Instagram is trying out one of its biggest changes to the way the app looks so far. The new layout puts Reels and direct messages (DMs) front and center in the user experience. This big change, which is being tested in India and South Korea right now, is a sign that the company is going to focus on the platform’s most popular features.
When users in the test group open the app, they are greeted by a full-screen, immersive Reels feed. The Stories bar is still at the top, but a simple scroll takes the user to a never-ending stream of vertical video content, which is similar to the design that made TikTok famous.
This change comes after the release of Instagram’s iPad app, which already defaults to a Reels-first experience. This suggests that parent company Meta has a bigger, long-term plan to make the app more in line with how people consume content these days, which is often called “lean back entertainment.”
The app’s navigation bar is getting a big change, in addition to the homepage that focuses on Reels. The DM icon, which used to be in the top-right corner, has been moved to a more visible spot in the bottom navigation bar.
Now, conversations are only a swipe away from anywhere in the app. This change in the position of DMs could make messaging more popular, which would make it an even more important way to communicate on the platform.
Along with these changes comes a new “Following” tab that lets users see content from the accounts they follow in a number of ways. You can see all the recommended posts and Reels in this tab, as well as content from friends who follow you back. The “Latest” view shows you the newest content first, in order of when it was posted.
Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, has publicly explained why this big change happened. He said that Reels and DMs are what has helped Instagram grow the most recently, with the platform now having more than 3 billion monthly users. “Reels and DMs have been the main drivers of our growth at Instagram over the past few years, so we’re thinking about making them the first two tabs,” he said. This redesign is a direct response to how people use the site. It makes the most popular features easier to find in an effort to compete with TikTok and YouTube Shorts.
This new app outlook may enhance visibility and engagement for creators specializing in video content. On the other hand, people who rely on still photography may find that their work is less visible, which raises questions about the future of different types of content on the platform. The test is only available in certain areas right now, but the company plans to make this new interface available to everyone in the future.
