Meta is testing a new Reels-first experience on Facebook in India, putting short-form video at the centre of the app’s opening screen. Under the trial, selected users are taken directly to a full-screen Reels feed when they launch Facebook instead of the traditional News Feed.
The experiment marks a significant shift for Facebook, which has historically opened with a broader feed featuring posts, photos, links, groups and videos. Meta is now testing whether a video-led interface can encourage users to spend more time watching content.
The change does not remove Facebook’s conventional Feed. Users included in the test can access it through a separate tab and can also opt out of the Reels-first experience, according to Meta.
The company first outlined plans for the experiment in July. Facebook head Tom Alison said Meta intended to test the experience in markets where video consumption is particularly strong. The company is also considering bringing the experience to the US next year.
Meta said, “In June, at least 97% of surveyed Indian users watch video on its platforms daily. Among Gen Z users, 89% said they use Reels every day. Meta described Reels as increasingly becoming India’s personal and primary screen.”
The company’s research also found that daily video engagement remains high outside major cities. Meta reported daily engagement of 98% in urban areas and 94% in rural India, highlighting the scale of video consumption across the country.
The latest test builds on Meta’s broader effort to make video central to Facebook. In 2025, the company announced that all new videos uploaded to Facebook would be shared as Reels, regardless of their length or format. It also renamed Facebook’s Video tab as the Reels tab.
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