Instagram is testing a new update that will turn all uploaded video content into Reels. Instagram immediately confirmed the news and said that the change is a plan to simplify video content on its platform.
"We're testing this feature as part of our efforts to simplify and improve the video experience on Instagram," a Meta spokesperson said, as quoted by TechCrunch on Saturday (2/7/2022).
Social media consultant Matt Navarra shared some screenshots proving this trial is underway. Instagram users who participate in this trial will receive a message in the app saying that the videos they uploaded will be shared as Reels.
The message indicates that if a user has a public account and they upload a video to be converted into Reels, anyone can find the video and use the audio to put it into their custom Reels. If the user has a private account, videos uploaded as Reels will only be viewable by their followers.
Instagram is now making EVERY video a Reel
h/t @ChristinaSBG pic.twitter.com/YLRDhT1nw0
- Matt Navarra (@MattNavarra) June 30, 2022
The message also says that anyone can create remix content with user -uploaded Reels if their account is public. But users can prohibit others from remixing their Reels content through the settings.
Like other trials, it's not yet known if Instagram will roll out this new feature more widely. The trial currently only involves a limited number of users worldwide.
In addition, this change will also have some challenges. For example, if a user uploads a horizontal video or box how Instagram will display it in a vertical Reels format.
Chances are there are two, the horizontal video will still be displayed horizontally but with bars at the top and bottom like a letterbox, or the horizontal video will lengthen to be vertical.
Instagram itself has not revealed how these changes will affect horizontal video content and content already on its platform. It is also unknown whether after this change users will still be able to upload videos up to 10 minutes long.
