Reels Become Main Feed as Instagram Tests New Format

Key Highlights

• Testing: Instagram is currently testing a new user interface that directs users in India to the Reels feed.
• Focus: The updated design emphasizes Reels engagement over traditional feed posts.
• Growth Drivers: Reels and DMs have been pivotal in Instagram’s growth over recent years.
• User Experience: Users can choose to revert to the original interface at any time during the test.

Instagram has confirmed that it’s testing a new approach to its UI, with users in India now able to open the app direct to the Reels feed, as opposed to the traditional feed post display.

As you can see in this example, the updated UI looks familiar, but will focus on Reels specifically. Tapping on that first post will expand the Reels view to the full-screen, scrollable Reels display.

Last week, Bloomberg reported that IG was testing this updated variation in some markets, in order to put more emphasis on Reels engagement.

And now, Instagram chief Adam Mosseri has shared some more insight into the experiment:

“Reels and DMs have driven most all our growth at Instagram over the last few years, so we are exploring making them the first two tabs. This is just an option available to a small group of people in India starting today. Photos from accounts you follow are still in the home tab.”

So it’s not a full-on reformation of the app into a TikTok clone. But it’s kind of close.

Which makes sense. As Mosseri notes, Reels are where IG users are now spending their time, with Meta recently reporting that overall video watch time on IG is up 20% year-over-year. Meta has also reported that Reels now make up 50% of all time spent in the app.

People just aren’t posting to the main feed like they used to, while Reels drives more attention, and more engagement. And as such, based on the data alone, it makes sense for Instagram to put more emphasis on this element, and present Reels front and center to help drive interest.

Instagram’s recently released iPad app also opens to Reels direct, and it seems inevitable that, at some stage, Instagram will at least let more users opt into seeing Reels up front, instead of static image updates.

Which is a major shift away from IG’s roots, and that’s undoubtedly going to annoy some users. But again, the data shows that this is likely the best way to go, based on engagement trends, and driving retention and interest.

Of course, users would also prefer less algorithmic intervention, and a purely chronological feed. Or at least they say they would, though on that front, the data shows that engagement rises when algorithms are utilized to highlight the most relevant content to each user.

So, basically, Instagram is following the data, and will continue to do so in its development decisions.

Which likely means you’re never getting your chronological feed back, but Reels are set to get more focus.

Mosseri also notes that the feed experiment in India is opt in, and users can revert back to the original experience whenever they choose.