Instagram Introduces Its New Feature Called “Reels”

“Introducing a new way to create and discover short, entertaining videos on Instagram.”

Instagram just released their latest feature called “Reels,” which allow users to create short-form videos set to music.

Reels, now available in more than 50 countries and on both iOS and Android, let users create 15-second videos that live in the app and can be shared either publicly or privately to followers. People can add popular music and an array of filters and effects on top of them. Instagram also revamped its Explore page, where users can now discover new Reels and content creators in the new space. “Reels lets you express yourself and entertain people, whether you’re showing off a new skill or making a funny video the world deserves to see⁣,” Instagram said in a recent post.

This new update comes as the popular app TikTok faces a potential ban in the United States by President Donald Trump. Although Reels is still a new addition to the platform, Instagram has already been accused of plagiarizing TikTok. But Instagram’s product director Robby Stein clarified that while TikTok popularized the short video format, the two products are very different. In a recent statement, Stein said, “I think TikTok deserves a ton of credit for popularizing formats in this space, and it’s just great work. But at the end of the day, no two products are exactly alike, and ours are not either.” Instagram also faced similar feedback when they first launched Stories back in 2016, but Instagram Stories quickly surpassed its competitor Snapchat, which makes them confident that Reels will be a success.

TikTok might’ve done it first, but it’s only a matter of time to see if Instagram can do it better. In the meantime, you can now view tips on how to use Reels down below or read more about it here.

Discover More