In the dizzying arms race of social media, Instagram is reportedly considering an important move to gain an advantage: spinning off its short-form video feature, Reels, into a standalone app.

Instagram appears to be quietly testing locked reels that viewers would have to unlock with a code and a provided hint. The feature is a simple way to increase engagement with the creator’s content, ...

More than half of all ads on Meta's Instagram ran in the service's short-form video product Reels in 2025, up from 35% in 2024, according to data from market intelligence firm Sensor Tower. The shift ...