In the coming weeks, Instagram will be rolling out a feature that will allow anyone on the platform to take publicly shared photos and turn them into scrolls.
Reels is a Tik-Tok clone from Instagram that allows developers to create short 15-second music videos. The new feature is said to be an extension of Instagram Remixes for Reels and allows people to post reaction videos that appear alongside the original videos.
With the new feature, anyone can use images shared publicly on the platform to create new remixes and post them on Reels.
Instagram says the feature will be enabled by default for all publicly shared content, but the company will offer a way to turn it off.
Speaking to The Verge, Meta spokesperson Devi Narasimhan said the platform will offer account-wide settings, allowing people to opt out of remixes if they wish. All photos shared before the new feature goes live will automatically disable remixes, but users can enable it in settings if they wish
In addition to these changes, Instagram announced that it would be easier to build Reel from scratch using pre-built templates with pre-installed audio and video containers.
Another feature coming soon is the ability to use the front and rear cameras simultaneously. This allows you to capture your reactions and the environment you are recording at the same time, rather than sharing your reactions in posts.
Instagram also says that all video posts shared on the platform that are less than 15 minutes long are shared as scrolls. Videos posted prior to this change will remain regular videos. The Video and Scroll sections will also be combined into a single section for easier access