Instagram Tests Feature for Previewing Reels & Carousels

Radu Oncescu / Instagram

Instagram is testing a feature that lets users preview their content as either a Video (Reel) or a Carousel. After selecting photos and videos, users can toggle between tabs to see how their content looks in each format.

According to the feature notification, Carousels, like Reels, can be suggested to anyone.

Why It Matters: This allows creators to view their content in both formats and choose the one that best showcases their material—whether combining photos and videos into a stitched-together video or displaying them in a carousel with separate frames.

Recent Instagram updates, such as text tools for Carousels and the "Create Reel from Post" option, along with Carousels appearing in the Reels tab, suggest that Instagram views these formats interchangeably. This makes sense given that the formats possess similar capabilities, such as being great for visual storytelling, often consisting of multimedia, and having high engagement.

Incorporating Carousels more into recommended experiences, particularly in the Reels tab, could provide a TikTok-like experience where short-form videos and Carousels are discoverable within a single feed.