Instagram is rolling out a major UI refresh that reorganizes the app around what people actually use most: Reels and DMs.
The new layout moves Reels to the second tab and Direct Messages to the third, allowing users to swipe between tabs for quicker access to what Instagram calls “your favorite spaces.”
The change is currently being tested with more users, as spotted by creator economy expert Lia Haberman, and Instagram chief Adam Mosseri confirmed that it’s coming to everyone soon.
“The first tab is still Stories and Feed, Reels is the second, and DMs are third,” said Mosseri. “We’re organizing the app around what people use it for most. I know these types of changes can take time to get used to, so we’re giving people the option to try this early.”
While it’s not a dramatic redesign, it will take some getting used to, especially for those who have built muscle memory for the current layout. But this shift is part of a broader move toward video and private messaging, reflecting how people now engage on the platform. Video watch time on Instagram is up 20% year-over-year, and Reels now account for half of all time spent in the app.
So while nostalgia might favor the classic photo feed, the numbers don’t lie: Instagram is increasingly becoming a TikTok-style, video-first experience, with DMs as the new social glue. In fact, some users in India and the iPad app beta are already testing Reels as the default home feed. That may well be where the app is headed next.
For most brands, this update won’t overhaul strategy, it just confirms the trend. Reels and Stories should remain your primary focus, with grid posts serving more as portfolio content for profile visitors rather than discovery tools.
Still, as this UI rolls out more broadly, keep an eye on your content performance and traffic flow. The easier it becomes to swipe into Reels or DMs, the fewer eyeballs your traditional feed might get.