Instagram has launched its TikTok competing feature “Reels” in over 50 countries.
This includes the UK, US and Australia, where users of the photo sharing app can now use it to create short-form videos set to music.
Reels is avaliable on both iOS and Android. It lets you record short 15-second videos set to audio. They can then be shared on the platform with the idea that they may go viral. This is similar to TikTok as it gives users easy ways to make creative videos.
The plan is for Reels to be shared on Instagram Stories as well as more permanently on feeds.
Instagram’s Explore page now has a section at the top just for Reels, which you can vertically scroll through like TikTok. Those with private accounts will only have their Reels videos posted to their Feed and Stories, not the Explore page.
Instagram’s widespread Reel’s launch comes as TikTok faces being banned in the US if it’s not acquired by Microsoft. President Donald Trump is considering a clamp down on the Chinese app over national security concerns.
Meanwhile, TikTok owner ByteDance has accused Facebook, which owns Instagram, of plagiarism.
Instagram has disputed this. This isn’t the first time that Instagram has appeared to copy a feature from a different app. Snapchat fans accused the photo sharing app of taking the Stories concept from Snap.
If you want to use Reels right now it’s very easy. Make sure you’ve updated your Instagram app. Reels can be accessed via the Instagram Stories camera. Click the icon and then swipe at the bottom of the screen until you land on Reels.
Here you can select audio and effects as well as changing the speed and setting a timer.
The timer determines how long the video will be. You can record and upload straight to your Stories or upload a pre-recorded video from your camera roll. You’ll also be given the option to share to your Feed and the Explore page. Add a caption and effects or re-record a video if you’re not happy with the end result.
In other news, President Donald Trump has called TikTok a “hot brand” as Microsoft considers buying out the Chinese app.
Snapchat is set to introduce a TikTok-style feature that will let you add popular music to your recorded videos. And, Netflix has added new controls that let users speed up or slow down the pace of their favourite shows.
Do you prefer Instagram or TikTok? Let us know in the comments.
