Instagram Tests Opening to Reels as the Main Feed

Instagram is embarking on one of the most radical transformations in its history, signaling a definitive shift from its photo-sharing origins to a video-first platform. In a significant experiment currently rolling out to a limited number of users, primarily in major markets like India, the Meta-owned app is testing a new user interface (UI) where users open the app directly into the full-screen, vertical Reels feed instead of the familiar chronological or algorithmic photo-and-video grid.

This move is far more than a minor tweak; it’s a seismic strategic decision that aims to align Instagram’s default experience with what its users are actually doing: watching short-form video and private messaging. The test fundamentally redefines the platform’s core identity and its battle strategy in the ongoing war for screen time against competitors like TikTok.

The Anatomy of the Reels-First Test

For users included in this opt-in experiment, the moment they tap the Instagram icon, the app will no longer land them on the traditional Home tab featuring posts from followed accounts interspersed with recommendations. Instead, they are immediately immersed in the full-screen, endless scroll of Reels.

While the change is dramatic, Instagram has been careful to manage the transition:

  • Stories Remain: The horizontal bar of Stories, a feature central to daily engagement, remains fixed at the top of the screen.
  • The Traditional Feed Shifts: The original feed content—photos and longer videos from accounts a user follows—is not removed, but its placement is de-prioritized. Users must now actively navigate to a new “Following” tab or scroll past the initial Reels presentation to find the mixed-content flow.
  • Messaging Takes Center Stage: Reflecting the platform’s acknowledgment that Direct Messages (DMs) are a primary communication tool, the DM icon is being repositioned, moving to a more prominent, easily accessible spot in the central navigation bar.
  • A Chronological Option Returns: Intriguingly, part of this new layout reportedly includes a “Latest” filter within the “Following” tab, giving users an optional way to view posts from followed accounts in true chronological order—a long-requested feature whose return is perhaps a strategic concession amidst the larger video shift.

Why the Pivot? Following the Data

Instagram’s decision is not based on a whim but on undeniable user data and market realities. Simply put, Reels is where the engagement is:

  1. Dominance of Video: Meta has consistently reported that short-form video is the fastest-growing content format across its platforms. Recent data shows that Reels now accounts for over 50% of all time spent in the Instagram app.
  2. Growth Engine: The platform’s leadership, including Instagram head Adam Mosseri, has repeatedly stated that Reels and DMs are the twin engines driving Instagram’s overall growth, particularly as the app surpasses the three-billion monthly active user milestone.
  3. The TikTok Effect: Ever since TikTok exploded onto the global scene, vertical, full-screen, algorithmically-driven video has become the dominant social media format. This “lean-back entertainment” model is what a significant portion of users now expect. By making Reels the default, Instagram solidifies its direct competition with TikTok and ensures new users are immediately exposed to its most engaging content.
  4. iPad Precedent: This mobile test follows the design choice made for Instagram’s official iPad app, which already opens directly to the Reels feed, justifying the choice as one suited for “lean back entertainment” on larger screens—a model they are now extending to the phone.

Implications for Creators, Businesses, and Users

This test, if rolled out globally, will have far-reaching consequences for everyone on the platform.

For Users: The user experience will become significantly more focused on discovery over following. Opening to Reels means users are instantly shown content from accounts they don’t follow, algorithmically chosen for virality and relevance. While this may feel more addictive, it could frustrate long-time users who prefer to see content only from their friends and favorite creators. The compromise—the reintroduction of the chronological “Latest” feed—is a clear attempt to retain this core audience.

For Creators and Businesses: The message is unequivocal: video content is paramount.

  • De-Prioritization of Static Content: Traditional photo posts and long-form videos posted to the main grid are likely to see further drops in organic reach and visibility, forcing creators to adapt their content strategy.
  • The Reels Gold Rush: Businesses and creators who successfully leverage trending audio, fast cuts, and vertical storytelling will be handed an immense opportunity for discovery, as their content is now the first thing every user sees upon opening the app.
  • The ‘Following’ Tab Challenge: For brands built on aesthetics and high-quality photography, relying on the new “Following” tab means their content will only be seen by their most dedicated audience members who actively seek out that viewing mode, potentially reducing broad discovery.

A New Era for Instagram

The test to make Reels the default main feed is a defining moment that completes Instagram’s transformation. It is no longer just the beautiful photo-sharing network that defined the 2010s; it is now a comprehensive social utility centered around two things: private, close-knit messaging (DMs) and massive-scale, addictive, short-form video consumption (Reels).

While the test is currently limited and opt-in, the historical precedent of major Instagram UIs suggests that successful experiments rarely stay contained. If user engagement metrics bear out the hypothesis, the days of opening Instagram to see a static photo are numbered. The future of Instagram is in motion, and it is scrolling in a relentless, vertical loop.

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