Meta-owned Instagram has begun testing a Reels-first experience for its mobile app in India, following the platform’s recent milestone of 3 billion monthly active users.
Reels-First Experience Testing
The new Reels-first interface is designed to make Instagram’s most popular features more accessible. This experience is similar to Instagram’s recent Reels-first rollout on iPad:
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Landing on Reels: Opening Instagram now takes users directly to Reels. Stories remain at the top for easy access to friends’ updates.
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Quick Access to DMs: Direct Messages (DMs) are one swipe away in the navigation bar, allowing faster conversation access from anywhere in the app.
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New “Following” Tab: Users can view content from accounts they follow in multiple ways:
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All: Recommended posts and Reels from followed accounts.
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Friends: Recommended posts and Reels from accounts that follow you back.
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Latest: Chronological posts and Reels from followed accounts, showing the newest content first.
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Instagram noted that messaging has become the platform’s most popular way to share photos and videos. Additionally, Reels are reshared over 4.5 billion times daily across Meta platforms.
Meta emphasized India as a key market for testing this experience due to the wide variety of culturally rich Reels content created locally, which resonates with its global community.
Simplified Navigation Coming Globally
Alongside the Reels-first experience, Instagram plans to streamline global navigation:
- DMs in the Center: Direct Messages will move to the center of the navigation bar for easier access.
- Reels Tab Adjustment: Reels will shift to the second tab, allowing users to swipe seamlessly between Reels, DMs, and other app sections.
Announcing the updates, Instagram said:
Instagram has always been about creativity and connection. We hope these tests and improvements make it even easier for you to share, discover, and connect.