Instagram has started testing a new Reels-first interface in India and South Korea, signaling how central short-form video has become to the platform’s strategy. In this experimental design, users are taken directly to Reels when they open the app, a clear shift away from the traditional photo-first feed. Stories remain pinned at the top, but the navigation bar has been reorganized: the direct message icon now sits at the center of the bottom bar, while the Reels shortcut is placed in the second position. The change is designed to make swiping between content types more fluid, further reinforcing Reels as the app’s entry point.
Alongside this, Instagram is also trialing a redesigned Following tab. The new approach blends posts and Reels together and offers three distinct filters for users to control what they see: “All,” which includes a mix of recommended content and updates from followed accounts; “Friends,” which limits the feed to mutual connections; and “Latest,” which restores a chronological view of posts and Reels from accounts a user follows. This adjustment seems aimed at balancing algorithm-driven discovery with the demand for greater control and transparency in how feeds are ordered.
The rollout is currently limited to a small set of users in the two markets, but Instagram has hinted at a broader expansion if the test proves successful. India and South Korea are significant test beds: India is one of Instagram’s largest markets, especially for short-form video consumption, while South Korea has a strong mobile-first user base that is quick to adopt interface changes.
These experiments come as Meta revealed that Instagram now counts more than three billion monthly active users. Short videos have been a major driver of that growth, with Reels being reshared around 4.5 billion times every day across Instagram and Facebook. By foregrounding Reels and direct messaging, Instagram is clearly prioritizing the formats that generate the most engagement and time spent in the app, while continuing to reshape how users interact with friends and discover new content.
