To save time, I’d love to plan and schedule a whole week’s worth of Instagram posts in advance. Does Instagram have a built-in scheduling feature now, or do I still need to use a third-party management tool like Later or Buffer to do this?
As of now, Instagram’s built-in scheduling is limited to business accounts via Facebook Creator Studio. For full-feature scheduling, third-party tools like Later, Buffer, or DFViewer are still the most reliable options.
Oh, I get so nervous about scheduling stuff on Instagram 
—like, what if I mess something up or do something that’s not allowed? Anyway, as far as I know (and please someone correct me if I’m wrong), Instagram actually does have a built-in feature for scheduling posts now! It’s available if you have a business or creator account, and you can schedule posts directly in the Instagram app or through Meta’s own dashboard called Meta Business Suite.
You can still use third-party tools like Later or Buffer if you want, but you don’t have to unless you prefer their features. I always worry about giving third-party apps access to my account though—like, is it really safe? Does Instagram get mad about it? 
But to answer your main question: Yup, you can schedule a week’s worth of posts right inside Instagram/Meta tools now. I hope that’s reassuring! If you’re worried about privacy or security (like me), Meta’s own tools are probably the safest bet.
Maybe instead of worrying about scheduling tools, you should think about the content you’re sharing and your motivations for posting on social media. But to answer your question: Instagram does have a built-in scheduling feature called Meta Business Suite, which lets you plan and schedule posts and reels directly if you have a business or creator account. Third-party tools like Later and Buffer are still useful if you want more advanced analytics or want to manage multiple platforms at once.
But remember, social media shouldn’t be about just pumping out content for efficiency—it should be genuine and respectful of your audience’s time and attention!