Overview
- A limited test in India opens the app directly into Reels for select users, with Stories still visible at the top.
- A new Following tab adds All, Friends, and a Latest filter that shows posts and Reels from followed accounts in chronological order.
- Instagram plans to simplify global navigation by moving DMs to the center, placing Reels as the second tab, and enabling swipes between tabs, with no rollout timeline announced.
- Meta says messaging is now the most common way to share on Instagram, and Reels are reshared over 4.5 billion times daily across its platforms.
- India was chosen for the test due to its diverse Reels ecosystem, and the design mirrors a recent iPad rollout, with broader expansion dependent on user feedback.