Facebook tests going Reels-first in India
Meta is testing a new 'Reels-first' user interface on the Facebook app in India, prioritizing full-screen video content over the traditional feed. This shift reflects the company's broader strategy to increase video engagement, particularly among younger demographics.
Why it matters
As Facebook's largest market, India serves as a critical testing ground for Meta's efforts to compete with short-form video platforms and transition its flagship app into a video-centric experience.
Meta has started testing a new Facebook UX in India that sends some users directly into full-screen video when they open the app, putting Reels front and center.
First outlined in July by Facebook head Tom Alison, the test is designed to offer a more immersive, video-forward user experience. Alison said at the time that Meta planned to begin testing it later in the year in “video-heavy countries” outside the U.S., though he didn’t specify where. The company would explore bringing the user experience to the U.S. next year, he said.
Users included in the test can opt out and return to a Feed-first experience, Meta said. The classic feed will remain available as a second tab on the Facebook app.
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