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.