Meta tests making video feeds the first thing users see on Facebook and Instagram
Meta is testing a redesign of Instagram and Facebook that would make full-screen video feeds the primary experience when users open the apps, effectively replicating TikTok's format. This represents a significant strategic shift as Meta seeks to compete with TikTok's dominance and boost user engagement through video-focused design.
Tests are currently running in India and several unspecified countries, with potential US expansion in 2027. Facebook would drop users directly into an immersive full-screen video feed, whilst Instagram's test makes Reels the first thing users see upon opening the app, with sound enabled by default. Notably, whilst 81 per cent of US Instagram users watch Reels, only 39 per cent report actually posting videos, highlighting a growing divide between consumption and creation on the platform.
- Meta tests full-screen video feeds on Instagram and Facebook, mirroring TikTok's design.
- Tests currently run in India and other countries; US expansion possible in 2027.
- Only 39 per cent of Instagram users post Reels despite watching them widely.
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TikTok is a social media platform built around short-form videos that play in full-screen as users scroll through an endless feed. The app has become very popular, especially among younger users, by prioritising video discovery and playback above all other content types. Its growth has made it one of the most widely-used social media platforms globally.
Meta owns both Facebook and Instagram, two social media platforms that currently mix different types of content when users open them, including photos, text posts, and videos. TikTok's popularity has prompted Meta to consider redesigning its flagship apps to compete by prioritising video in the same way. Rather than presenting a mixed feed, Meta is testing versions where users would encounter full-screen video feeds first.
How a social media app presents content shapes what users see and what creators prioritise producing. If Meta proceeds with these redesigns, it would represent a significant strategic shift for two of the world's largest social platforms. Such changes can have major effects on user behaviour and on what content gets consumed and shared online.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Meta faces genuine competition from TikTok's superior engagement model, and data shows 81 per cent of Instagram users already consume Reels regularly. By designing the interface around what users demonstrably engage with, Meta can compete more effectively whilst improving the platform's appeal to both viewers and creators. This represents rational market adaptation to consumer behaviour and competitive necessity.
The case against
A mandatory full-screen video feed eliminates user choice and platform diversity. The fact that 81 per cent watch but only 39 per cent post Reels reveals many users prefer mixed-media experiences, photo sharing, and traditional feeds. Forcing everyone into a TikTok-like format prioritises engagement metrics and algorithmic addiction over respecting different user needs and preferences, potentially exacerbating documented mental health concerns.
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Originally published by The Verge as “Are you ready for you ready for everything to look like TikTok?”.