.png){kind=logo}
Meta is reportedly testing a new Reels-first experience for Facebook in India, changing the way selected users see the platform when they open the app. Instead of the traditional Feed, some users are being taken directly to a full-screen video experience.
The test is part of Meta’s broader push to make video a more central part of Facebook. The classic Feed will continue to remain available through a separate tab, while users taking part in the test can reportedly switch back to a Feed-first experience.
According to a TechCrunch report, Facebook is currently testing the new experience in India. Facebook head Tom Alison first outlined the move in July, saying Meta planned to test the redesigned experience in countries where video consumption is particularly high outside the US.
Under the new interface, video becomes the starting point instead of the traditional combination of text, images, and videos. Selected users will reportedly have the option to opt out and return to the Feed-first experience. The existing Feed will also remain accessible as a separate tab within the app.
Meta has previously used India to test changes to its short-form video experience. In 2020, Instagram tested a dedicated Reels tab in India after TikTok was banned in the country. Last year, the company also rolled out a Reels-first experience to a limited number of Instagram users in India and South Korea. That experience similarly opened the app to the video feed rather than the traditional Feed.
Also Read: Facebook Tests Reels-First Experience in India as Meta Doubles Down on Video
India is particularly important to Meta’s video strategy because of its large user base. Citing Meta’s advertising tools, the report said Facebook has more than 400 million users in India, making the country Meta’s largest market by user numbers.
The Facebook test also follows Meta’s broader shift towards video across its platforms. The company has been increasingly positioning Reels as a key part of how users discover and consume content.
For now, the Reels-first Facebook interface remains limited to testing. Meta has not indicated that the new experience will replace the traditional Feed for all users. The test will allow the company to assess how users respond to a Facebook experience built around full-screen video.
