Meta Tests Full-Screen Reels as Default Feed on Facebook and Instagram
Meta is testing a new experience in India and Romania that drops users directly into an immersive full-screen video feed upon opening Facebook and Instagram.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Meta is testing full-screen video feeds upon opening Facebook and Instagram.
- The tests are currently spotted in India for Facebook and Romania for Instagram.
- Meta spokesperson confirms users can switch back to the original layout.
- Time spent watching videos on Facebook increased by 9% globally and 10% in the US and Canada.
Ever since TikTok burst into mainstream consciousness, a wave of platforms has introduced features emulating its success, including YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, Snapchat Spotlight, Netflix's Clips, and LinkedIn's vertical video feed, alongside alternative apps like Triller, Zynn, and Byte.
For several years, Meta has aggressively pushed video content into users' feeds to chase TikTok's momentum. The latest tests observed abroad suggest that the TikTok-ification of social media platforms may finally be reaching its most comprehensive form yet.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
TechCrunch reported that select users in India are participating in a Facebook test that drops them immediately into an immersive, full-screen video feed upon opening the application. Meta hinted that this experience would roll out to video-heavy countries first, with a potential expansion to the United States slated for 2027. Meanwhile, Romania-based app researcher Radu Oncescu spotted an option on Instagram allowing Reels to serve as the default view when launching the app, while Instagram Stories remain positioned at the top of the feed.
Meta spokesperson Devi Narasimhan confirmed to The Verge that the Instagram test is live in a handful of countries without specifying which ones. Narasimhan noted that users retain the ability to switch back to the traditional layout, and audio on Reels unmutes automatically once a user swipes or clicks into a video.
Meta's experimental push toward making video feeds the default entry point highlights an aggressive strategy to maximize user engagement amid shifting consumption habits. While these interface changes often face initial resistance, the underlying metrics demonstrate that short-form video remains the dominant priority for major tech platforms looking to retain user attention.
While there is no guarantee that Instagram and Facebook will ultimately adopt the full TikTok aesthetic permanently, the company's trajectory heavily favors video content. During a recent earnings call where Meta's text-based platform Threads—boasting half a billion monthly users—received minimal attention, the company heavily emphasized metrics such as a 9% global increase in time spent watching videos on Facebook, alongside a 10% increase in the US and Canada, alongside improved ranking models for Reels.
"The Instagram test is live in a handful of countries, but didn’t specify which."
Devi Narasimhan
The pivot toward video has systematically reshaped industries dependent on social distribution, transforming podcasts into clips and television shows into microdramas. Yet, Morning Consult polling reveals a stark disparity: while 81% of US respondents reported watching an Instagram Reel, only 39% stated they had actually posted one, highlighting a growing trend where online audiences lean predominantly toward passive consumption rather than active creation.
Source: The Verge
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