Instagram is testing a revised application layout in India where the Reels feature becomes the primary home tab. According to Instagram head Adam Mosseri, the company is exploring this change because Reels and Direct Messages have been key drivers of platform growth over the past few years.
The opt-in test, currently running in India, repositions Reels and DMs as the first two tabs on the app’s interface. A video posted by Mosseri demonstrates how the new home tab functions. It initially displays a horizontal list of Stories at the top of the screen. As a user begins to scroll, the layout shifts into a full-screen, scrollable video feed characteristic of the existing Reels tab. Mosseri confirmed that photos from accounts a user follows will still be present in this revised home tab, but the demonstration video did not show how they are integrated into the feed.
This experiment follows a similar design shift implemented in Instagram’s recently launched iPad application. The iPad version of the app opens directly into the Reels feed from its home tab. In its announcement, parent company Meta explained that this design was chosen “to reflect how people use bigger screens today – for lean back entertainment.” The new mobile test suggests a broader strategy beyond just tablet devices, indicating a potential shift for the main app.
The trial in the Indian market shows that Instagram is evaluating a more prominent placement for Reels within its core mobile application. This consideration expands upon the “lean back entertainment” model already established on its platform for larger screens, potentially integrating it more deeply into the primary mobile user experience for all users, not just those on tablets.
