more of these examples on Instagram:
CF - Close Friends
CFS - Close Friends Story or Close Friend Setting
DM - Direct Message
It can also be challenging to differentiate abbreviated words from other texts when written in small caps or combined with other words. Take PTPA on Facebook, for example. The acronym PTPA stands for “permission to post admin” and can be seen on very few Facebook groups. Some Facebook group members write this at the first line of their content to request admin permission and approval on their group posts—this means people might only get used to reading and using certain abbreviations like this when they become very common.
So, you’ve learned about what NFS means on Instagram—it doesn’t end there. We'll leave you with some more recent initialisms across social networking sites that might also appear unfamiliar:
NGL – Not Gonna Lie
FR – For Real
IRL – In Real Life
ICYMI – In Case You Missed It
IMO – In My Opinion
AFAIK – As Far As I Know
LMK – Let Me Know
IKYK – I Know You Know
FBF – Flashback Friday
SML – So Much Love
TTYL – Talk To You Later
HM – How Much
RFS – Reason For Selling
FYA – For Your Approval
FYR – For Your Reference
WYSIWYG – What You See Is What You Get
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