Instagram rolls out a dedicated tab for Reels in India

Instagram has replaced the Explore button with Reels on the bottom bar of the app.

Instagram Reels tab in India. (Instagram)

Instagram started testing a dedicated Reels tab on its app in India last month. The new Instagram Reels tab has now been officially rolled out to users in India. This comes shortly after Instagram launched its TikTok-like feature Reels this July in India.

The new Reels tab is placed at the bottom bar of the Instagram app. It has replaced the Explore section which is now available on top of the app just next to the Direct button. In addition to launching a Reels tab, Instagram has also removed the Reels section from Explore. When it first launched, there was a dedicated section for Reels on Explore.

In the new Reels tab, auto-play will be turned on by default and the sound as well. You can tap on the video to turn off the sound. There's also a camera icon on the top-left corner for users to make Reels from this tab itself. Users can still head to Instagram Stories to make Reels. The new Reels tab gives a more intuitive experience of this feature which is very similar to TikTok. Reels will still pop up on the user's feed and Explore as well.

It seems like Instagram is betting hard on Reels with the launch of this new tab. This is also similar to what Instagram did with IGTV where it really pushed for the product to be used and experienced by users. Instagram Reels was first launched last year in Brazil and even after its debut in India it was available in select countries. But shortly after, Instagram Reels launched in 50 countries including the US.