Instagram Tests New Layout That Puts The Spotlight On Reels And DMs Instagram is experimenting with a significant redesign of its main navigation bar, placing a greater emphasis on two of its most popular features: Reels and direct messaging. The head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, announced the test, revealing that a select group of users will be able to opt-in to try the new layout. The current menu bar at the bottom of the Instagram app features tabs for your feed, search, creating a new post, Reels, and your profile. The proposed redesign makes substantial changes to this familiar arrangement. It swaps the positions of the search and Reels tabs and, more notably, replaces the dedicated tab for creating a new post with a new tab for accessing direct messages, or DMs. This test version also introduces the ability to swipe between the different tabs. In his announcement, Mosseri acknowledged that such fundamental changes to the app’s interface can be disruptive for users and take time to get used to. This is precisely why the new layout is currently an optional test for now. Users who are selected for the test can choose whether to enable the new menu bar or stick with the current version. This move is not entirely unexpected. Recent developments and statements from Meta, Instagram’s parent company, have signaled a shift in this direction. The recently launched Instagram app for iPad defaults to the Reels tab upon opening. Furthermore, company executives have publicly stated their intention to prioritize messaging and short-form video content going forward. This is not the first time Meta has tested this concept. A similar tab redesign was trialed with users in India earlier in October. In that test, the Reels tab was the first and default tab, with the direct messages tab placed second in the navigation bar. At that time, Mosseri explained the rationale, stating that Reels and DMs have been the primary drivers of growth for Instagram in recent years, making them logical candidates for the most prominent spots in the app. This ongoing evolution of Instagram’s design reflects a broader shift in how people use the platform and social media in general. For users who joined when Instagram was primarily a photo-sharing app, this continued drift away from its original purpose can be jarring. However, the changes are a direct response to larger social media trends. As public posting has become more professionalized and often tailored for creator and brand audiences, private sharing and communication have surged in popularity. The modern Instagram experience, according to Meta, is increasingly about discovering content from a wide range of accounts and then discussing that content privately with friends through direct messages. The proposed new layout, with its prominent tabs for Reels and DMs, is simply a more accurate reflection of this contemporary user behavior, placing the features people use most front and center.
