Instagram Tests New Design Prioritizing Reels
Instagram is experimenting with a refreshed interface that places greater emphasis on Reels while introducing more user control over content feeds. The update reflects the platform’s ongoing shift toward short-form video as the dominant content type.
In the tested design, the app opens directly to the main Reels feed. A new central icon on the bottom navigation bar leads to a “Your Feeds” hub, where users can swipe through and select from multiple Reels-focused streams, including:
- Suggested
- Following
- Friends
- Latest
- Saved
- Favorites
These options provide more tailored ways to discover and consume Reels, allowing users to prioritize content from specific circles, recent posts, saved videos, or algorithmically recommended clips. The change aligns with usage data. In late 2024, Meta reported users shared 3.5 billion Reels daily across Facebook and Instagram, with 50% of time spent in the Instagram app dedicated to Reels. That share has likely grown since, as short-form video continues to drive engagement. Instagram has previously tested opening to Reels for heavy video users, but has not yet made it the default experience for everyone.
Instagram head Adam Mosseri has repeatedly emphasized that photo posts remain a core part of the platform and that the main feed of static images and carousels is not being eliminated. However, the proposed design logically adapts to where users currently spend the most time—scrolling Reels—while preserving access to other content types.
