Instagram for TV Gets Bigger with New Ways to Watch Together

Takeaways​

• Instagram for TV will now be available on Samsung TV, so even more people can catch up on their favorite content on a bigger screen.
• We’re testing new features like channels organized around your interests, casting Reels and stories from your phone, and more to make discovering and sharing easier.
• We’re also exploring new formats, like episodic series and Live on TV, which we aim to roll out soon.

Today, we’re expanding Instagram for TV to Samsung TVs across the US and testing new features that help people connect around what they’re watching. Whether you’re catching up on your favorite creators, laughing at reels with friends, or discovering something new with family, Instagram for TV makes it easier to enjoy the videos you love on the biggest screen in the home.

Since launching last year, we’ve been learning what makes Instagram feel uniquely at home on TV. As we continue to build, we’re focused on making it easier for people to discover videos together, pick up where they left off, and share the experience with others in the room.

Now​

Starting today, Instagram for TV is available on Samsung Smart TVs in the US, including 2020 model year TVs and newer. Combined with Amazon Fire TV and Google TV, Instagram is now available across the majority of connected TV devices in the US.

Built​

We’ve heard from our community that Instagram for TV is often a shared experience. Friends and family watch together, pass the remote, and swap recommendations in real time. That’s why the features we’re testing today are designed to make discovering, sharing, and enjoying Instagram easier with the people around you.

• Channels organized around your interests. Instead of debating what to watch, channels make it easier to find videos everyone in the room can enjoy together, whether that’s comedy, sports, or your favorite creators.
• Cast Reels from your phone. Found something worth sharing? Send Reels directly from your phone to your TV in just a few taps. Casting is available today on Google TV and Fire TV, including videos from your Saved tab, making it easier to bring your favorite finds to the group.
• Stories on the big screen. Catch up on what friends and creators are sharing without crowding around a phone.
• Horizontal video. You asked, we listened. We’re testing a dedicated home for horizontal videos, giving creators more ways to reach audiences and making it easier to enjoy content designed for the TV screen.

Exploring​

Watching on TV is different from watching on a phone. As we continue to learn from our community, we’re exploring more formats built for the living room and aim to start rolling them out soon.

Here are some of the formats we’re exploring:

• Longer-form creator content that enables creators to tell deeper stories and build stronger connections with their audiences through longer-form video on TV.
• Episodic series that unfold across multiple episodes, building on viewing behaviors we’ve already seen on Instagram mobile app.
• Live on TV, which brings live creator experiences to the big screen and creates new opportunities for people to watch and participate together in real time.

Building​

Creators are helping shape the future of Instagram for TV. As we explore longer-form, episodic, and live formats, we’re working closely with creators to understand what works best on TV and how these experiences can complement the ways people already use Instagram.

Instagram for TV has evolved significantly since we first began testing, but we’re still in the early stages of understanding what social video looks like on TV. We’ll continue learning from our community and building new ways for people to connect around the content they love.