Instagram shifts to ‘video first’: Will Reels become the main tab in your feed?
Meta may soon make significant changes to the Instagram experience. The social network has launched an opt-in test in India that places Reels in the main tab of the app, alongside DMs.
The announcement was made by Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, who notes that Reels and private messages have become “the key drivers of growth” for the platform in recent years.
In a video shared by Mosseri, the new interface is revealed: the upper section remains familiar with a horizontal list of Stories, but as soon as you scroll, the screen shifts to a layout similar to the current Reels tab, taking up the entire space with full-screen videos.
Mosseri mentions that photos from the accounts followed will still be included in this feed, even if their exact placement is uncertain.
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This experiment is not coming out of nowhere: Instagram’s recently launched iPad app already opens to Reels from the home tab. Meta explained that this interface was designed “to reflect how people use large screens today: for passive entertainment.” The test in India suggests that this approach could soon be integrated into the core of the mobile app.
In essence, Instagram may be prepping for a transition to a video-first platform, where Reels would take center stage, pushing photos into the background.
