Meta is expanding a test of a Reels-first Facebook feed in India. As reported by TechCrunch, some Facebook users there now see a new experience that opens directly to recommended Reels instead of the traditional News Feed. It mirrors Meta’s experiment with a Reels-default option on Instagram, but it is an even bigger departure for Facebook.
Some users in India see a pop-up telling them that Reels are now front and center when they open the app. They are then taken straight to their recommended Reels feed, with the traditional News Feed available in a new tab. For the Instagram version of this idea, see Instagram Tests an Option to Open the App to Reels — What It Means When Reels Take Over Half of App Time.
Meta flagged a Reels-first Facebook test in July as part of a broader overview of upcoming changes, saying it planned to bring the experience to U.S. users next year. Some users in India have had it for months; Meta now appears to be widening the trial to see whether a focused video display drives more engagement.
Meta has reported that 60% of all time spent on Facebook and Instagram is driven by video, and more than 3.5 billion Reels are shared across the two apps every day. At that scale, opening the app on Reels is a logical lever for engagement and retention.
If Reels-first rolls out widely, text, link and image posts may be pushed into a secondary tab with less exposure. Increase the share of Reels in your Facebook page plan and start converting evergreen image content into short video.
With a U.S. launch expected next year, now is the time to test Reels formats, lengths and hooks and build a performance baseline. For the bigger picture, read Building a Brand on Facebook in 2026: Reels Revived a 3-Billion-User Platform.
A new experience where the app opens to the recommended Reels feed instead of News Feed, which moves to a separate tab.
With some users in India, and the test is expanding. Meta has said it plans to bring it to U.S. users next year.
Meta says 60% of time spent on Facebook and Instagram is driven by video, and over 3.5 billion Reels are shared across the apps daily.
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