Meta Has Tested Full-Screen Video Feeds
Meta is trialing immersive video interfaces on Facebook and Instagram to boost content consumption.
Updated on Oct. 9, 2026 in Internet
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Meta has initiated tests for full-screen, immersive video feeds on Facebook in India and is experimenting with a Reels-focused default view on Instagram across several countries. These updates aim to prioritize video content, which has already seen a significant global uptick in user engagement.
Why it matters
The shift toward immersive, video-first interfaces reflects Meta's strategy to capture more user attention by prioritizing video consumption over traditional post feeds. This structural change aligns with rising trends in how audiences interact with social platforms.
Global time spent watching Facebook videos grew by 9 percent, with an even higher 10 percent increase recorded in the US and Canada. Meanwhile, Threads has reached a milestone of 500 million monthly users.
The players
Meta
Meta is a technology conglomerate that owns Facebook, Instagram, and Threads.
Facebook is a social media platform owned by Meta that is currently testing full-screen video feeds in India.
Instagram is a photo and video sharing platform owned by Meta that is testing Reels as its default interface.
Threads
Threads is a text-based conversation app developed by Meta that has reached 500 million monthly users.
The details
The Facebook test places users into an immersive video interface immediately upon opening the app, while Instagram users in the test group see Reels by default. Despite these changes, Instagram users maintain the ability to swipe to access their traditional feed of followed accounts.
Timeline
Tests were active as of October 2026.
Potential US expansion of these full-screen video features may occur in 2027.
The Tech Race
This pivot reflects a major industry trend where platforms prioritize vertical, full-screen video over traditional social feeds to capture user attention. It marks a clear departure from the legacy post-based social media model that defined earlier versions of these apps.
Users in test markets will find their app experience dominated by video content, though Instagram users can still navigate to their traditional feed. These changes may alter daily app usage habits by shifting how content is discovered and prioritized on the home screen.
The takeaway
Meta continues to lean heavily into video to keep pace with changing user habits and engagement trends. Readers should expect potential interface adjustments as the company refines its video-first experience for wider release.
Further reading
Learn more about the evolving nature of social media platforms in our Internet section.
Live Poll
Do you prefer using social media platforms that focus primarily on short-form video content?
