Meta to Bring Instagram Reels to Your TV Screen
Instagram is expanding beyond phones. This week, Meta began testing a new app built for TV screens. It is called Instagram for TV, and it brings Reels to select Amazon Fire TV devices in the US.
What is Instagram for TV?
The app is built for lean-back viewing, closer to how people already use YouTube on smart TVs. You download it from the Amazon Appstore, sign in, and start watching.
Instagram for TV focuses only on Reels.
- No photo feed
- No Stories
- No direct messages
Meta says this is an early test and plans to expand to more devices and countries in the future. That means it could eventually show up on other smart TV platforms (like Samsung, LG, Roku, or Android TV), but no official launch dates or availability beyond Fire TV have been announced yet.
The app supports up to five accounts on a single device, with each account getting its own recommendations based on watch history. This helps keep feeds separate for different people in the same household. Navigation is handled with a remote, letting users search for creators, browse Reel-focused profiles, like videos, and read comments directly on the TV screen. If preferred, users can also create a TV-only account that is not linked to their main Instagram profile.
Why Meta is doing this now
This launch replaces earlier TV efforts that did not work out. IGTV, which focused on longer videos, shut down in 2022 after low engagement. Reels are now the center of Instagram’s video strategy. Bringing them to TV is a way to compete for attention in a space long dominated by YouTube and streaming apps.
Meta is testing whether short-form video works in a shared, lean-back setting or if it still feels better on mobile screens.
Safety and content limits
Instagram for TV is designed for shared spaces, so content follows a PG-13 style standard. Teen accounts carry over the same safeguards from the mobile app.
- Time spent on TV counts toward daily limits
- Content restrictions remain in place
- Teens receive the same reminders tied to usage and sleep mode
Availability and what comes next
Right now, Instagram for TV is available only in the US on select Amazon Fire TV devices. Meta says expansion to other devices and countries will depend on how people use it.
Future features under consideration include phone-based remote control, shared feeds with friends, and easier ways to follow creators in one place.