Instagram is testing a change that would give Reels their own dedicated tab on user profiles, separate from the main grid. The test is limited to select users in select markets, and Meta has not announced a broad rollout.
What has been confirmed
Users in the test group see a Reels tab alongside the existing Posts and Tagged tabs on their own profile page. Tapping it shows only Reels content, without the grid of static images. The change affects the profile view, not the main feed or the Reels feed.
Meta has acknowledged the test through its official channels but has described it as a limited experiment with no timeline for wider availability.
What this would mean if it rolls out
For creators who focus on short video, a dedicated Reels tab would make their content more discoverable on their own profile. Right now, someone visiting a creator’s profile sees a grid dominated by static posts even if the creator posts mostly Reels. A separate tab changes that first impression.
For photographers and visual artists who use Instagram as a portfolio, the change is neutral to positive: the main grid would remain a clean showcase of their best still work, while video content gets its own space.
The risk is for creators whose engagement depends on profile visitors seeing a mixed feed. If a visitor lands on the grid and never taps the Reels tab, the Reels content effectively does not exist for that visitor.
What is not confirmed
There is no evidence yet that the test affects the algorithm, changes how Reels are distributed in the main feed, or comes with new analytics. There is no confirmation that it will roll out beyond the test group.
Treat any claim that this is "the end of the static feed" or that "Instagram is becoming TikTok" as interpretation, not fact. The test is a profile layout change, not a platform-wide format shift.
What creators should do now
- Do not change your posting strategy based on a limited test. Wait for a broader announcement before rethinking how you use the platform.
- Check whether you are in the test group. If you see the Reels tab on your own profile, you are. If not, you are not.
- Make your grid work as a portfolio. Regardless of whether the tab rolls out, a profile grid that clearly communicates what you do is more useful than a mixed feed that communicates nothing.
For more on Instagram’s direction, see our coverage of LinkedIn’s AI profile summaries and Facebook’s Your algorithm feature.
Sources
- Meta, official Instagram blog and press channels: https://about.instagram.com/
- The Verge, Instagram feature testing coverage: https://www.theverge.com/
