Move over Netflix $NFLX ( ▼ 0.87% ). Meta $META ( ▲ 1.94% ) is officially bringing Instagram Reels to the living room. On Tuesday, the company unveiled its first dedicated Instagram TV app, designed specifically for watching short-form videos on big screens. The app launches first on Amazon Fire TV, with plans to roll out to other TV platforms later.
Yes, the endless scroll is coming to your couch.
Short-form video goes full living room
Instagram’s new TV app lets users log in and watch Reels on their television, complete with personalized recommendations. Instead of endlessly swiping, videos are organized into themed channels like comedy, sports, and lifestyle. Think TikTok meets cable TV, minus the remote surfing.
This move puts Instagram in more direct competition not just with TikTok and YouTube, but with traditional streaming platforms too. YouTube already dominates TV screen time, largely driven by user-generated content rather than Hollywood-style shows. Meta clearly wants a piece of that same attention.
Why Meta cares about your TV screen
The shift reflects a broader reality in media consumption. Social video is no longer confined to phones. People are increasingly watching creator content on TVs, whether it’s YouTube compilations, podcasts with video, or short clips autoplaying in the background.
Instagram chief Adam Mosseri hinted at this move earlier this year, saying that if users are consuming social media on TV, Instagram needs to be there too. Internally, Reels has become one of Meta’s biggest priorities, with tests that sometimes open Instagram directly into the Reels feed instead of the traditional photo grid.
The bigger streaming chess match
This also lands amid growing pressure on traditional streamers. Netflix has argued it needs scale, even floating the idea of acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery $WBD ( ▼ 2.52% ) , partly to compete with platforms like YouTube that dominate TV viewing without relying on premium scripted content.
Instagram’s TV app signals that Meta sees social video as a direct competitor to streaming, not just a complement. If people are already watching short clips on their televisions, Meta wants to make sure they’re watching Reels instead of reruns.
Your phone started the scroll. Your TV might finish it.