Instagram Shakes Up Interface: Reels Take Center Stage, DMs Elevated as Testing Begins in India and South Korea

Instagram unveils a revamped user interface for its app, prioritizing the Reels page as the initial screen in India and South Korea. This update mirrors the design introduced during the launch of its first iPad application earlier this month.

In the updated layout, Stories retain their top position, while the Direct Message (DM) button shifts to the navigation bar’s center. The Reels tab now takes the second spot, allowing users to swiftly navigate between tabs via swipes.

The ‘Following’ tab, situated adjacent to Reels, offers three feed options: “All” for recommended posts and reels from accounts you follow; “Friends” for content from mutual connections; and “Latest” featuring the most recent posts and reels.

Instagram has announced that this redesign is being tested among a limited audience, with plans to roll out this update globally in the future.

Last week, Meta highlighted Instagram’s milestone of 3 billion monthly users. On Monday, the company revealed that much of its growth can be attributed to short videos, which are shared across its platforms an astounding 4.5 billion times. As a result, Reels and Direct Messages have been given increased prominence in the app’s user interface.