Social Rocket
Instagram is testing an option that lets users open the app directly in the Reels feed. The classic feed does not disappear: Stories remain visible at the top, the previous feed should be reachable with a swipe, and according to the observed test, users can switch back to the normal view.
Reels could become the real starting point
Social Media Today documents the current test using screenshots from app researcher Radu Oncescu. The new setting would make Reels the first content surface after opening the app.
This is not yet a general rollout. Instagram had already tested a similar Reels-first layout 2025 in India. The new variant is mainly interesting because it apparently gives users a choice.
For brands, such a shift would be relevant: those who work heavily with static feed posts would need to watch more closely where users spend their time and which surfaces generate new reach. Our Instagram marketing guide 2026 puts the current ranking and discovery principles into context.
The classic feed remains part of navigation
After the described test, Stories remain at the top. Users can also switch to the traditional feed. Instagram is not immediately replacing its existing formats but is testing a different weighting of the start view.
For social media teams, this argues against hasty format changes. It is more sensible to measure Reels as a separate discovery surface and evaluate Feed, Stories and Reels according to their respective purposes.
Instagram is simultaneously expanding other Reels and recommendation features. Our article on Instants, Reels series and algorithm control gives an overview of recent changes.
What the test means for content planning
If Reels becomes the starting surface for more users, the importance of the first video moment grows further. Brands will then need creatives that are understandable without long context and that immediately show what they are about in the vertical feed.
This does not mean every topic has to work as a Reel, however. Profile pages, carousels and feed posts remain relevant for content that requires explanation, references and conversion paths. What matters is actual performance in your own account.
For timing, large datasets offer additional orientation. Our analysis of the best time for Instagram posts 2026 also shows why such benchmarks are only starting points for your own tests.