Instagram is testing another step toward making Reels the center of the app. Screenshots shared by app researcher Radu Oncescu show an option that lets users open Instagram to the Reels feed instead of the traditional post feed. Notably, it is an opt-in choice rather than a new default.
According to the in-app explainer, Stories still appear at the top of the home screen, with the Reels feed below. Users can swipe across to the traditional feed and switch back to the regular experience at any time. Instagram tested the same format in India last year, where the Stories bar sat above the Reels feed and an icon in the top right opened the classic feed.
The numbers explain the move. More than 50% of time spent in the app now goes to Reels, and all of the platform’s engagement gains have come from Reels. For some users, opening straight to Reels may feel natural. It also moves Instagram further from its photo-first roots, which could prompt backlash; that is likely why Meta is offering it as an option. If many users switch and Reels engagement rises, it could become the default for everyone.
If Reels becomes the first screen, feed posts and Stories alone will reach fewer new people. Check how much of your monthly content plan is Reels, and make sure key messages can also be delivered as short vertical video.
In a Reels-first feed, the opening frame decides whether people stop scrolling. Original content created for Instagram generally performs better than clips repurposed from other apps.
The feature is still a test, so there is no need to overhaul your strategy today, but the direction is clear. If your reporting still centers on feed photo metrics, it is time to elevate Reels reach and watch-time retention to core KPIs. For how Reels get distributed, read Instagram Algorithm Explained by Mosseri: Four Principles and Posting Tips for Creators, and for another interface test underway, see Instagram Tests a Read-Only Mode for Profiles — View Without Liking, Following or Messaging.
An opt-in setting that makes the Reels feed the first screen when you open the app. Stories stay at the top, and the classic feed is a swipe away.
Not yet. It is a test and an optional setting, though it could become the default if adoption and Reels engagement grow.
Increase the share of Reels in the content plan, focus on strong openings and original video, and track Reels reach and retention as core KPIs.
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