In a move to bring short-form video into the living room, Meta has officially launched Instagram for TV, a dedicated app for watching Reels on television screens.
Announced and rolled out on December 16, 2025, the pilot is currently available exclusively in the U.S. on select Amazon Fire TV devices, marking Instagram's first native push into connected TV experiences.
The app transforms solitary mobile scrolling into a shared, lean-back viewing activity — perfect for families or friends gathering on the couch. Reels play automatically with sound, organized into personalized channels based on interests like comedy, music, sports, travel, and trending topics.
Users can search for creators, explore profiles, like videos, view comments, and re-share content directly from the TV interface.
Key features include support for up to five Instagram accounts per device, allowing household members to switch profiles for tailored recommendations without mixing algorithms. You can even create a dedicated TV-only account. Personalization pulls from your mobile Instagram activity, ensuring the feed feels familiar yet optimized for the larger screen.
Designed with family viewing in mind, the app enforces strict content guidelines: Reels generally adhere to a PG-13 rating syste (introduced on mobile earlier in 2025), filtering out mature themes like drugs, alcohol, or sexualized content.
For teen accounts, it mirrors mobile safeguards, including time limits and restricted interactions — watching on TV counts toward any daily caps.
This is still an early test, and Meta emphasizes that the user experience will evolve based on feedback. Future updates may include using your phone as a remote, shared feeds blending friends' interests (similar to Instagram's Blend feature), and more intuitive channel navigation.
The launch partners with Amazon, available on devices like the Fire TV Stick HD, 4K Plus, 4K Max (1st and 2nd Gen), and Fire TV 2-Series, 4-Series, and Omni QLED Series. No ads yet — Meta is prioritizing a seamless experience before exploring monetization.
While competition in the CTV space is fierce (YouTube dominates with Shorts integration, and TikTok had a short-lived TV app), this positions Reels — now accounting for over half of Instagram time spent — as a serious contender for living-room entertainment. Expansion to more devices and countries is planned for 2026.
If you're in the U.S. with a compatible Fire TV, download "Instagram for TV" from the Amazon Appstore and start binge-watching—vertically formatted Reels on your horizontal screen, family-approved.
Also read:
- YouTube's 2025 Culture & Trends Report: Creators Go Global, IRL, and Unfiltered
- Meta’s Reels Revenue Hits $50 Billion Annually: A Stark Divide for Creators
- Reels Continue to Dominate: Time Spent Surges to 45% as Ad Revenue Matches Growth
Author: Slava Vasipenok
Founder and CEO of QUASA (quasa.io) - Daily insights on Web3, AI, Crypto, and Freelance. Stay updated on finance, technology trends, and creator tools - with sources and real value.
Innovative entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in IT, fintech, and blockchain. Specializes in decentralized solutions for freelancing, helping to overcome the barriers of traditional finance, especially in developing regions.
