Instagram is Testing a Full Screen Feed — Here's What You Have to Know

Instagram's full-screen feed is here to keep up with TikTok.

There is a new full-screen version of the Instagram feed that is currently being tested. If it gets released, it will make scrolling through posts resemble TikTok in both appearance and operation.

Last month, the app started testing a version of a full-screen feed; but, during that test feed, individual postings did not truly take up the entirety of the screen within the app. However, in the most recent version that Mark Zuckerberg has made public, posts now scroll all the way to the top of the screen, just like they do on the app TikTok.

When this feature was added, the keyboard shortcuts were also changed to make it easier for users to get to their inbox and make new posts.

Instagram's Test Feature

Instagram's latest feature test is the company's most recent attempt to compete with TikTok, a test that has been made available to a select group of users only.

The Verge stated that for the users who are part of the testing for the new feature, they will be able to see videos almost entirely full screen as you scroll through their feed. The navigation bar will still appear underneath them.

At the bottom of the screen, users will see the video description as well as icons that allow them to love or comment on the video. Floating over the top of the screen, users will see the Instagram logo, as well as buttons for additional major features.

The company has already played with showing the feed in full-screen mode. It conducted tests on a design that was intended to put the focus on videos; nevertheless, the screen still featured white bars at the top and bottom. It also didn't make any big changes to the main navigation bar at the bottom, even though the company has said it wants to try out shortcuts for making posts and messages there.

According to Engadget, even if it's just an experiment, for now, Meta's new design is congruent with the company's stated goal of making its competition with TikTok a major priority. This entails putting more reels and suggested content into the feeds of Instagram users, in addition to putting more of an emphasis on video content as opposed to still photographs.

Instagram's Full-Screen Feed

Instagram's initiative to test out this new feature comes from their efforts to give importance to the video and messaging parts of their platform. The head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, posted a video message of himself stating that they are moving the social media platform to a better place where video plays a much bigger part of the home experience.

Mosseri stated that they are focusing on taking the platform to a place where it is more immersive, taking up more of a user's screen. Hence, the testing of the new full-screen feed feature.

Aside from that, the Head of Instagram also mentioned that they are trying to figure out ways to advance IG in a world where people are going to be mobile-first.

In an effort to stay relevant to how younger people use social networks, Meta is constantly adapting to the algorithms that underpin Facebook and Instagram feeds in an effort to stay relevant.